We show you how to Pre-order foreign cash online for better currency exchange rates and save money for your next trip.
It’s always reassuring to know as you board an overseas flight from Australia that you have some of the local currency of your destination, especially for that late night jet-lagged taxi ride from the airport or so you can hit the bars (or bed) right away.
But watch out, it’s a little-known fact that the closer you get to the departure gates the worst the currency exchange rates get! In fact, travellers can end up paying more than 10% extra if you load up on your overseas currency at an airport bureau de change outlet.
The closer you are to the departure gates the worst the currency exchange rates – So plan ahead!
Pre-ordering foreign cash online for better currency exchange rates
If you end up buying your travel money on departure day without pre-ordering online you are most likely wasting some of your money. Best Exchange Rates recommends Travelex Online for the best overall currency exchange rates, quality of service and with the largest network of outlets to pick up your orders and in some countries provide home delivery.
Avoid Airport Stress and Bad Currency Exchange Rates
If you make it part of your pre-departure preparations to Order your Foreign Cash Online from Travelex you will probably end up extending your travel budget by a couple of precious days. Currency exchange vendors charge you by selling an exchange rate worse than the official mid-market rate exchange rate, and also by charging a per-deal commission, either a fixed amount or a percentage of the amount you’re exchanging, whichever is bigger. We constantly monitor the exchange rates and commission fees of both banks and currency exchange providers which you check via our Travel Money Calculator to see how much you can save.
4 Steps to getting Cheaper Travel Money Online
- Start thinking about your Travel Money options as least 3 days before departure
- Use Best Exchange Rates to see how much you can save by Ordering Travel Money online
- Visit the Travelex website and select the currency/s and amount
- Take care to review the payment options as there may be extra fees for using credit cards
Other Travel Money Options: Prepaid travel cards and credit cards? Read our Best Exchange Rates articles on the best rates and features for prepaid travel cards and the costs of using credit cards for purchases in this article.
You can quickly compare Travel Money Exchange Rates and the vendor margins from the market mid-rate in the table below :
Travel Money - Best vs Banks
| Travel Money Providers Ratings & Reviews | Amount USD($) | Exchange Rate | Fee AUD | Total Cost | Currency Services | Delivery/Collect | Deal Links |
|---|
Order multiple currencies in one transaction and have it delivered to your door in 5 days. More▾ | 694.60 USD Best Overall | 0.6946 | 0 | 2.31% | Online order, Free delivery, Pickup in Adelaide only | 5 days | |
Get great travel money rates from Travelex when you order online. More▾ | 690.20 USD 4.4 USD less | 0.6902 | $0 BPay, Card 0.72%-1% | 2.93% | Online order, Branch pickup, Home delivery | 2-3 days | |
Order over 60 currencies at best online rate and collect at over 130 locations across Australia. More▾ | 689.90 USD 4.7 USD less | 0.6899 | $0 BPay, Credit Card 1% | 2.97% | Online order, Branch pickup | 3-5 days | |
Get better rates when you order online (via Travelex) for pickup at your local AusPost branch. More▾ | 686.10 USD 8.5 USD less | 0.6861 | $0 BPay, Card 0.72%-1% | 3.5% | Online order, Branch pickup, $10 fee for orders under $1000 | 2-3 days | |
| 676.37 USD 18 USD less | 0.6832 | $10 | 4.87% | Branch | - | |
Bank of Melbourne Foreign Currency | 675.81 USD 19 USD less | 0.6861 | $15 | 4.95% | Branch | - | |
BankSA Foreign Currency | 675.81 USD 19 USD less | 0.6861 | $15 | 4.95% | Branch | - | |
| 673.50 USD 21 USD less | 0.6803 | $10 | 5.27% | Branch | - | |
Average rate from these selected Banks. Click icons to see each bank's individual rate and fee. More▾ | 672.02 USD 23 USD less | 0.6803 | 10 | 5.48% | Branch | - | |
| 669.41 USD 25 USD less | 0.6796 | $15 | 5.85% | Branch | - | |
| 666.86 USD 28 USD less | 0.6736 | $10 | 6.21% | Branch | - | |
| 666.37 USD 28 USD less | 0.6731 | 10 | 6.28% | Branch | - | |
| Foreign Xchange: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | 0 |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6946 (2.31% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 694.60 USD |
| Total Cost: | 2.31% |
| Time: | 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Online order, Free delivery, Pickup in Adelaide only |
| Delivery/Collect: | 5 days |
| Rating: | : 4/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Travelex Online AU: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $0 BPAY, 0.77% MasterCard debit, 0.94% MasterCard credit, 0.72% Visa debit and 1% Visa credit |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6902 (2.93% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 690.20 USD |
| Total Cost: | 2.93% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: Fri Feb 22 2019 10:00:04 GMT+0000 (UTC) |
| Currency Services: | Online order, Branch pickup, Home delivery |
| Delivery/Collect: | 2-3 days |
| Rating: | : 4.3/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Travel Money Oz: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $0 BPay, Credit Card 1% |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6899 (2.97% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 689.90 USD |
| Total Cost: | 2.97% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: Fri Feb 22 2019 10:00:06 GMT+0000 (UTC) |
| Currency Services: | Online order, Branch pickup |
| Delivery/Collect: | 3-5 days |
| Rating: | : 4.2/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Australia Post: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $0 BPAY, 0.77% MasterCard debit, 0.94% MasterCard credit, 0.72% Visa debit and 1% Visa credit |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6861 (3.5% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 686.10 USD |
| Total Cost: | 3.5% |
| Time: | 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Online order, Branch pickup, $10 fee for orders under $1000 |
| Delivery/Collect: | 2-3 days |
| Rating: | : 4/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| ANZ Bank: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $10 AUD (1%) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6832 (3.91% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 676.37 USD |
| Total Cost: | 4.87% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - Fri Feb 22 2019 10:03:04 GMT+0000 (UTC) |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : 3/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Bank of Melbourne: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $15 AUD (Minimum fee) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6861 (3.5% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 675.81 USD |
| Total Cost: | 4.95% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : /5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| BankSA: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $15 AUD (Minimum fee) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6861 (3.5% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 675.81 USD |
| Total Cost: | 4.95% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : /5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Commonwealth Bank (CBA): Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $10 AUD (1%) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6803 (4.32% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 673.50 USD |
| Total Cost: | 5.27% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - Fri Feb 22 2019 10:02:02 GMT+0000 (UTC) |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : 1.2/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | 10 |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6758 (4.95% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 672.02 USD |
| Total Cost: | 5.48% |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| St George Bank: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $15 AUD (Minimum fee) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6796 (4.42% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 669.41 USD |
| Total Cost: | 5.85% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : 1/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| Westpac: Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | $10 AUD (1%) |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6736 (5.26% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 666.86 USD |
| Total Cost: | 6.21% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - Fri Feb 22 2019 10:04:05 GMT+0000 (UTC) |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : 2/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
| National Australia Bank (nab): Travel Money AUD→USD |
|---|
| AUD amount: | $1,000 AUD |
| Fee: | 10 |
| Exchange Rate: | 0.6731 (5.33% from mid-rate) |
| USD amount: | 666.37 USD |
| Total Cost: | 6.28% |
| Time: | Rate Fetched: website - 12:05 Local |
| Currency Services: | Branch |
| Delivery/Collect: | - |
| Rating: | : 2.1/5.0 |
| Reviews: | |
Sending a LARGER foreign transfer? Shop-around with multiple providers:
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Category: Guides Tags: Australia, Travel
