Heathrow Airport ATMs: locations, fees, and tips

Flying into London Heathrow? If you’re heading home from holiday or jetting off overseas, you might need to know where to find an ATM within the airport.

Airports are convenient places to get cash if you really need it, but they can often be expensive.

In this guide, we’ll give you the lowdown on London Heathrow Airport ATMs. This includes info on locations, fees and withdrawal limits.

Where do I find an ATM at Heathrow Airport?

Unsurprisingly for such a large international airport, there are lots of ATMsin Heathrow Airport. You’ll find them in all four terminals, in arrivals, departures, baggage reclaim, check-in and near gates. There are ATMs available both before and after security.

The airport has searchable and interactive maps available which show the locations of all ATMs.

You can also search for your nearest cash machine with these global ATM locators:

• Visa ATM locator
• MasterCard ATM locator

Are there max cash withdrawal limits in ATMs at Heathrow airport?

ATMs at London Heathrow Airport don’t tend to have specific limits for how much you can withdraw at once. It will largely depend on the withdrawal limits set by your bank or card provider.

Most UK banks set withdrawal limits for how much you can withdraw a day, week or month (or in a single transaction).

To find out your limits before you travel, check the terms and conditions for your account or card - or contact your bank.

If there is a limit, the ATM will display a message advising you that your request has exceeded the maximum limit.

It’s also worth knowing that the limit for taking money out of the UK is £10,000 - anything over that and you’ll need to declare it to customs.

What fees do airport ATMs in Heathrow charge?

According to the airport, most of its ATMs don’t charge any fees for withdrawing cash using a UK bank card.¹

The only thing to watch out for is withdrawing in foreign currency. For example, you might be flying to Europe and want to take out some euros while still in the UK. This can lead to a ‘hidden’ fee in the exchange rate you’re given by the ATM. More on this next.

Tips for avoiding ATM fees in Heathrow Airport

Always choose to be charged in the local currency

If you’re landing at London Heathrow, It’s likely that you’ll be withdrawing GBP to spend in the UK. This is the same as your UK bank account, so no currency conversion will be needed.

But if for some reason you’re using a card linked to an account in another currency (i.e. EUR), or you’re thinking of withdrawing foreign currency for an onward journey - there’s an extra thing to look out for when using an ATM.

Some ATMs may offer you a ‘service’ of converting currency for you. It’s always best to decline this option, as this gives the ATM permission to give you an arbitrary (generally much more unfavourable) exchange rate for your withdrawal.

Being charged in the local currency instead helps you avoid hidden ATM rip-offs by giving you the best possible exchange rate.

Flying in from the EU? Check out our currency converter below:

📚 Read: Heathrow currency exchange

Look for fee-free ATMs

The ATMs in Heathrow Airport shouldn’t charge any fees, but it’s always worth checking before using one.

If you can’t find a fee-free option, it could be worth waiting until you travel outside the airport where there will be lots of free bank-operated ATMs to choose from.

Choose the right fee-free card

You should be fine to use your UK debit card to withdraw cash at Heathrow without incurring any fees.

But this isn’t the case for credit cards. As a general rule, you should never use a credit card to make ATM withdrawals. Using a credit card to withdraw cash is usually a lot more expensive than using a debit card, as fees are charged by your card provider for cash-related transactions.

Plus, interest will likely start accruing right away, so you won’t benefit from your usual interest-free period on spending.

Spend and withdraw worldwide with the Wise card

Got travel plans? Whether you’re heading elsewhere in the UK or travelling to Europe and beyond, the Wise card is the perfect way to spend and withdraw cash worldwide.

It’s a dedicated travel card, letting you spend like a local in 150+ countries worldwide. It automatically converts your pounds to the local currency at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend for only a small, transparent fee*.

And when you need cash, you can use it to withdraw up to £200 a month (max. 2 withdrawals) fee-free. You’ll just need to check whether the ATM operator charges its own fees.

Wise only ever charges small, transparent fees for currency conversion*.

Or it’s fee-free if you already have the currency in your Wise account*.

Sign up for a Wise account online and you can get your own Wise card for a one-time fee of just £7 to start spending like a local wherever you go.

Your Wise card awaits 💳

ATMs in Heathrow airport FAQs

Can I get euros at Heathrow Airport ATM?

You may be able to withdraw euros and other currencies from ATMs in Heathrow, but you’ll probably need to find one run by a currency exchange company.

At Heathrow Airport, this is Travelex. Just bear in mind that airport currency exchange can be a little pricey.

Is there a free ATM at Heathrow?

Yes, most ATMs at Heathrow Airport should be free to use.

Can you pay in cash at Heathrow Airport?

Yes, you can pay with cash in Heathrow Airport, but bear in mind that some brands, stores and restaurants may have switched to a cashless system. So it could be worth making sure you have a debit or credit card with you as well.

Should I exchange currency at Heathrow?

Currency exchange at airports is notoriously expensive, with high fees and poor exchange rates. So, it’s recommended to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 19-06-2024