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Seeing stars (and stripes)? Get your holiday cash from Post Office
Buytravel money
Delivery options, available branches and fees may vary by value and currency. Branch rates will differ from online rates. T&Cs apply.
Buytravel money
- Order US dollars online and pick up in as little as 2 hours
- The more you buy the better the rate
- Have your US dollars delivered to your home or pick up in branch
America awaits. Get your holiday money here
The Golden Gate Bridge, Jeff Bridges, Bridges of Madison County, Madison Square Gardens, the Garden State…even in a game of word association, the USA has too many iconic landmarks to list. And in a country so enormous and diverse, you’re going to need your holiday money to hand.
Whether that’s in cash or on a Travel Money Card (or both), get your travel money with us. You can order online before 2pm Monday to Friday and pick up your US dollars at aparticipating branchin as little as 2 hours.
And if you come back with a few banknotes left over, we’ll even buy them back from you. We’ll refund you every cent within 28 days of purchase* if your holiday gets cancelled. Plus, don’t forget your travel insurance, available here too.
Today’s online rates
| Spend £400+ | Spend £500+ | Spend £1000+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Dollar | 1.2228 | 1.2343 | 1.2456 |
Rate correct as of 30/05/2024
Travel Money Card (TMC) rates may differ. Branch rates may vary. Delivery methods may vary. Terms and conditions apply
Get your US dollars with Post Office
Voted ‘Best Foreign Exchange/Travel Money Retailer’ by the UK public at the British Travel Awards 2022
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Pick up US dollars within 2 hours of ordering
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Order online for our best rates and get better rates the more you buy
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Delivery is free on orders of £500 or more, or pay just £4.99 for deliveries of less
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Use our refund guarantee if your holiday is cancelled within 28 days of purchase.
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Or you can sell us back any currency notes you don’t spend
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Get a Travel Money Card for cashless payments
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And use our travel app to top it up, buy travel insurance and much more
Click and collect in branch
Order online by 2pm and pick up the same working day from your nearest participating branch.
Discover click and collect
Home delivery
Want to stay home? Order by 3pm and get your US dollars delivered the next working day.
Go digital in the USA
Get our Travel Money Card and top up with US dollars. Accepted anywhere you see the Mastercard® symbol.
What do things cost in the USA?
Our Post Office Travel Money Holiday Money Report looks at prices from some popular destinations, including Orlando, Florida.
Cup of coffee
£2.33
Suncream
£6.81
Family meal
£65.02
Costs are for Orlando in the USA and based on prices at the time of our last Holiday Money Report in 2023.
How far will your US dollars go?
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The United States is vast and it’s common for specific tax laws to be decided at a federal level. That means pricing for individual items might differ by state
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Destinations that are popular with tourists might see prices inflated compared to other areas, but this isn’t always the case
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Remember thattravel insurance– particularly with good medical cover – is vital if you’re going to the USA. We’ve lots of information onwhat to expect in America
Find outhow to make your money go further on holiday
Some common questions
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Buying USD from a Post Office branch is simple. You can simply go into one of our branches that sells foreign currency. There are thousands, just use our branch finder to find your most convenient. You can order online for collection or delivery. Or you can load US dollars onto a Travel Money Card.
It’s very simple, and the US dollar is one of two currencies (the other being the euro) with the option to collect your travel cash in branch two hours after you’ve ordered it.
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The US dollar is the formal currency of the USA as well as the de facto currency of numerous other states and regions. It is the most traded currency in the world, as well as the currency most held in reserve.
The US dollar is a relatively stable currency, which has meant that some countries have introduced it at times when their own currency is volatile. Some countries, such as Lebanon, unofficially use US dollars in conjunction with their own tender. Other territories – for instance the British Turks and Caicos Islands – officially use the US dollar on the exchange too.
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Officially, the countries and territories that use the USdollar are: United States of America, AmericanSamoa, British Virgin Islands, Ecuador, El Salvador,Guam, East Timor, Marshall Islands, Federated Statesof Micronesia, Palau, Northern Mariana Islands, PuertoRico, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands, SpanishVirgin Islands, British Indian Ocean Territory, Bonaire,Saint Eustatius and Saba.
There are also many more countries whose currenciesare fixed to the US dollar, meaning that they can useUS dollars in everyday transactions and on theexchange.
Please note, though, that if you have a Post OfficeTravel Money Card and load it with US dollars,it willonly be accepted within the USA itself. Itcan’tbeused to pay in US dollars in other territories that usethem as either an official or unofficial currency.
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Each US dollar is divided into 100 cents. Coins come in 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent and 25 cent. These are called penny, nickel, dime and quarter respectively. Fifty-cent coins and one-dollar coins are still minted, however are seldom used in day-to-day tender.
Notes come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. A 20-dollar coin is minted but – like a 50-cent coin – not in popular circulation. Like with many currencies, higher-value banknotes are occasionally minted but not submitted into circulation.
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The USA has a colourful slang around its currency, and it can help to know some if you’re going. The most common is, of course, ‘buck’ – a reference to the deer (buck) skin trading that once underpinned the fledgling American economy. A single US dollar is very occasionally referred to as a ‘simoleon’, while banknotes in general can be called ‘greenbacks’. Both of these uses are fairly arcane.
A penny is the same as it is in the UK, a ‘nickel’ is a 5-cent coin, a ‘dime’ is a 10-cent coin and a ‘quarter’ is a 25-cent coin. A $100 bill is occasionally called a ‘Benjamin’ owing to the image of Benjamin Franklin on them.
- Read all travel money FAQs
Popular currencies
Visiting several countries on the same trip or as part of future travel plans? These other currencies might be of interest.
- Canadian dollar
- Euro
- Brazilian real
- Mexican peso
- East Caribbean dollar
- Chilean peso
Post Office Travel Money Card is an electronic money product issued by First Rate Exchange Services Ltd pursuant to license by Mastercard International. First Rate Exchange Services Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales with number 4287490 whose registered office is Great West House, Great West Road, Brentford, TW8 9DF, (Financial Services Register No. 900412). Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.
