Money & travel
Skip the exchange booth at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Use an ATM with a no-fee card — the ATM gives you the real mid-market rate, while airport exchange booths charge 10–20% above it. On a $500 exchange, that difference is $50–100 in hidden costs.
The key rule
Airport currency exchange booths typically charge 10–20% above the mid-market rate.
On a $500 exchange, that is $50–100 in hidden fees. The ATM is almost always better — even with a bank fee. And with a no-fee card, the ATM is unambiguously better.
None. RNO's official amenities page states plainly that the airport 'does not offer any currency exchanges at this time' — there is no exchange counter anywhere in the terminal, including for arriving international passengers.
This is unusual even for a mid-size regional airport: despite Volaris running international flights to and from Mexico, RNO has zero currency exchange service. Travelers needing pesos or dollars cannot handle it on-site and must plan ahead through a bank, credit union, or online service like Wise before traveling.
Five Wells Fargo ATMs are spread through the terminal: pre-security in Baggage Claim across from carousel #3 near the ski statue, and next to Peet's Coffee & Tea in the main terminal lobby; post-security in the High Mountain Marketplace between the concourses, and on both the B and C Concourses.
All five machines are Wells Fargo-branded and run on the standard Visa/Plus and Mastercard/Cirrus networks. Since RNO has no exchange booths at all, a no-foreign-transaction-fee debit card (Charles Schwab, Wise, or Revolut) is effectively the only practical way to get cash at the airport — this applies even to Volaris passengers arriving with Mexican pesos.
Best cards for ATM use abroad
Recommended for RNO
Handle currency needs before you fly — RNO has no exchange booths of any kind. If you land needing US dollars, use one of the five Wells Fargo ATMs with a no-foreign-transaction-fee card; don't expect an exchange counter to bail you out the way you might at a larger international airport.
Pro Tip
Flying Volaris to or from Guadalajara, Mexico City, or Tijuana? Get your pesos or dollars sorted at your home bank or the Mexican airport, because RNO genuinely has nothing — not even a kiosk — for currency exchange.
Before you leave
Order foreign currency from your bank before departure — Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all offer currency ordering at branches and online (3–7 business days). Rates are better than airport booths, and you avoid the airport rush entirely.
At your destination
Withdraw from a local ATM at your destination — you get the real mid-market exchange rate, minus a small network fee. A no-fee card eliminates even that. This is almost always the cheapest option.
In transit
Currency exchange at city banks or post offices in your destination country is typically far better than airport rates in both countries. Most major cities have walk-in currency exchange with rates 5–10% better than airport booths.
Is it better to exchange currency at RNO airport or at my destination?
Almost always at your destination. Airport exchange booths at Reno-Tahoe International Airport charge 10-20% above the mid-market rate. At your destination, ATMs give the real interbank rate minus a small network fee — typically saving $50-100 on a $500 exchange versus the airport booth.
Where are the ATMs at RNO airport?
Five Wells Fargo ATMs are spread through the terminal: pre-security in Baggage Claim across from carousel #3 near the ski statue, and next to Peet's Coffee & Tea in the main terminal lobby; post-security in the High Mountain Marketplace between the concourses, and on both the B and C Concourses. All five machines are Wells Fargo-branded and run on the standard Visa/Plus and Mastercard/Cirrus networks. Since RNO has no exchange booths at all, a no-foreign-transaction-fee debit card (Charles Schwab, Wise, or Revolut) is effectively the only practical way to get cash at the airport — this applies even to Volaris passengers arriving with Mexican pesos.
Which currency exchange is at RNO airport?
None. RNO's official amenities page states plainly that the airport 'does not offer any currency exchanges at this time' — there is no exchange counter anywhere in the terminal, including for arriving international passengers. This is unusual even for a mid-size regional airport: despite Volaris running international flights to and from Mexico, RNO has zero currency exchange service. Travelers needing pesos or dollars cannot handle it on-site and must plan ahead through a bank, credit union, or online service like Wise before traveling.
What is the best card to use for foreign currency at RNO?
The Charles Schwab debit card is the top choice — it reimburses all ATM fees worldwide and charges 0% on international transactions, giving you the real mid-market exchange rate. Wise and Revolut travel cards are strong alternatives with similar 0% fee structures. Avoid using a standard bank debit card, which typically charges 1-3% foreign transaction fee plus an ATM surcharge of $3-5.
See also: Getting around RNO airport · Live RNO TSA wait times
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