Guantes de Oro charges more, but it’s right in the main terminal
Currency Exchange 1 is the Guantes de Oro cambio in BAQ’s main terminal, used by both Domestic and International passengers. It sits airside, so you can swap dollars or euros for Colombian pesos immediately after landing or just before departure. Rates are noticeably worse than in Barranquilla city casas de cambio, and reviews mention higher fees compared with using bank ATMs in the terminal.
Medellin Guru flags Guantes de Oro, along with Globo Cambio, as one of the “easiest ways” to get pesos at Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport but warns that fees run high and the exchange rate usually isn’t competitive. That matches traveler reports: convenient counter, quick service, weaker rate. Think of it as paying extra for not hunting down a bank or ATM first.
The same guide counts at least four ATMs in the main terminal from Bancolombia, Banco de Bogotá, BBVA and Davivienda. With a normal debit card, those ATMs usually beat Guantes de Oro’s rate, even after your home bank’s foreign transaction fee. Regulars pull 200,000–400,000 COP from a machine for taxi and first-day costs, then change larger sums in town if needed.
Watch out for dynamic currency conversion and add-on commissions at the counter; ask for the final COP amount for 100 USD or 100 EUR before handing over cash. Use Guantes de Oro only for a small starter amount—enough for a 30–40 minute ride into Barranquilla—then rely on ATMs or city exchanges for the rest.