The common airport mistake that could leave you hundreds of pounds out of pocket before you even board your flight

VACANCIES have been warned about a common mistake at airports that could cost them hundreds of pounds.

Many passengers are forced to exchange travel money until the last minute at the airport.

But research by eurochange compared the price offered at five of the UK’s busiest airports and found it could leave people with huge out-of-pocket costs.

It revealed travelers could lose £200 if they took €1,000 at London Stanstead, ranked the most expensive.

Its exchange rate is currently 0.9076 euros to 1 pound sterling.

At the other end of the spectrum, Birmingham Airport was the cheapest, but tourists were still missing out on £155.98.

Meanwhile, by withdrawing $1,000 at the same airport, passengers can expect to lose £144.17.

This is still significantly cheaper than the £193.93 wasted at Stanstead for the same transaction.

The reason for these figures is that global exchange rates are much steeper inside the terminals than in regular stores.

Laura Evans-Fisk, head of digital engagement at eurochange, told Metro: “Exchanging money at the airport is absolutely the least cost-effective way to collect your holiday money, as fees can be up to 13% higher than at the highest rates. -street or online.

“This is simply because there is much less competition and they know that customers are not looking for the best deal, so they may increase rates.”

The expert also urged travelers to research the exchange rate in advance and take advantage of the best times.

This can be between Monday and Thursday, according to Laura.

“These are the least busy days for transfers, so we may see a little less fluctuation in the average market rate during these days,” he said.

Exchange rates can fluctuate wildly, and while we can try to predict what might happen, no one knows for sure.

Another way to protect yourself from these rate changes is to buy half of what you need now and the other half closer to the time in the hopes that rates will improve by then.

If not, at least you’ll know that half of your cash was purchased at a better rate.

BEST EXCHANGE

The best way to avoid the currency exchange scam is to compare the rates offered by sellers in advance, and the most generous rates won’t necessarily come from the Post Office or Marks & Spencer.

Use tools like MoneySavingExpert’s TravelMoneyMax or compareholidaymoney.com to find the best deals online and near you, based on commission charges and the exchange rate itself.

Ordering currency in advance can also save you money, as long as you have time to wait for it between now and your trip.

This comes as other gurus have shared their valuable travel tips.

One revealed the best way to combat jet lag by following a few simple steps.

And a clever mum has revealed her tricks for traveling on a long-haul flight with her toddler.

In the meantime, this clever article will help make walking through the airport a breeze.

And here’s a simple packing trick that could make a vacation a lot easier.