Local Tip
At Tom Bradley, ICE's arrivals desk is before security, listed as open 06:30 to 21:30 in October 2026. On LA Metro, a tapped bank card does the job of a TAP card, and the daily charge stops at $5.
Where to change money in Los Angeles
Walk-in bureaux are scarce in Los Angeles, so most visitors rely on cash machines and cards.
- Currency Exchange International (CXI), Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard On level 2 of the mall, between Macy's and Eataly. CXI lists 10:00 to 20:00 from Monday to Saturday and 11:00 to 19:00 on Sunday (October 2026); reserving online or by phone is free. It also takes sorted £1 and £2 coins, but no smaller British coins.
- Bank of America and Wells FargoBank of America's FAQ names its own customers as the ones who can exchange at a branch. Wells Fargo no longer keeps foreign notes at its counters and delivers account holders' orders in 2 to 7 business days, so neither helps a visitor without a US account.
Changing money at the airport
ICE (International Currency Exchange) runs the bureaux at LAX, with eight counters on its own listing. In the Tom Bradley International Terminal, the arrivals desk stands landside by the international arrivals exit (06:30 to 21:30) and a departures-level desk beside the ANA counters opens 11:00 to 18:30; airside, the desks near gates 130 and 150 open 08:00 to 23:00 and the one near gate 201 09:00 to 22:00. Terminals 2, 6 and 7 each have an airside desk open from 06:00 until 13:00 or 13:30. Hours as ICE listed them in October 2026.
Reserving through ICE's Click & Collect means paying on pick-up at its online rate, which ICE says beats the walk-up price.
ATMs and cards in Los Angeles
Discover Los Angeles says cards and phone wallets are taken widely, public transport included, so cash is mostly for tips and small purchases. Under federal rules, a US cash machine has to display any fee in time for you to cancel; your UK card issuer may add its own cash fee. If an LA terminal suggests sterling, choose dollars; MoneySavingExpert says a good travel card already comes close to the true rate.
Paying for transport in Los Angeles
LA Metro buses and stations accept a tap from a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, as well as TAP cards and the TAP app. A ride is $1.75, transfers within 2 hours are free (return trips excluded), and tapping caps your spend at $5 a day and $18 over seven days. Cash is accepted on buses only, as exact fare, and does not count towards the caps. By rail, the C and K Lines both reach the LAX/Metro Transit Center, where a free shuttle from bus bays 1 and 2 serves every terminal. LAX's automated people mover was still closed to passengers in late September 2026, with opening expected in early January 2027.
Good to know
- LA shelf prices leave out sales tax, which Discover Los Angeles gives as 9.75% for the county; the same guide calls a 15 to 20% tip customary in restaurants and taxis.
- Carrying more than US$10,000 in cash or similar instruments into or out of the United States must be declared to US Customs and Border Protection.
Key Areas in Los Angeles
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Los Angeles travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Los Angeles?
CXI trades on level 2 of Westfield Century City, between Macy's and Eataly, and ICE runs the desks at LAX, including one by Tom Bradley arrivals. Bank of America and Wells Fargo serve their own account holders, so many UK visitors simply withdraw dollars and pay by card.
Can I pay for LA Metro with a contactless bank card?
Yes. Tap a contactless credit or debit card or a phone wallet on the bus reader or at the station gate. Each ride costs $1.75, and tapping caps your spend at $5 a day and $18 over seven days.
Is there a currency exchange at LAX?
Yes. ICE lists eight counters. The Tom Bradley arrivals desk is before security by the arrivals exit (06:30 to 21:30 in October 2026), with three more desks airside, and Terminals 2, 6 and 7 each have a smaller desk that closes in the early afternoon.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: ICE USA · Currency Exchange International · LA Metro · Discover Los Angeles · US Customs and Border Protection · MoneySavingExpert
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