The currency used in the United States is the US dollar.
Since you will probably be arriving from a country that does not have this currency, you will need to exchange currency, especially if your country of origin is part of the Euro zone, so our advice is clearly to anticipate this. Where can you exchange your money and how?
In an airport
Whether it’s before you fly or just after your flight, currency exchange can be done at any airport.
However, if you can, we advise you to find out the actual levels at the exchange of the currency you are going to change. Indeed, each time a currency exchange is carried out, more or less important fees are charged by the exchange offices.
And, unfortunately aware of their ‘strategic’ advantage, airports almost always have higher costs than in the city. It is advisable to exchange only a small amount of money upon arrival at the airport and to do the majority of the currency exchange once you are out of the airport, where rates will often be better.
The exchange rate must also be taken into account when exchanging currencies. It can fluctuate throughout the day. Based on all the above criteria, the traveler will be able to determine the most profitable time to exchange his currency into dollars.
In a bank
Currency exchange into dollars can also be done at any bank in the traveler’s home country. It can be done at the counter or from a secure site that some banks have.
However, it can take up to ten days to receive your money.
Once in the USA
As explained above, the exchange can also be done after your arrival in the United States.
The cost parameter must again be taken into account, but an exchange of currencies on the spot allows you to save time and, often, money. The fees are lower and the rate is better than at a bank or airport. Please note: most currency exchange houses will ask you for your passport for verification.
Bank cards
Bank cards, especially Visa or Mastercard, can be used in most countries.
When traveling to the USA, possession of one of these two types of cards will avoid carrying cash from one country to another. Indeed, withdrawals can be made at most local ATMs. The exchange rate to be taken into account is that of your bank.
How does the exchange work?
To exchange a currency into dollars, all you have to do is choose the amount you want to exchange (in the currency at your disposal) and calculate its equivalent in the US currency according to the dollar rate.
Of course, the amount awarded to the traveler will also depend on the fees taken by the agency where the exchange was made.