Globo Cambio

Last shot at pesos before San Miguel or Guanajuato city

Globo Cambio in T1 at BJX is the on-site currency exchange many San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato visitors end up using when they land with only dollars, euros, or Canadian cash. It sits in the main terminal of this small airport, which serves under 2 million passengers a year, so you won’t find many banking options once you walk past it toward the exits and taxi stands.

This is a classic last-resort stop: rates at airport exchanges in Mexico typically run several percent worse than ATM interbank rates, and Globo Cambio at BJX follows that general pattern. It handles the usual suspects like USD and EUR without issue, and you can convert leftover pesos back on departure if you really need to, though you’ll likely lose on the spread both ways.

Regulars who fly BJX for San Miguel de Allende runs usually tell newcomers in Facebook expat groups to sort out cash needs in town or via ATMs, using Globo Cambio only if you arrive late, tired, and taxi drivers are waiting and prefer cash pesos for the 1–1.5 hour ride. Think of it as the safety valve when other options failed, not your main plan.

One practical move: before you queue at Globo Cambio in T1, check whether your debit card will work at the airport ATMs near baggage claim; if an ATM successfully dispenses pesos, you almost always beat the exchange counter’s rate.