 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello Folks, Happy New Year. I wonder if anyone can offer advice about exchanging currency at Vancouver Airport - I wouldn't normally exchange at the airport, but I have left over US Dollars which I want to change to Canadian Dollars (no upcoming travel to US on the cards so may as well use it), and obviously don't want to lose out by doing an exchange into pounds first here in the UK.
If all goes according to schedule we have 2.5 hours between landing and then taking off to travel to Kamloops (for Sun Peaks ski area) - does this allow enough time to visit an exchange kiosk in your experience? Factoring in collecting baggage, getting through customs etc?
Thanks in advance for any input 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Guess I should have titled the thread advice needed!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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NEVER change money at the airport or ferry terminals. Wait until you are in Kamloops and us a local bank. Airport exchange booths are the biggest thieves since the money changer in the temple!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Old Man Of Lech wrote: |
| NEVER change money at the airport or ferry terminals. Wait until you are in Kamloops and us a local bank. Airport exchange booths are the biggest thieves since the money changer in the temple! |
I wouldn't normally use one - this will be the first time. The problem is for this trip we are travelling with a tour operator, so won't have the the freedom to travel into the centre to a bank before going to the resort, it will be out of the airport and onto a transfer coach. We won't need a car in the resort so haven't hired one, and it is something like 45 dollars bus fare - and a ski day wasted - to get back to Kamloops to use a bank, so the poor exchange rate at the airport is seemingly the only option. Given the poor exchange rate of the US dollar to the UK pound it is not worth it for me to change the dollars into pounds and then into CAD here.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Agree with @Old Man Of Lech, you will loose 10-15% of your cash at an airport exchange booth compared to normal bank. The Canadian banks in the resorts will be used to American guests and US$
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Would a decent UK based currency exchange not be able to change directly from US to Canadian dollars??
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| endoman wrote: |
| Would a decent UK based currency exchange not be able to change directly from US to Canadian dollars?? |
I wonder.... Thanks for the suggestion Endoman, I hadn't thought of that, I assumed I would have to change it to pounds before converting to CAD. I will check that out.
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| PowderAdict wrote: |
| Agree with @Old Man Of Lech, you will loose 10-15% of your cash at an airport exchange booth compared to normal bank. The Canadian banks in the resorts will be used to American guests and US$ |
Problem is there is no bank in Sun Peaks PowderAdict 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@skidoodle, check the rate your hotel will offer now. Lots of places will take US dollars too.
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Thanks @holidayloverxx that's another option I guess. I didn't want to presume that they would take US dollars in shops etc. I guess if they do they fix the exchange in their favour, which is understandable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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That's what I love about this site - not only a straight answer to the question, but also unthought of alternatives come up also. Big thumbs up and thanks to those who have posted so far.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Heard back from the hotel, and while they don't do money exchange as such, they accept US dollars as payment, as do all the restaurants and shops in resort, and there is an exchange desk located inside the pet store. The Sun Peaks website doesn't mention this, just that there are cash points in resort. 
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@skidoodle, excellent!
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You know it makes sense.
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Most shops will take US$ look for the exchange rate near the till. There are cash points we haven't managed to get one to work without phoning back to UK bank and having a rant. Then it will work once then a further rant ...
Now we use a prepaid cc in CD.
Cc works.
Pet shop is at the top end of the village shops right hand side as you walk away from the village centre.
It was last year.
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