Changing Money at Gatwick Airport: Why the Rates Are So Poor, and How to Get a Better Deal
48 minutes ago
4 min read
Walk through Gatwick Airport and you would expect the big brands to be fighting over you: the perfume counters, the whisky and gin, the sunglasses. The real surprise is the bureau de change. When I filmed, the currency desks I passed in the terminal all belonged to one company, Change Group, and with nobody next door to undercut them, the rates on their boards were strikingly poor.
I filmed this short clip at Gatwick in 2026, mid-rant, because it really does merit a video. Here it is:
Why the rates at Gatwick are so poor
The reason is simple: competition. On a high street, or in the streets around a busy station, bureaux sit within a few minutes' walk of each other and have to keep their rates honest, or you walk on to the next one. In an airport terminal the operator pays handsomely for its space, often has the concession to itself, and knows its customers are in a hurry, nervous about arriving with no cash and with no alternative in sight.
That was exactly the picture I found. The rate on the board for US dollars was dramatically worse than you could get in town for the same pound, and that was before the fee. On smaller amounts there was a flat transaction fee on top, which on a modest holiday sum takes another bite out of what you receive. Put the two together and it is, in my view, one of the biggest rip-offs in travel.
Gatwick's South Terminal shopping concourse: plenty of choice for perfume and gin, rather less for currency.
I tried to film the desk to show what was on offer. The staff were not keen and threatened to call security. I will be back.
How to get a better deal
The good news is that you do have a choice, and almost all of it happens before you reach the airport. A little planning is worth far more than any haggling at the counter.
Compare before you go. Rates in town, especially where several bureaux compete on the same street, are usually far better than at the airport.
Order online for collection. Many bureaux offer a better rate if you reserve your currency online and pick it up, and some offer collection at the airport itself at the online rate rather than the walk-up one.
Check the fee as well as the rate. A board that looks reasonable can still cost you once a flat fee or a minimum charge is added. Work out what you will actually receive.
Change only what you need in cash. Card payments are accepted almost everywhere in much of the world, so you may need far less cash than you think.
Use a card without foreign transaction fees, and when a card machine or cash machine abroad asks whether to charge you in pounds or the local currency, choose the local currency.
If you must change at the airport, change the smallest amount you can, enough for a bus or a coffee, and do the rest in town.
Foreign notes and coins left behind by travellers in a donation box at Gatwick's North Terminal.
Changing money at the airport? Check Money Maps first
This is the solution I mention in the film. Money Maps compares bureau de change and online exchange rates near you, on a map and in a list, and its 'You get' calculator shows what you would actually receive after fees, so a small rate gap and a hidden fee are both on the table before you hand over a penny. With Capture the Board you can snap a bureau's rate board to earn points towards prizes, and you can report wrong rates too. It is free on the App Store, and an Android version is coming.
Gatwick from the air, on the way in.
Stay connected on arrival
Before you leave home, sort your data, because you will want maps, your banking app and a rate comparison working the moment you land. I recommend Roamless for an eSIM that you can set up before you fly. Use code WONDERING for 20% off.
Where to stay in London
Gatwick has fast trains into central London. Use the map below to compare places to stay in the city, or browse hotels on Booking.com and Airbnb:
Gatwick's North Terminal on a clear day.
Things to do once you are in
Once your money is sorted, see tours and things to do in London on Viator:
Plan your trip
Hotels: Booking.com
Apartments: Airbnb
Tours and activities: Viator London
Tours and tickets: GetYourGuide London
Private transfer: GetTransfer
eSIM: Roamless (code WONDERING for 20% off)
Currency: Money Maps (free on the App Store)
Flights
Flying from Gatwick? Compare fares below.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth changing money at Gatwick Airport?
Generally not, beyond a small emergency amount. When I filmed, the airport rate was far worse than in town and smaller amounts carried a flat fee on top.
Where can I get a better exchange rate than the airport?
Compare bureaux in town, where competition keeps rates keener, or order online for collection. Money Maps shows bureau and online rates near you on a map.
Should I pay in pounds or local currency abroad?
Choose the local currency. Letting the card machine or cash machine convert to pounds for you usually means a worse rate.
Do I need much cash?
Often not. Cards are widely accepted in many destinations, so change only what you expect to need.
Sources: what I saw on the boards at Gatwick and the details given in my film Gatwick Airport Currency Exchange Rip Off: There's a Better Way!. Rates and fees change constantly, so always check with the bureau before you exchange.
Photos: South Terminal shops by Tim Sheerman-Chase (CC BY 2.0); Gatwick aerial view by Chris Sampson (CC BY 2.0); North Terminal by Derek Harper (CC BY-SA 2.0); money left by tourists by Rc1959 (CC0); all via Wikimedia Commons.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
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Safe travels, The Wondering Englishman
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