Yes, cash machines are available both before and after security at every Heathrow terminal (T2, T3, T4 and T5), and most accept UK bank, building society and major credit cards. Many can be used without an extra charge, though this depends on your own card provider rather than the machine itself. Heathrow's interactive terminal maps show the exact machine nearest your gate, check-in desk or baggage reclaim. Checked 2026.
Where to find a cash machine at Heathrow
Heathrow does not publish a single master list of every ATM location, because the airport's own terminal maps are built to be searched live rather than printed as a static list, and machine locations do shift slightly as retail units change. What is consistent across all four terminals is the pattern: you will find cash machines in the landside check-in and arrivals areas, and again airside once you are through security, close to the main shopping and food clusters. Currency exchange desks such as Travelex also host ATMs alongside their counters in most terminals, making their desks a reliable fallback if you can't immediately spot a standalone machine.
The most reliable way to find the nearest one on the day is Heathrow's own interactive terminal maps, searchable by terminal and by "cash machine" or "ATM" as a facility type. These are kept more current than any fixed list, since Heathrow's retail layout is periodically reshuffled.
Before or after security: which side has more machines
Both landside and airside have cash machines at every terminal, so you are not stuck if you need cash at either stage of your journey.
Landside (before security): useful if you need cash for a taxi, a coach ticket, or to pay a companion dropping you off. Machines here sit near check-in desks and the main arrivals concourse.
Airside (after security): more plentiful, simply because this is where most of each terminal's shops, cafés and lounges sit, and cash machines cluster near those retail zones. If you've just landed and are heading straight to baggage reclaim, airside arrivals corridors also have machines before you reach the public area.
Fees: what actually determines the cost
The charge for using a Heathrow cash machine depends on your own card and bank, not primarily on the machine. Heathrow states that many machines can be used without an extra charge, but your card provider may still apply its own foreign transaction fee or cash advance charge, particularly for non-UK debit and credit cards, or for credit cards used to withdraw cash rather than debit cards.
Before you travel, it's worth checking your bank's specific policy on:
- ATM withdrawal fees at UK machines, for non-UK-issued cards
- Foreign transaction or currency conversion fees
- Whether your card treats an airport withdrawal as a "cash advance" (common with credit cards, and usually the most expensive way to get cash)
A UK-issued debit card from a mainstream bank is typically the cheapest way to withdraw at a Heathrow ATM, since most such cards have no foreign transaction fee charged on domestic UK withdrawals in the first place.
Avoiding the worst exchange rate at the machine
Some airport cash machines offer "dynamic currency conversion", where the machine asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of pounds. Always decline this and choose to be charged in GBP (pounds sterling). Dynamic currency conversion almost always applies a worse exchange rate than letting your own bank do the conversion, even though the on-screen prompt is phrased to make it sound like a convenience or even a discount.
ATM vs currency exchange desk: which to use
If you specifically need foreign currency rather than pounds, for example euros or dollars for your destination, a cash machine isn't the right tool unless it's a foreign-currency ATM (some Travelex machines at Heathrow dispense select foreign currencies as well as sterling). For buying foreign cash before you fly, a currency exchange desk or ordering online for airport collection is usually better value than relying on an ATM. See currency exchange at Heathrow and the best ways to exchange currency at Heathrow for a full comparison of rates and collection options.
If you just need pounds for a UK taxi, coach ticket or last-minute purchase, a standard cash machine withdrawal in GBP is simpler and usually cheaper than exchanging currency at a desk.
Cash machines by terminal: quick reference
| Terminal | Landside machines | Airside machines | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| T2 | Near check-in and arrivals | Near departures shops and gates | Travelex desk also hosts an ATM |
| T3 | Near check-in and arrivals | Near departures shops and gates | Travelex desk also hosts an ATM |
| T4 | Near check-in and arrivals | Near departures shops and gates | Smaller terminal; fewer total machines |
| T5 | Near check-in and arrivals | Spread across T5A, B and C satellites | Largest terminal; most machines overall |
For the exact point-by-point location on the day, use Heathrow's own interactive terminal maps rather than relying on a static guide, since unit layouts do shift.
How much cash do you actually need at Heathrow?
Most shops, cafés, car parks and even some taxi ranks at Heathrow accept contactless and card payment, so cash is rarely essential for getting through the airport itself. Where it's genuinely useful is for a metered black cab (many now take card too, but not universally), a tip, or a small independent trader. For how much cash you're allowed to carry internationally and when you need to declare it, see how much cash can you bring through Heathrow.
FAQs
Are there cash machines before security at Heathrow?
Yes. Every terminal has ATMs in the landside check-in and arrivals areas, before you reach security.
Are there cash machines after security at Heathrow?
Yes, and airside typically has more machines than landside, clustered near the shops, cafés and gates in each terminal's departures area.
Do Heathrow cash machines charge a fee?
Many can be used without an extra charge, but this depends on your own card provider. Check your bank's foreign transaction and cash advance fees before you travel, especially for non-UK cards.
Should I choose to be charged in pounds or my home currency at the machine?
Always choose pounds (GBP). Accepting the machine's offer to charge you in your home currency, known as dynamic currency conversion, almost always gives a worse exchange rate.
Can I get foreign currency, not just pounds, from a Heathrow ATM?
Usually not from a standard cash machine. Some Travelex-operated machines dispense select foreign currencies, but for reliable foreign cash, use a currency exchange desk instead.
Which terminal has the most cash machines?
Terminal 5, Heathrow's largest, has machines spread across its main building and satellite piers, giving it the most overall, though every terminal has machines on both sides of security.