Travelex Travel Money Guide
Who Travelex is for
Travelex is the international heavyweight in foreign exchange. 50+ years of trading. 600+ stores across more than 20 countries. The largest network of airport bureaus in the world.
In the UK, the network has shifted toward airports and city-centre flagships. 50 counters in our locations data. Most are inside Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and the other major airports. The city-centre sites are at Selfridges, Westfield Shepherd's Bush and Paddington.
That focus shapes who Travelex is for. They're a strong choice in three cases:
- You want to lock in your rate ahead and grab cash at the airport.
- You want a prepaid currency card with free overseas ATM access.
- You're buying enough currency to clear the £600 free-delivery threshold.
Travelex is less compelling for high-street or weekly-shop pickup. They no longer have that kind of network in the UK.
One useful piece of context. Travelex is the company that runs Asda and Tesco Travel Money behind the scenes. So if you've shopped Asda or Tesco for currency, you've already used Travelex. You just didn't know it.
What you can buy and how
Travelex covers more channels than most rivals:
- In-store at one of the 50 UK counters. Airports and a handful of city-centre flagships. Walk-in service, broad currency stock, especially at airport sites.
- Click & Collect at airports and flagships. Order online, lock in the rate, then collect at the airport on the day you fly or at a city-centre store ahead of time.
- ATM Click & Collect at select locations. Pre-load a Travelex Money Card online, then withdraw at a Travelex ATM in the UK before you fly. Currently available at Manchester and Birmingham. Unique to Travelex.
- Home delivery by Royal Mail Special Delivery. Free on orders £600 or more, from £5.99 below.
- Travelex Money Card (multi-currency Mastercard Prepaid). 22 loadable currencies. Free overseas ATM withdrawals on Travelex's side; the local ATM operator may charge their own fee.
- Buy back for unused currency.
There are also 50 currencies in cash. That's the broadest range among UK travel-money providers. Most rivals stock 50 too, but Travelex's airport branches usually have more in physical stock.
How Click & Collect works
The standard process applies, but the airport context adds a useful wrinkle:
- Order online at the rate published on the website. Sign in to Travelex Plus (free loyalty membership) for member discounts.
- Pick your collection point. Most are inside airport terminals.
- Pay by debit or credit card.
- Collect at the airport on the day of travel, or in advance at a city-centre flagship.
For airport pickup, this means you can lock in today's rate weeks ahead of your flight. Then walk straight to the counter on the day. No queuing for the published rate. Useful if you're worried about rate moves between booking and travelling.
The Click & Collect maximum is £4,999, the highest in the UK travel-money market. Only Sainsbury's (£4,500) comes close. Good for big family holidays or business trips that need a lot of currency in one go.
ATM Click & Collect: the unusual product
Travelex offers something none of their UK rivals do: ATM Click & Collect. Pre-load a Travelex Money Card online. Then withdraw the cash from a Travelex ATM in the UK whenever it suits you.
This is currently available at Manchester and Birmingham. It solves a specific problem. You've ordered cash but you don't want to queue at a counter. You'd rather just visit a machine. It's a niche product but a genuine standout. If you're flying out of Manchester or Birmingham and want a quick airport-side cash grab, this is the smoothest way.
The Travelex Money Card
The prepaid Mastercard is a major reason to consider Travelex over rivals without one:
- 22 loadable currencies
- Lock in your exchange rate at load time
- No overseas ATM charges from Travelex (local ATM operators may charge their own fees)
- Mastercard Prepaid acceptance worldwide
- Free to issue under Travelex Plus
The card competes with Post Office's, Sainsbury's and Tesco's prepaid cards. The big advantage of the Travelex card: free Travelex-side ATM access, and the option to fix the rate now.
The catch: card-issuance and inactivity terms are worth reading. If you don't use the card for a long period, fees can apply.
What it costs
- 0% commission under Travelex Plus
- Click & Collect: free
- ATM Click & Collect: free
- Home delivery: free over £600, from £5.99 below
- Travelex Money Card overseas ATM: free from Travelex's side; local operator may charge
The home-delivery schedule is the most detailed in the UK market. The simple version: order before 2pm Monday to Thursday for next working day. The full schedule covers four scenarios. Saturday delivery is offered for some Friday-afternoon orders, but not guaranteed. If timing matters for your trip, check the schedule when you order.
How Travelex compares to the UK market
Travelex's market-leading numbers are the online order ceiling (£4,999, the highest in UK travel money) and the Trustpilot review base (45,641 reviews, by far the largest). The 50-branch UK network is the smallest in this group, but it's airport-heavy where the demand is concentrated.
| Metric | Travelex | UK market |
|---|---|---|
| UK counters | 50 (10th of 10) | avg 579; almost all Travelex sites are airports |
| Online order maximum | £4,999 | Travelex leads; most providers cap at £2,500 |
| HD free-delivery threshold | £600 | avg £570; £500 is the most common |
| Travel Money Card | yes (22 currencies, free overseas ATM) | offered by 5 of 10 providers |
| ATM Click & Collect | yes (Manchester + Birmingham) | unique to Travelex |
| Loyalty programme | Travelex Plus (free; first-trip discount + member sales) | 6 of 10 run a loyalty rate |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.3 | avg 4.5; leader Eurochange (4.8) |
| Trustpilot reviews | 45,641 | largest review base in UK travel money |
In plain English: Travelex is the airport heavyweight. A global network behind the UK presence. The most-reviewed Trustpilot profile in this group. Less competitive on neighbourhood high-street access (the Tesco and Asda services that Travelex actually runs fill that gap). But the prepaid card and the products that let you fix a rate in advance are best-in-class.
When Travelex isn't the right choice
A few situations where another provider serves you better:
- You want neighbourhood high-street access. Travelex's UK network is concentrated at airports. If you'd rather pick up currency at your local supermarket, Tesco or Asda are better. Both run on the Travelex engine behind the scenes. Clubcard or Asda Rewards add a better rate for loyalty members.
- You're buying a smaller home-delivery order. Below the £600 free threshold, you'll pay £5.99 or more. Post Office, Sainsbury's and John Lewis all go free at £500. They're cheaper for orders in the £100 to £600 band.
- You want loyalty rewards on travel money. Travelex Plus is free and offers member discounts. But the supermarket loyalty programmes (Sparks at M&S, Asda Rewards, Nectar at Sainsbury's, Clubcard at Tesco) are worth comparing if you already collect those points.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a Travelex counter in the UK? 50 UK counters, mostly inside airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and others). Plus a handful of city-centre flagships at Selfridges, Westfield Shepherd's Bush and Paddington. Use the store locator on the Travelex website.
Can I lock in my rate weeks before flying? Yes. Order Click & Collect online and the rate is fixed at order time. Pickup is available at airports on the day of travel or at city-centre stores ahead of time.
Does the Travelex Money Card really have free ATM withdrawals abroad? Yes from Travelex's side. The local ATM operator can still charge their own fee, which is outside Travelex's control. The combined cost is usually much less than UK debit-card foreign-transaction fees.
What is ATM Click & Collect? A Travelex-only product where you pre-load a Money Card online and withdraw the cash from a Travelex ATM in the UK before travelling. Currently available at Manchester and Birmingham. Unique among UK travel-money providers.
How does the home-delivery schedule work? Order before 2pm Monday to Thursday for next-working-day delivery. After 2pm Monday to Wednesday delivers two working days later. Friday and weekend orders deliver Tuesday. Saturday delivery is offered for some Thursday-afternoon orders, but not guaranteed.
Is Travelex the same as Tesco Travel Money or Asda Travel Money? The same rates and the same currency stock power all three. The Tesco and Asda storefronts add their own branding, customer service and loyalty programme (Clubcard, Asda Rewards). Rates may vary slightly between the three.
The verdict
Travelex is the strongest pick in three cases. Airport travellers who want to lock in a rate ahead and pick up cash on the day. Anyone who wants a prepaid Travel Money Card with free overseas ATM access. And larger orders, thanks to the £4,999 Click & Collect ceiling. The 50+ years of trading, 600+ global stores, and 45,000+ Trustpilot reviews are reassurance signals few rivals match.
It's less competitive on small home-delivery orders. The £600 free threshold is on the higher side. The high-street network has also shrunk since the days when every market town had a Travelex. Worth comparing today's Travelex rate against Tesco and Asda (both running on the same engine) and the rest of the market. That tells you whether buying direct from Travelex, or through Tesco or Asda, is the best choice for your trip.