Best Place to Exchange Money in Chicago

01Exchange

Where to change money in Chicago

Apart from Currency Exchange International (CXI) on the Magnificent Mile, the places Choose Chicago lists for changing money are all at the airports. A big bank may not help: Bank of America, for example, sells currency to its own account and credit-card customers.

• CXI, The Shops at North Bridge ↗520 N Michigan Ave, beside Te'amo Boba Bar in the Level 4 food court; closes at 8pm, or 7pm on Sundays.
• Seaway Bank, O'Hare and Midway airportsCounters in O'Hare's Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5 and Midway's Concourse A trade as Seaway Bank, a State Bank of Texas brand acting as CXI's agent. Airport and CXI listings give different hours, so check ahead.

02On arrival

Changing money at the airport

According to the airport, every O'Hare terminal has a Seaway Bank counter, and ATMs from local and national banks are available before security and in each terminal. Unless your flight cleared US customs before departure, you will go through CBP processing in Terminal 5, where counters are listed on both the lower and upper levels. Midway's counter in Concourse A deals in more than 200 currencies, notes only, and ATMs are spread around that terminal.

03Cash machines and cards

ATMs and cards in Chicago

ATM owners in the US can add a surcharge if you don't bank with them; Bankrate's 2025 survey put the average at a record US$3.22, and your bank at home may charge on top. If a Chicago ATM or shop terminal asks whether to show the total in pounds, decline and pay in US dollars, as the rate built into that conversion is often worse than your card's. Choose Chicago says credit cards are taken in every taxi.

04Getting around

Paying for transport in Chicago

At 'L' turnstiles and bus readers, pay by tapping a contactless bank card, a phone or a Ventra Card. A train ride costs US$2.50, or US$5 boarding at O'Hare (no extra with an unlimited pass); a bus ride is US$2.25 by card or US$2.50 in cash. Tap the same card each time and up to two more rides within two hours are free. The first tap may put a hold of up to US$5 on your card, though you pay only the fare; present the card on its own, not inside your wallet. Buses are the only place to pay cash directly, with the exact fare and no transfer; at 'L' stations, machines sell Ventra Tickets for cash. Blue Line trains take about 40 minutes from O'Hare to downtown. These fares have applied since 20 February 2023, so check for changes.

05Local know-how

Good to know

• Choose Chicago's tipping guide: 20% of the pre-tax bill for taxi drivers, bartenders and waiting staff (more for exceptional service), US$2 a bag for bellhops and US$2 to US$5 a day for hotel housekeepers.
• In Illinois, 'currency exchange' is the licence name for businesses whose main trade is cashing cheques and selling money orders, so a shop with that sign may not handle foreign notes; ask before you queue.