Travelex Currency Services

Exorbitant rates — Just use a foreign ATM to get currency, and check my recommended options below for changing currency back when you return.
I went here to look into exchanging currency, Dollars to Euros, for my trip to Germany. I checked the rates ahead of time, so I knew what they were. On the day I arrived here, the market rate was 1.25 dollars per Euro.
The rate offered by Travelex was over 1.40 dollars per Euro, but on top of this they also charged a steep flat fee – not worth it because I only wanted to exchange about 100 Euro’s worth. The premium was about 15%!!! That’s a huge cost – and not including the flat service fee. I was also annoyed because on the website, they said there was no service fee, but when I got to the airport it was huge (I don’t remember it but I think recalling it was around $ 15).
I decided instead to take my money out of an ATM once I arrived at my destination (Germany). My bank charged a 3% fee, on top of the market rate. The total cost? $ 126.77 + $ 3.00 for the foreign ATM fee = under $ 130 for 100 euros. Awesome.
Seriously…this place is a borderline scam. Just use a foreign ATM. It’s easy, cheap, there is no reason to exchange currency here.
When you return, if you have any leftover currency, best choice is to sell it to someone directly for the market rate (if you know anyone else going to a country where the currency is used), but failing that, go to a large bank (if you have an account there, or find a friend who has an account there). I checked my bank, TD Bank, and while their exchange rates are poorer than using a foreign ATM, but better than Travelex (about 5% lower), and their flat fee is also lower. Also, another option, if you have a friend or family member soon visiting the US from the country you are coming from, you can deposit money in their account, and then have them withdraw it from a US-​based ATM in dollars, for a better rate than you’ll get walking into a bank.