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Urgent advice on buying currency at LHR

PostPosted: 06 Dec 2006, 21:22
by AndyK
Off to SFO tomorrow - hadn't realised you need to give Travelex so much notice.
I realise we're probably going to get stuff in terms of commission, etc, - what would be the next best place to buy dollars from at LHR?

Cheers
Andy

PostPosted: 06 Dec 2006, 21:44
by mitchja
Andy

You get just walk up and buy $'s from Travelex. No idea of the walk-up rate you'll get though.

Regards

PostPosted: 06 Dec 2006, 22:02
by AndyK
OK Cheers James

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2006, 01:32
by ukcobra
You can use the Amex online facility, they only need 6 hours notice, whereas Travelex need between 24 and 48 hours. I think both companies offer free pre-orders.
I was at the Travelex counter on Saturday and recall them having a free commission for transactions over £500.
Travelex exchange rate appears to be better online, and better rates than the others at T3 in my experience.

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2006, 09:01
by preiffer
Travelex walkup rate is bad at LHR, and the commission that's slapped on top makes it silly. If it's 1.9 to buy pre-pay, expect 1.8 or less as walk-up in T3 after commission.

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2006, 12:12
by Snow
I did online reservation with Travelex a couple of weeks agao, and forgot to bring that plastic with me (yes, I was a bit silly, didn't read the small print).

They cancelled my reservation in T3, and I exchanged £ to $ immediately at exactly same rate as online reservation. And they didn't charge any extra. The rate was around 1.852. It must gone up a bit now.

After I returned home, I found out they not even refunded the whole amount of my original reservation, and also refunded the £4.50 commission as well. In the email, they said due to late cancellation, they may charge a 10 pounds handling fee, in fact, they didn't do that at all.

Good service, overall.

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2006, 14:16
by ukcobra
Online exchange rate on Thur last week for Sat was 1.8889

PostPosted: 07 Dec 2006, 15:27
by FamilyMan
Originally posted by ukcobra
Online exchange rate on Thur last week for Sat was 1.8889

This is pretty much the same rate that I received as a walk up in T4 on Monday.

Phil FM