How much cash should I get in pounds to have with me when we land?
Melissa

None. Take out money from an ATM machine after you land.

Do yourself a little favor, bring along a little change purse for all of those 1 pound coins you will find yourself carrying around. We always do.

We took our first trip to Europe last month and took some "starter cash" to exchange at the airport. When we landed there were ATMs in the airport so we just got cash from the machine - never exchanged our dollars.

As per others suggestions on different threads, I also advise taking a combination of cards, cash and checks.... Transited in Vienna, Austria last year on a Sunday. They wouldn't cash the traveler's checks (at the Airport, no less!)when I went to buy something (excuse was that the banks weren't open and I had TC's in Euros,) then the exchange place had a closed sign on it. And the ATM wasn't working. If I hadn't had schillings and
cash Euros in my pocket I wouldn't have even been able to buy some coffee. I didn't have enought time to go through customs and to another ATM / exchange
and check back in.
I always try to have some local currency as a backup. Things don't always work the way that they are supposed too.

Hi MB,

Many people like to exchange about $50-100 at the departure airport, just to not have to look for an ATM upon arrival.

It will cost about $5 more than it would if you got the money at the arrival airport.

I just use my ATM card when I land at Heathrow.

I usually carry around $300USD for "just in case" money.

Twenty.

If you mean US cash mad money - we usually carry about $200 - but only to use if some electrical glitch has cut off all credit and debit cards (and of course it's never happened).

If you mean foreign currency we usually just take the left overs from the last trip. If there are none we change $50 or so in the departure airport.

Twenty?

<< Twenty? >>

In the absence of any context to the question asked by the OP - - what country... what time of day? traveling with whom? with what anticipated need for cash?

... any whole number (including zero) is as good an answer as any other.