Currency Exchange Kiosk

Rates at FAO’s Currency Exchange Kiosk make ATMs look cheap

This kiosk in Terminal T1 at Faro Airport sits landside near arrivals, but regular Algarve visitors say the spread on euros here is “awful” compared with Portuguese bank ATMs in town. TripAdvisor forum threads from 2022 and 2023 repeatedly warn that the airport counter gives you noticeably fewer euros per pound or dollar than ATMs around Faro or Albufeira.

Posts mention extra commissions and minimum-amount rules on top of the weak rate, so that a €100 equivalent exchange can feel much worse than a straight ATM withdrawal. Several travelers report they now just walk past the desk on arrival, then withdraw cash from Millennium bcp or Caixa Geral ATMs in Faro city instead.

Forum regulars say many Algarve restaurants and hotels now take Visa and Mastercard, especially in resort towns like Albufeira and Vilamoura, cutting down how much cash you actually need. Some visitors bring €50–€100 from home for taxis and small shops, then rely on cards for bills over €10 once they leave the airport.

Frequent FAO travelers report using fee‑free or low‑fee travel debit cards at Portuguese ATMs and avoiding airport FX completely on both arrival and departure. One TripAdvisor commenter said they stopped using the airport counter after seeing the “terrible” rate compared with the official ECB rate on the same day.

• Quick tip: Grab just enough cash before you fly or from a city ATM; treat the FAO Currency Exchange Kiosk as last‑resort only.