Bristol Airport is a hive of activity all year round. Many people use the airport for personal trips abroad as well as for business trips, meaning that it is a very busy place to go to.
But of course this also means that it is packed with all the services you could need before (or indeed after) your trip away. And one of the most important things you need to think about before you go is getting the right amount of foreign currency that you need for your destination.
Many people try and sort this out before they go on holiday. But with so much to do and think about before you go, it isn’t always practical to do this. That’s why you will always find bureaux de change in airports, and Bristol Airport is no exception. If you run out of time to get organised before it’s time to get to the airport, you can sort out all the currency you will need once you arrive at Bristol Airport itself.
So let’s see exactly what you need to do and where you need to go to make this experience as smooth as possible.
Where can I go for my foreign currency once I get to the airport?
The main terminal at Bristol Airport consists of three levels – the ground floor, the first floor and then a mezzanine level.
As you come into the entrance of Bristol Airport, you need to turn to your right and walk along the concourse. You should then see TravelEx, the bureau de change, on your right hand side. It’s very close to the escalators which can take you up to the next floor. There is also a bureau de change ‘airside’ – that is, not far from the domestic arrivals section. This is also run by TravelEx.
The first floor is where all the departure gates are, and there aren’t any more bureaux de change up here. It’s a similar story with the mezzanine level too, so clearly if you need to sort out your money before you go on holiday you need to do so before you check in and go through security. Once you are through to the departure gates you won’t be able to change up your money.
If you want to change your money back to British pounds when you get back to Bristol Airport, you should head for the bureau de change which is on the airside part of the airport. If you forget you can always go to the Travelex branch, but it’s good to know you have both to choose from.
Can I order my currency in advance and then just pick it up when I arrive?
Yes, TravelEx does provide a service like this that you can utilise when you are flying out of Bristol Airport. You don’t need to order the currency you want that far in advance either, so if you are rushing around at the last moment, just hop online and you can do what you need to right there and then.
You will need to visit the TravelEx website in order to do this, but you can pre-order whatever currency you need here. You must then specify which airport you want to collect it from. Simply select the drop down box and look at all the locations they have listed. You can then choose Bristol Airport from that list. There is only one option to pick it up from – this is the TravelEx branch nearest to the entrance on the ground floor of the airport.
Is there anything else I should know?
TravelEx is one of the biggest names in bureaux de change in the UK. It doesn’t charge you to collect your currency from them at the airport either, so you won’t be out of pocket here.
You will also see the exact price you will pay online when you reserve your cash, so it will be ready and waiting for you and all you have to do is ask for it. What could be easier?
In conclusion
Bristol Airport might be a lot smaller than some other airports such as Heathrow for example, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have all the facilities you need.
They do have fewer bureaux de change – with just the two branches in the whole of the terminal – but this is enough for the size of the terminal it is. And they will be ready and waiting to give you your cash to take away on holiday with you.
If you want to park your car to pick up your currency, you can find a deal on airport parking here.
This sounds quite useful. I don’t travel from Bristol Airport because I don’t live anywhere nearby, but I’m sure you can get this kind of service available at most UK airports now can’t you?
I haven’t used it myself but I’d like to find out if other readers have used it and what they thought of it. I noticed the other article on buying currency at the airport, but I would like to know whether it is worthwhile using before I actually try it myself. I reckon it would be if you want to use your time more productively, but it would be good to get another opinion!
Living in the area I have used Bristol Airport a lot and can thoroughly recommend it.A good piont is that they have a pick-up and departure area which is free for 10 mins.
I have used it for flights to Europe and Long Haul to Australia via Amsterdam. I was unlucky one time as the deicer was broken but was taxied up to Heathrow to conect with a flight. I would advise never change up money at an Airport.