Cash - do you take with, or are there ATMs on board?

[garycarla]

Maybe taking a few thousand in cash is no big deal to you, but going through that airport scanner is a problem. Everything, even paper, must be removed from pockets. Money belts must be removed. I'm certainly not comfortable being separated from a large amount of cash.

 

Using a credit card in foreign ports is not free since there's a foreign transaction fee.

 

Cash through security. I always put my cash and credit cards along with phone in my carry on bag. The TSA does not open these bags without you being present. Not a problem.

 

Credit cards - if only small purchases ashore - the 2-3% is okay. Probably cheaper than the cost of converting money, along with the foreign money left over that is of no value. If you are spending much, there are a number of credit cards with no foreign transaction fee.

[NMLady]

Cash through security. I always put my cash and credit cards along with phone in my carry on bag. The TSA does not open these bags without you being present. Not a problem.

 

Putting cash etc into a carryon which goes through scanner and can then be accidentally or on purpose taken by someone else is not an option for us.

[NMLady]

If you're like most people, you walk through that airport scanner with your paper boarding pass in your hand with no issues. If you have paper money in your pocket, you'll be fine, too. I keep my money in a money clip in my front pocket. When it comes time to go through airport security, I simply remove the money clip, put it in the "bowl" along with my other small items, put the cash back in my pocket and walk through security. It's never an issue.

 

Your airport's full body scanner must be different from ours since we must remove all paper from pockets, even a tissue had to be removed. Your boarding pass is in your hand, not your pocket.

[isdoo]

Putting cash etc into a carryon which goes through scanner and can then be accidentally or on purpose taken by someone else is not an option for us.

 

How on earth would anything get taken - you watch it go in and watch it come out.

 

Heck the area is well covered by cameras as well.

[$hip$hape]

You should consider buying her an international prepaid debit card with a security chip and PIN (regular prepaid cards won't work overseas).

She can get Euros with it from an ATM or use it to pay for purchases in shops and restaurants. You can load it with funds before she leaves and if she needs more money later you can just add it online. Be sure to buy a card that works in Spain and read the fine print for any fees or transaction limits. Hope this helps!

I have a "regular" debit card.

It works fine overseas.

Edited March 10, 2014 by $hip$hape