It is almost always a good idea to avoid an airport currency exchange when you need to buy foreign currency for any reason. When you are traveling and ready to go to your destination you don’t want to have to wait in line for the opportunity to buy currency, as it can add significant delays. There are plenty of downsides to using an airport currency exchange with few benefits other than the chance to buy currency at the last minute. The best choice is to buy currency online before you head out, so that you can carefully plan your purchase and save the most money possible.

Airport currency exchanges charge a lot

The reality is that airport currency exchange services charge a lot of money because of their services fees and other fees. You will spend much more than you would at a local currency exchange service or an online service like Xchange of America, and there is the chance that you might not be able to get to one because of closing times and waiting lines. The extra money that you save by using an online currency exchange can be used for other expenditures on your trip, but with an airport currency exchange you won’t be left with much no matter what type of currency you buy.

You can’t time your purchase for when the exchange rate is favorable

One strategy to get as much currency as possible is to time your purchase for days when the exchange rate for the U.S. dollar is favorable compared to that currency. Xchange of America updates its exchange rates on a regular basis, based on the daily exchange rate. You can time your purchase for a day when the U.S. dollar is strong, and by watching the fluctuations over a period of time you can start to get a good idea on what a favorable exchange rate might be. If this is confusing to you, you are also free to call Xchange of America and ask any of the currency experts on staff any questions that you have about exchanging currency.

You will get a lot less currency

In almost every case, you will get a significantly lower amount of currency by using an airport currency exchange. There is just no good justification to use one unless it is your last resort. You can avoid this situation by simply preparing for your trip and purchasing currency online before you head out. You won’t need to make last minute adjustments to your schedule or deal with other inconveniences, and your trip will go smoothly. You don’t want to visit a country without bringing a sufficient amount of cash with you, so be sure that you call ahead, order, and have your currency shipped to you as soon as you can. The money and time you save will be substantial, and you will be ready to go for your trip well ahead of schedule. Do your best to avoid an airport currency exchange and you won’t have to deal with any of the problems mentioned here!