Quick answer. At London Gatwick (LGW), skip the Travelex and Moneycorp counters and the Cashzone and Euronet standalone machines that dominate both terminals; they run 8–12% off the interbank rate or charge £1.99–2.99 plus a hard DCC pitch. Gatwick has far fewer high-street bank cashpoints than Heathrow, so the cleanest move is to withdraw nothing at the airport: the Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Southern trains, the National Express coach, and every black cab and Uber all take contactless tap-to-pay, so you can leave LGW with zero pounds and use a real Barclays, NatWest, HSBC or Lloyds cashpoint (no operator fee, interbank rate) once you reach Victoria or London Bridge. The UK no longer has a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner (Barclays left in 2021), so a BoA card pays its 3% abroad here; a no-FX-fee card (Wise, Schwab) is cleaner. Always decline DCC and choose pounds (GBP).
Where to get pound at LGW
Gatwick's mix is the opposite of ideal: lots of Travelex and Moneycorp bureaux and Cashzone / Euronet standalone machines, and only a thin scattering of fee-free high-street bank cashpoints. The good news is that everything out of the airport takes contactless, so the cheapest path is often to withdraw nothing here. The cost math below assumes you withdraw £100 starting from a USD account.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-street bank cashpoint (LGW arrivals, if you find one) | North / South Terminal arrivals | £0 operator fee + interbank rate | ~$128 + home-bank fee |
| Real bank cashpoint in central London (after the train) | Victoria / London Bridge / St Pancras | £0 + interbank rate | ~$128 + home-bank fee |
| Pre-ordered pounds (CEI) | Delivered to your US address | ~2-3% | ~$131-133 |
| Travelex / Moneycorp counter (LGW) | Both terminals, arrivals | 8-12% over mid-market + fee | ~$138-144 |
| Cashzone / NoteMachine / Euronet standalone (LGW) | Near WHSmith / shops | £1.99-2.99 + 4-12% DCC | ~$135-148 |
Bank cashpoint locations at Gatwick (and why the train is the better plan)
London Gatwick (LGW) is the UK's second-busiest airport, about 45 km (28 miles) south of central London in West Sussex, with two terminals, North and South, linked by a free inter-terminal shuttle transit. For getting pounds, Gatwick is a harder airport than Heathrow: the arrivals halls are dominated by Travelex and Moneycorp bureaux and by Cashzone, NoteMachine and Euronet standalone machines, while genuine fee-free high-street bank cashpoints (Barclays, NatWest, HSBC UK, Lloyds) are fewer and less obvious, usually tucked near the WHSmith or the railway-station entrance landside. Because every train, coach, cab and rideshare out of Gatwick accepts contactless tap-to-pay, the cheapest approach is usually to skip the airport machines entirely, tap onto a train, and withdraw at a real bank cashpoint once you reach central London, where coverage is dense. If you do need pounds before leaving, hunt down a bank-branded cashpoint rather than a Cashzone unit, decline dynamic currency conversion, and choose pounds.
North Terminal
easyJet (the airport's dominant carrier), TUI Airways, Norse Atlantic, and a range of leisure and charter operators. The North Terminal handles a large share of Gatwick's short-haul and holiday traffic
In landside arrivals, the Travelex and Moneycorp bureaux and the Cashzone standalone machines are the most visible, near the exits and the WHSmith. Look instead for a high-street bank cashpoint (Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, Lloyds) toward the railway-station entrance, or skip the airport machines and tap onto the Gatwick Express or Thameslink and withdraw in central London. Decline DCC, choose pounds.
South Terminal
British Airways, Vueling, Wizz Air, Norse Atlantic long-haul, and various scheduled and charter carriers. The South Terminal is directly connected to Gatwick railway station
The South Terminal sits right on the railway station, so the cleanest plan is to walk past the prominent Travelex, Moneycorp and Cashzone machines in arrivals, tap a contactless card at the station, and withdraw at a real bank cashpoint in London. If you need pounds at the airport, find a bank-branded cashpoint near the WHSmith rather than a standalone unit, and decline DCC.
Do you actually need cash at Gatwick?
Almost never. The Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Southern, the National Express coach, and every black cab, Uber and Bolt accept contactless tap-to-pay, as do the airport shops and cafes. The first cash-only moment you are likely to hit (a market trader, a busker, a cab tip) is in central London, where bank-cashpoint density is high. Here is what works on tap:
Gatwick Express (non-stop to Victoria) (~£20 single): Non-stop to London Victoria in about 30 minutes, roughly every 15 minutes. Tap contactless at the gate or book in advance for the cheapest fare.
Thameslink (through central London) (~£12-18 single): Runs to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International in 35-55 min. Usually the cheapest train. Tap in, tap out.
Southern (to Victoria / London Bridge) (~£12-18 single): Standard National Rail services into Victoria and London Bridge. Contactless accepted; daily capping applies on tap-to-pay.
National Express coach (to Victoria Coach Station) (~£10-25 single): Direct coach to central London, slower than the train but useful for luggage. Book in advance for the cheapest fare.
Black cab / Uber / Bolt (~£90-130 to central London): Card-accepted, but slow and expensive over the ~45 km from Gatwick. The train is faster and far cheaper.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Gatwick to London?
No. Gatwick Express (non-stop to Victoria) accepts contactless. Most taxis accept cards. Uber and other apps are card-only.
Can I order pound before flying?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical pound to your US address in 2-5 days at rates well below airport counters. Order 50-100 pound for taxis and tips on day one.
Are there fee-free bank cashpoints at Gatwick?
Yes, but fewer than at Heathrow, and you have to look for them. Both the North and South Terminals have a small number of high-street bank cashpoints (Barclays, NatWest, HSBC UK, Lloyds) in landside arrivals, typically near the WHSmith or the railway-station entrance, and these charge no operator fee and give the interbank rate. They are outnumbered by the Travelex and Moneycorp bureaux and by the Cashzone, NoteMachine and Euronet standalone machines, which are the ones you see first. If you cannot quickly find a bank-branded cashpoint, the better move is to tap contactless onto a train and withdraw in central London.
Should I use the Travelex or Moneycorp counters at Gatwick?
No. The Travelex and Moneycorp bureaux in both Gatwick terminals post some of the worst rates in the UK, routinely 8–12 percent off the interbank rate plus fixed fees. The Cashzone, NoteMachine and Euronet standalone cash machines near the shops are also poor, charging £1.99–2.99 per withdrawal and pushing dynamic currency conversion for another 4–12 percent. A real bank cashpoint, or simply tapping a contactless card for the train and withdrawing in London, beats all of them.
Is there a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner at Gatwick?
No. Barclays left the Bank of America Global ATM Alliance in 2021, and no UK bank is currently a member, so a Bank of America debit card pays BoA's standard 3 percent non-network fee at any UK ATM, including the fee-free high-street cashpoints (the cashpoint itself is free, but BoA still charges its own 3 percent). There is no fee-free option for BoA cards in the UK. A no-foreign-transaction-fee card such as Wise or Charles Schwab is the cleaner setup, and Schwab refunds any operator fee from the standalone machines.
Can I leave Gatwick with zero pounds?
Yes, and most travelers should. The Gatwick Express to Victoria, Thameslink to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras, Southern services into Victoria and London Bridge, the National Express coach, and every black cab and Uber or Bolt all accept contactless tap-to-pay. The airport shops, cafes and vending machines do too. With a no-FX-fee card you can land at either terminal, tap straight onto a train, and make your first withdrawal at a Barclays or NatWest cashpoint in central London for no operator fee.
How do I get from Gatwick to central London?
By train, almost always. The Gatwick Express runs non-stop to London Victoria in about 30 minutes, roughly every 15 minutes, for around £20 (cheaper booked in advance). Thameslink runs through the centre to London Bridge, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International in 35–55 minutes and is usually cheaper. Southern services also reach Victoria and London Bridge. All accept contactless tap-in, tap-out. A black cab or Uber to central London runs roughly £90–130 and takes well over an hour in traffic, so the train is faster and far cheaper.
Can I order pounds before flying to London?
Yes. CEI Currency Exchange ships physical pounds to your US address in 2–5 days at a rate well below the Gatwick Travelex counters, which is a useful buffer if you land late, want cash in hand for a coach or cab without hunting for a bank cashpoint, or are heading on to a smaller town where ATM density drops. That said, London is a tap-to-pay city and bank cashpoints are everywhere in the centre, so most travelers need only a small float and can withdraw the rest fee-free once they arrive.