All will charge commission, what I would do is just take cash out in the secure zone of Auckland Airport, prior to immi, in the arrivals hall.
Just put your card into ATM, and pay min fees.
Travelex (for me), charge me an Aud$12 commission, on top of the $ I get.
I now just use ATMs to take funds out.
You know you can buy the Nzd$16 Airbus Express tix online, just need a printer, and you are then able to get to the city, quick smart. The bus driver just scans your QR code on the printed piece of paper, that's it.
Supershuttle, you just show the driver your itinerary, and that's it, if you want to get into the city of Auckland faster.
I now use Airbus, bit slower, but cheaper.
One more thing, have you heard of paypass/paywave, its the bees knees now, in Aust I use it everywhere. Yes, I know you are going to NZ.
I will be trying the paypass/paywave in Jul this year, into Jan next year, and if all goes well, I don't think I will be needing much cash.
Supermarkets are all modern these days, really, why do you need cash? {Pisstake, (but really, do you need cash on landing, its not like NZ is the end of the world!/? is it)}.
Yes you do need cash! Even if only to pay for a taxi or a bus to where you are staying and stop for a coffee.... or worse still have a fine to pay if you've brought anything illegal into the country.
You need cash, I'd suggest a couple of hundred bucks (but you don't need that much) if only because of the occurrence on this and other branches of seppoes talking about how their cards didn't work. And any less of value which occurs from doing it one way rather than another is a pittance.
I'm a AAA member in the states, through which I could buy currency nearly commission free - it just has to be done through the mail because they have to order the currency, they don't have it on hand - so that was the logic there. (The bank I'm a member of is also teeny tiny, no currency exchange on site). It's just because of my terrible habit of procrastination that it's too late to order through AAA or Travelex because my currency wouldn't arrive at home until the day after I'm already in Auckland. I'm not too worried though, I think ATM when I arrive at the airport will be my best bet. If when I arrive at LAX I start to get really nervous, their Travelex should be able to exchange USD for NZD, right?
Already let my bank know a couple weeks ago that I'll be traveling out of the country so no worries there! I took the same cards to Europe and Japan two years ago and encountered no problems (1%-3% foreign service fees applied, but other than that, nothing huge). I just want to carry cash for the same reasons mentioned - in case my card for some reason doesn't work, in case a machine eats it, for little purchases like coffee, etc etc. Plus I usually keep some money buried in my pack, that way if my wallet is stolen I have something extra. Sucks though if someone steals my pack......
And I already booked my Airbus ticket! So convenient! And thank you so much for all the responses, they are so helpful!
Edit- just for clarification, both cards I have are linked to the Plus network. From my understanding Plus-linked ATMs are pretty widely available internationally so I'm thinking (hoping) that everything should go smoothly
DIY tends to be cheaper.
Ok, being pedantic here, lets say, you get to Auckland Airport, go through NZ Immigration, Customs & Biosecurity, assuming you have been fed and watered on the plane.
You want a fruit drink from the vending machine, I have used (ps, Spotty Dog is my other half), my tap Visa debit card at a vendo, just to try and see, while there, and guess what, it accepted my transaction, and there no burn with it.
I have also used the card to pay for hotel minibar transaction, and no problem with that, no burn there either.
Truthfully, unless your card is lost or stolen, there will be no burn.
Take out say, Nzd$200 if you want, no burn there... and as a colleague has said, if your home bank has a liasion with the bank ATM in Auckland's owner, you pay minimum fees.
Work out what you need cash for, (do you really need cash), a lot of places take/accept card transactions.
PS, Asian eateries in NZ give you a big plate, my first huge plate of charkuayteow, in Auckland near Skycity, was Nzd$16, sounds a lot, but with forex, its not much Aud$, and the plate was big.
Other than that, if you want to buy groceries, paypass or paywave it, no burn there!
On a side note, there are some ATMs in international airports, and cities too, that will spit out (proper transaction, not spit out willy nilly), foreign cash.
We have it here in Adelaide city centre, CommBank, and the ANZ has one at Adelaide Airport, that will issue foreign cash.
So, you could check in for the flight earlier, at the US airport, and then go wandering looking inspecting ATMs looking to see if they (ATM) issues Nzd$.
Aust & NZ banks will accept PLUS/Cirrus, it goes by the bank's owner, so your card should be accepted by any ATM around.
One thing to keep in mind, some ATMs do have a set limit of $1000 a day, per card.
And one more thing, (unlikely but still), if you take in more than Nzd$10000 in real cash, you have to declare it on the incoming passenger card.
Ok, that's it from me on this thread.
Enjoy NZ.
I am too closely like my other half.
trusted partner
