It's bonanza time for America-bound travellers, with the pound soaring to a 26-year high against the dollar, hovering just above the hallowed two-dollar mark as we go to press.
But you have to be careful where you change your money. Tourist exchange rates are always lower than bank mid-rates, but the rates on offer vary wildly.
A snap survey showed that the best deal was online, with Travelex offering $1.94 to the pound, with £2 minimum commission. Go to the Travelex counter at Heathrow, though, and you'll get just $1.91. TTT Moneycorp at Stansted was offering $1.90 and £3 commission, and Thomas Cook at Manchester airport advertised a rate of $1.89 and £3.50 commission. The worst airport deal, though, was at Luton, where the International Currency Exchange outlet was offering $1.83 with £2 commission.
Changing sterling on arrival in the USA is even worse: the Travelex counter at Newark airport is offering $1.75 and $3 commission, while the Waldorf Astoria, on New York's Park Avenue, offers a shocking $1.74 for your pound.
So, are you better off buying your bucks on the high street? Definitely: HSBC was offering $1.94, NatWest $1.93, Barclays and Lloyds TSB $1.91. None of these banks charges commission on foreign exchange, and nor do travel agencies First Choice and Going Places, both of which were offering $1.90. Best deal, though, could be through your debit card in an American ATM. Customers of Lloyds TSB and Barclays, for example, get a rate of $1.96 after charges.