Cash
Carry some dollars for tips, taxis, small diners and places that still prefer notes. The US is card-heavy in cities, so you rarely need a large cash float. Keep an emergency amount separate from daily spending.
USDUnited States
US dollar exchange rate
The US Dollar (USD, $) is the official currency of the United States and a widely used travel currency. Convert pounds and euros with an indicative rate, then see cash, card, ATM and buying-dollar notes — Wayfare does not sell dollars.
1 GBP = 1.351 USD1 USD = 0.7402 GBP· Demo data
Currency Converter
Demo dataSample rate1 GBP = 1.351 USD
Indicative sample rates for demonstration — not live market data.
Quick conversions
Pounds to us dollar
Tap an amount to fill the converter.
Exchange rate
GBP to USD
Indicative rates for travel planning — not dealing quotes.
Demo data
GBP → USD
1 GBP
1.351 USD
1 USD
0.7402 GBP
EUR/USD1 EUR = 1.1605 USD
Indicative sample rates for demonstration — not live market data.
Plan
Travel budget calculator
A simple estimate of trip spend in pounds and us dollar. Not an official recommended budget — the travel money planner is the full trip-planning product.
Demo data
Total GBP
£1,400.00
Estimated USD
$1,891.40
Estimate only — using demo data. Actual rates and fees can vary by provider, so the amount you actually spend can differ. For a cash versus card split, open the travel money planner.
Travel money
Travel money in the United States
Practical choices for cash, cards, ATMs and exchange when you're using us dollar.
Cards
Chip-and-PIN and contactless are widely accepted in the US — hotels, restaurants, shops and many taxis. Check your card’s foreign-transaction fees before you rely on it. A few smaller vendors still prefer cash. Sketch a trip total on the travel money planner if you want a cash-versus-card split.
ATMs
Cash machines are common in US cities, airports and malls. Withdraw dollars when you need them rather than exchanging a large sum in one go. Some operators add a fee on screen — this page does not assume a standard charge. Use the ATM withdrawal calculator if you want a rough cost before you travel.
Buying and exchanging dollars
You can buy US dollars in the UK — including London — before you fly, or after you land. Banks, bureaux and airport desks set their own rates, fees and stock — Wayfare does not sell notes or list shops near you. Compare how many $ you would receive for a set pound amount after charges, then use the Travel Money hub for a fuller buying checklist.
Dynamic currency conversion
If a US ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in pounds rather than dollars, the operator is applying its own conversion (DCC). Choosing USD usually keeps the clearer total. Compare the on-screen figures before you confirm — neither path is always cheaper.
Fees and denominations
Notes commonly seen are $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100; coins cover cents plus $1. Providers earn through a rate margin, a fee, or both. This page does not list bank-specific charges. Browse other published currencies in the currency explorer if your trip uses more than dollars.
Plan a trip budgetEstimate an ATM withdrawalHow to buy travel money
Facts
US Dollar at a glance
Code, symbol and where USD is used.
- Currency
- US Dollar
- Code
- USD
- Symbol
- $
- Used in
- United States
- Decimal places
- 2
Guide
About the US Dollar
Key facts about USD, how its rate is set and how to read a quote.
What is the US Dollar?
The US Dollar is the official currency of the United States. Its ISO code is USD and its symbol is $. One dollar is 100 cents. The Federal Reserve issues the currency; notes in circulation are Federal Reserve notes.
The same dollar is legal tender in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and US territories such as Puerto Rico. Ecuador and El Salvador use the US Dollar as official currency. Panama’s balboa is at par with the dollar, and USD notes circulate there too. Other countries price some goods in dollars without making it their legal tender — that is not the same as it being the local currency.
How to compare USD exchange rates
An exchange rate is how many dollars one unit of another currency converts into. A GBP/USD figure of 1.351 means one pound buys about $1.35 on that quote. EUR/USD works the same way for euros. The number on a screen is not automatically the amount you receive.
Banks, bureaux and cards usually add a margin, a fee, or both. A stronger-looking headline rate can still pay out fewer dollars once those extras are included. Compare the total dollars you would actually get for a round sum such as £100 or £500 — not the advertised rate alone. Wayfare does not rank providers and does not claim a “best” rate.
Figures in the converter are indicative so you can see the arithmetic. They are not a dealing quote. A bureau in London or a card settlement will use its own figure.
Buying US dollars for a trip
Wayfare does not sell or supply physical dollars. If you want notes before you travel, you are buying USD from a bank, bureau or similar provider. What matters is the payout: how many dollars you receive after the rate margin and any commission.
In the UK — including London — you will see dollar exchange on high streets, in some banks and at airports. Convenience desks can be useful on the day you fly; they are not automatically the cheapest. Ask what you get for a set pound amount, then judge that against the indicative conversion here.
Cash, a travel card and an ATM withdrawal are different ways of ending up with dollars. Cash locks in a rate when you buy notes. A card converts when you spend. An ATM converts when you withdraw. None is always cheaper — fees and the rate on that transaction decide it.
Reading GBP/USD and EUR/USD
Pairs are written base-first. In GBP/USD the pound is the base, so the number is how many dollars one pound buys: a sample rate of 1.351 means £1 ≈ $1.351. EUR/USD is how many dollars one euro buys.
To convert pounds, multiply by the GBP/USD rate (£100 × 1.351 = $135.10 on this demo figure). To go back, divide dollars by the same rate. Use the converter on this page — or the dedicated currency converter — to try other amounts. The result is indicative only.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions about the US Dollar and converting to it.
What is the US Dollar?
The US Dollar is the official currency of the United States. Its code is USD and its symbol is $. One dollar equals 100 cents.
What does USD stand for?
USD is the ISO 4217 code for the United States dollar. Banks, cards and converters use it so it is not confused with other dollars, such as the Australian or Canadian dollar.
What is the symbol for US Dollars?
The symbol is $. Because other currencies also use a dollar sign, international listings usually write USD after the amount.
Where is the US Dollar used?
It is the official currency of the United States and of some other countries, including Ecuador and El Salvador. US territories use it too. Elsewhere it may be accepted as a convenience, but the local currency is still what prices are usually in.
How do I convert GBP to USD?
Multiply the pound amount by the GBP/USD rate. The converter on this page shows an indicative result — not what a bureau or card will pay out. Open the full currency converter if you want to try other published pairs.
How do I convert USD to GBP?
Divide the dollar amount by the GBP/USD rate, or swap the currencies in the converter on this page. The figure is indicative for planning, not a dealing quote.
Where can I buy US dollars?
Common options are a UK bank or bureau before you travel, or an exchange desk once you arrive. Stock, hours and fees vary by provider. Wayfare does not sell dollars — compare the amount received after charges, and use the Travel Money hub for a buying checklist.
Should I take US Dollars in cash when travelling?
A modest amount of dollars is useful for tips, taxis and smaller vendors in the US. You do not usually need to carry most of a trip in cash. Keep a small emergency amount separate and use a card where terminals work.
Can I use a card instead of cash?
In most US hotels, shops and restaurants, yes. Check foreign-transaction fees on your card. Some smaller businesses still prefer cash.
Can I withdraw US dollars from an ATM?
Yes, if your card works abroad. Withdraw USD, read any fee on screen, and compare a pounds conversion offer carefully before you accept it. Estimate cost first with the ATM withdrawal tool.
Should I choose USD or GBP at an ATM?
When a machine or terminal offers to charge you in pounds, that is often dynamic currency conversion. Choosing USD usually keeps the clearer total — compare the on-screen figures before you confirm. Neither option is always cheaper.
How much money do I need for a US trip?
There is no single right amount. Start from daily spend × days, then decide a cash share for tips and smaller vendors. Use the travel budget sketch on this page, then the travel money planner for a fuller cash-versus-card plan.
Why can the rate I receive differ from Wayfare’s figure?
Wayfare shows an indicative sample or reference rate for planning. A bank, bureau, card or ATM uses its own dealing rate and may add a margin or fee. Ask how many dollars you receive for a set pound amount after charges, and compare that total — this page does not name a best provider.
Next
Continue with Wayfare tools
Use USD with the converter, planner and ATM tools, or open another published currency.
Wayfare tools
- Currency converterConvert any published pair with the full converter.
- Travel moneyCash, cards, exchange and fees before you go.
- Travel money plannerPlan a trip budget and cash versus card split.
- ATM withdrawalEstimate local cash and optional fees abroad.
- Currency explorerBrowse published destination currencies.