Can you exchange a small amount of cash at Istanbul airport, and where is the best exchange rate?
Based on 2 discussions with 2 participants · Last activity: today
TL;DR
You can exchange even a small amount of cash at Istanbul airports with no minimum threshold — enough to buy an Istanbulkart and take the metro. Best rates at IST are between exits 9 and 10; Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) generally has decent rates throughout.
What the community said
If you're arriving with only cash (USD or EUR) and need just a small amount exchanged — for example, to buy an Istanbulkart and take the metro — there is no minimum exchange threshold at Istanbul airport. Even a small sum can be exchanged without issues.
1 day ago No minimum exchange amount
At Istanbul Airport (IST), the best exchange rates are found between exits 9 and 10 leading to the city. Exchange offices in other parts of the terminal tend to offer worse rates.
4 days ago IST: between exits 9 and 10
At Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), exchange rates are generally reasonable throughout the terminal — no need to hunt for a specific booth. Exchanging money right at SAW on arrival is a viable option.
4 days ago Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW)