Foreign Currency Manchester Airport
You can buy foreign currency and travellers cheques online and get great rates and no commission, or you can buy it at the airport, not get as good rates and pay commission. That's the basic choice.
[See this summer 2005 manchester airport news article on how bad the rates and charges at airports can be].
Buying Foreign Currency at Manchester Airport
You can contact ICE at the airport on 0161 489 5215 and Thomas Cook on 0161 489 8839. Telephone them to check their rates and charges, then compare them with the rates available online below. Online will always win.
Terminal 1: Thomas Cook counter in the departures area before security. There is also an International Currency Exchange (or ICE) in the landside arrivals area.
Terminal 2: International Currency Exchange (or ICE) in the departures area after security. There is also a Thomas Cook desk in the arrivals area landside.
Terminal 3: Thomas Cook desk in the arrivals area landside.
Buying Foreign Currency Online
You can buy your currency online via a number of foreign exchange companies. Each time we check the rates, including commission and delivery charges, we find that Onlinefx, Travelex and the Post Office are the most competitive.
With Onlinefx, if you buy it via a website called www.1stholidaystore.co.uk and pay via a debit card, the currency is delivered free as well as commission free. If you order by 12:30 your currency can be delivered to your home or work by 17:30 the next day. (NB: If paying with Switch, Delta and Solo cards, just type "free delivery" in the Promotion / ID box at payment stage.)
With Travelex you need to give 48 hours notice, but you can collect your currency from the airport if they have a desk there (they don't at any of Manchester Airport's terminals). And with the Post Office you can choose between delivery, or you can pick your currency up at your local Post Office
