Best places to buy US Dollars in the UK in 2024

You can order a travel money card like Wise or Revolut in the UK, add money in GBP and use your balance to purchase US Dollars within your multi-currency account.

You’ll then be free to spend your US Dollars when you have enough balance with no extra fees once you arrive at your destination - you can also make ATM withdrawals whenever you need some cash. If you have travel money left after your vacation you can convert back to GBP instantly for use at home - or just leave your balance ready for your next trip.

• Secure, cheap, and easy to use
• Exchange instantly or let your card do it when you pay
• Use a digital card even before your physical card arrives

Travel money cards like the Wise card and Revolut card offer great rates, cheap fees, and flexibility to manage your money with your phone.

Another option is to buy your US Dollars in person at an exchange office. To do this all you’ll need to do is pick the exchange office that’s most convenient to you, and head in with some cash in Pound Sterlings. Some exchange offices also accept card payments. Currency exchange offices set their own exchange rates and fees, so shopping around is essential - but this method does have the advantage that it’s usually instant to get the travel money you need.

• Exchange rates are likely to include a markup - a fee
• Not all currencies are stocked by all exchange services
• You may lose out when you sell back unused travel money

1. Go to the airport exchange desk on arrival

2. Confirm how much you want to exchange

3. Pay with your preferred method - usually card or cash

4. Get your travel money instantly

There’s no single best provider when it comes to exchange rates. Different services set their own rates which may vary based on the currency, the amount you want to exchange, how you want to pay, and whether you’re exchanging money in a digital account or for physical cash.

To compare your options it helps to understand a bit about the mid-market exchange rate. That’s the rate you’ll see for GBP to USD exchange if you use an online currency converter tool or a Google search. The mid-market rate is commonly used as a benchmark as it’s the one quoted on wholesale markets. However, banks and exchange services don’t usually pass this rate on directly. Instead they add an extra fee to the rate offered to retail customers - known as a markup.

This means that looking for a service which has transparent exchange rates which are the same as - or close to - the mid-market exchange rates is a good idea. You can compare a few live exchange rates for popular providers using the Exiap tools, to find the best US Dollar exchange rate based on the specific transaction you want to make.

Here’s what to do to find the best GBP to USD exchange rate:

1. Enter the amount you need into the comparison tool
2. Review the options available, looking at the exchange rate for Pound Sterlings to US Dollars in particular
3. Decide between getting a travel card, ordering online, or in person
4. Choose a provider based on the available options and deals

How to find the best US Dollar exchange rate on the high street

Here are some tips for getting the best rate in your high-street currency exchanges.

• Shop around for the best deal. High streets usually have multiple currency exchanges, ranging from independent bureaus du change to huge supermarkets and travel agents.

• Play off travel money providers against each other. Get a quote from at least two exchanges. Show the best quote to the provider with the second best quote and ask them if they can do a better rate.

• Pick up in store. Home deliveries of cash often incur delivery fees. Pick up your cash in person for free.

How to find the best US Dollar buy back rate?

If you bought too much travel money and come home with US Dollars in your pocket you may want to sell them back to get Pound Sterlings.

• Shop around. The exchange rate may have changed since you bought your travel money, so you'll need to shop around again to find the best option

• Look for buy back options on the high street. Buy back services may be offered by banks and physical exchange stores but they're not usually an option online

• Check what you can exchange. You can usually only exchange higher denomination notes which are clean and unmarked - coins are seldom accepted

• Get a travel card. Use a card instead of exchanging your money in advance, to avoid having left over US Dollars to deal with. Leave your money in Pound Sterlings and let the card convert as and when you need to.

Your budget for a trip to the United States can vary enormously depending on what you’re planning to do, where you’ll stay and how long you’re going to be there. It’s worth setting yourself a budget in US Dollars well in advance so you can plan around that. The most expensive costs of any trip are usually accommodation and activities, but do remember to also take into account costs of currency exchange, food and transport, as well as incidentals like tipping.

Average hotel costs in the United States do vary a lot but can start from around £206. On top of that you’ll need to budget for food, at around £46 per meal. If you’re looking for an easy life you could also choose to take an organized tour which means there’s no need to plan all your activities individually. Or, set your budget to cover about £44 per day to make sure you can get the most from your trip.

Country costs provided by BudgetYourTrip. Correct as of 25 April 2024.

There’s no single best time to buy US Dollars. Exchange rates change all the time, so keeping an eye on rates using a reputable currency converter tool or a site like ours can help you get a feel for the trends.

The exchange rate today is 1.257. Over the last week, the average exchange rate has been 1.26119.

Ultimately the best time to buy US Dollars depends on a huge range of factors, including changes in the global markets, which can be difficult, or impossible, to predict. If you buy a currency when the rate is on a downward trend it may make sense to see if it falls further before you buy. If rates are going up you might want to buy now before any potential future increases.

Nothing is certain, though. With a travel money card you have the flexibility to either lock in an exchange rate when you spot a good one, or just leave your money in Pound Sterlings and switch over to US Dollars using the live rate when you pay or withdraw. This gives you options and while there’s no guarantee you can save, it could give you the best of both worlds, depending on how you think rates are trending.