Holidaymakers can shave £172 off their next travel getaway with new tip from eurochange

How holidaymakers can save £172 on their next travel, according to new expert advice

• Holidaymakers can save an average of £172 on their next getaway by converting travel money before they arrive at the airport, new research shows.

• Foreign exchange expert eurochange analysed airport rates to reveal how much more people pay for organising their holiday money at the last minute. 

• Holidaymakers will find themselves losing out on an average £172 when converting 1,000 Euros at the airport, compared to high street exchange branches.

• The airports that offered the least value per exchange came out as London Stansted, Birmingham, East Midlands and Leeds Bradford.

People going on holiday this year could save £172 on converting holiday money, by opting to do so before they arrive at the airport, new research has revealed.

Foreign exchange expert eurochange analysed the fees associated with currency conversions at airport bureaus versus high street branches and found that - based on a customer purchasing 1,000  euros - the savings are close to £172 per transaction.

This means that preparation is key to helping lower the cost of going abroad this year, as holidaymakers will avoid costly airport commission fees and rates before jetting off.

These days, every penny saved helps when heading abroad - especially given the rising cost of living. And with a recent eurochange survey showing that the average person takes £625 on holiday, these savings translate to a minimum saving of £84 per £500 transaction.

The amount people could save changes airport-by-airport too, as the research found converting money at both East Midlands and Birmingham airports will see holidaymakers miss out on savings that total more than £180. 

And while, on the other end of the scale, holidaymakers getting their travel money at Heathrow will miss out on £149 - that’s still a significant saving that’s going to waste.

Meanwhile, holiday goers converting pounds to euros at Liverpool can expect to pay £163 more than they would on the high street, compared to £171 more at Leeds Bradford.

Average savings holidaymakers will miss out when converting currency at airports

As well as cutting costs, other benefits to visiting high street branches for currency conversions are that you don’t have to contend with airport foot traffic - currently at an all-time high due to security wait times - which will help reduce stress when travelling abroad.

This will be a priority for many travellers this year, given many airports like Manchester are issuing warnings about “longer than usual” security queues during peak travel periods.

Speaking on the findings, Charles Stewart, Managing Director at eurochange, said: “Given that people are more conscientious about making their money go further, it’s really important to highlight that holidaymakers could be spending far more than necessary at UK airports.

“Opting for a high street provider, such as one of eurochange’s 192 branches across the UK, means people get almost €200 more to take away with them, which is a substantial sum - particularly for families. Not only that, but services like Click & Collect mean holidaymakers can save time when collecting their orders from our bureaus and avoid the hassle of collecting or purchasing at an airport before your flight.”

“This is invaluable for people getting away this year - the last thing you want before or after a holiday is feeling like you need another break due to airport security stress!”

For more information and advice on your holiday cash and foreign exchange, please visit: http://www.eurochange.co.uk 

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