By Syam, JesTiny Guide · Last checked: 21 October 2026

Bengaluru Airport (BLR) Currency Exchange: Counters, Terminals and Rules

Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) has two terminals, and the sources we read disagree about what each offers a money-changer. This guide sets out what Thomas Cook's own page, a forex seller, a 2014 headline and two travel guides say, and where they conflict. We couldn't read the airport's own forex page. We found no measured BLR rate, so we don't name a best counter or give a percentage for the airport gap. We did not measure any rates ourselves. Everything was last checked on 21 October 2026.

The short version

• Thomas Cook's own Bengaluru page lists "Thomas Cook - Forex and Money Exchange - Devanahalli" at "Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, Bengaluru International Airport LTD Arrival and Departure". It gives no hours.
• BookMyForex, a forex seller, says Centrum Money Exchange operates on the ground and first floor of the international terminal and is open 24 hours, that arrivals have exchange on the ground level near baggage claim, and that the domestic terminal, Terminal 1, has mainly ATMs and no dedicated forex desk. That conflicts with Thomas Cook's listing, and the same page says not all counters open around the clock.
• A blog post headline, from what looks like January 2014, says Centrum bagged exclusive rights for foreign exchange services at the airport. We could read only the headline and a short summary, and 2014 is a long time ago.
• A travel guide updated in June 2026 says the airport has foreign exchange counters and cash machines, and names nothing. Another guide, with affiliate links and no named sources, names Thomas Cook and ATMs from four banks.
• Sources disagree about the terminals. We found no airport source for what each handles.
• We found no source for opening hours or for a measured rate.

Who runs the counters

Thomas Cook's own page for Bengaluru lists one airport entry, "Thomas Cook - Forex and Money Exchange - Devanahalli", at Terminals 1 and 2, arrival and departure. The page also lists a rating and a phone number, and its FAQ says currency exchange is available at the airport "however, the rates are significantly higher". It gives no hours and no positions. This is a company's own page and the only source we found that names Thomas Cook at BLR. Its statement that airport rates are higher is a claim from a company that also sells forex in the city.

BookMyForex's Bangalore airport page names Centrum Money Exchange, on the ground and first floor of the international terminal, open 24 hours. It says private vendors at all terminals charge higher markups and does not name them. The same page says limited hours apply and not all counters are open around the clock, and one row of its comparison table says forex is not available at Bangalore airport. It contradicts itself, so we use it only for the name Centrum and the general location.

A blog post headline dated, from its web address, January 2014 says Centrum bagged exclusive rights for foreign exchange services at Kempegowda International Airport. The text we could read was cut short, so we know nothing about the terms, the duration or the terminals. An exclusive right from 2014 may have expired. We cannot say whether Centrum still holds anything.

So our sources tie two companies to BLR, Thomas Cook and Centrum, with a different quality of evidence for each, and neither is confirmed by the airport. We do not know whether a counter at this airport exchanges rupee notes under RBI's April 2026 circular, so ask at the counter.

The terminals

The sources do not agree on what each terminal does. BookMyForex calls Terminal 1 the domestic terminal with ATMs only and puts international exchange in Terminal 2. A travel guide with affiliate links says Terminal 1 is the original terminal handling domestic and international services, and Terminal 2 the newer terminal used by a growing share of international and full-service carriers, and that they are separate buildings. A Cathay Pacific airport page lists check-in for its flights at Terminal 2.

All four are consistent with international flights using Terminal 2, at least in part. They are not consistent on whether Terminal 1 has any international service or any forex counter. The practical advice is simple. Check the terminal on your ticket, and expect that the larger set of counters is in Terminal 2. If you arrive in Terminal 1, ask staff, because Thomas Cook lists a branch there and the seller says there is none.

Where exactly

We cannot give positions. Thomas Cook lists arrival and departure without gates, BookMyForex says the ground and first floor of the international terminal and the ground level near baggage claim, and we found no source with counter numbers. Do not navigate to one specific gate from any guide, this one included. Look for forex signage in the check-in area or after customs.

Hours

BookMyForex says Centrum is open 24 hours and also says not all counters are open around the clock. Thomas Cook gives no hours. If you land late at night or very early, do not assume a counter will be open, and keep a working card as a fallback.

ATMs

A travel guide updated on 7 June 2026 says the airport has cash machines among its facilities and names no bank. The other guide, with affiliate links and no named sources, says bank ATMs from HDFC, ICICI, Axis and State Bank of India are in the arrivals areas, that foreign-card withdrawals are commonly capped around 10,000 rupees per transaction, and that machines often add a per-withdrawal fee. We cannot check those statements. Check the signage on the machine and your own card's fee schedule. If a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose rupees. Our guide to dynamic currency conversion explains why.

What the sources say about rates

We found no source that measured a BLR rate against the mid-market rate. The sources that give figures are all sellers or unsourced.

• BookMyForex says airport markups are 8 to 10% in its introduction, 6 to 10% on average in a comparison table, 6 to 13% plus 18% GST in a calculator and 5 to 15% in its FAQ.
• Thomas Cook's page says airport rates are about 10 to 15% above city providers. That is a claim from a company that competes with its own airport counter.
• The affiliate guide says an exchange counter returns about 88 to 92 dollars for 100, described as 6 to 12 percent off the interbank rate plus commission. It names no source or date.

These figures overlap and differ, and none gives a method. We do not use any of them as a measured gap. They tell you only that sellers and a guide with affiliate links think the airport costs more. The way to know is to ask for the final amount for your sum and compare it with the mid-market rate on the day.

To see what a percentage gap costs on your amount, use our mid-market rate guide.

How to check a rate yourself

This section is our advice, not a sourced fact.

1. Look up the mid-market rate for your currency pair on the day you travel.
2. Ask the counter for the final amount in rupees for your exact sum, including every fee.
3. Divide the counter's rate by the mid-market rate. A result of 0.98 means 2% below.
4. If a sign says "no commission", ask for the final amount anyway, because the margin may sit inside the rate.
5. Keep the exchange receipt, and keep the amount small if you can wait for a better rate in the city.

Indian rules

Indian rules on paying for forex in cash, PAN, carrying rupees, exchanging rupees before you fly and declaring cash when you return are on our India money rules page.

Our reading of the sources

This section is our reading. It is not a sourced fact. Thomas Cook's own listing and a seller's mention of Centrum are the best leads, and they name different terminals. The honest summary is that there are probably counters in both terminals, with more in the international terminal, and that the operators are probably Thomas Cook and Centrum, but we cannot say which is where. The usual logic holds on cost. A counter at an airport is convenient, the rate is probably not the best available, and the cost scales with the amount. A small sum for a taxi and a first meal costs little. For a larger sum, a bank or a card with low fees is likely to cost less, though we did not measure either at Bengaluru.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm which companies the airport itself names as its forex operators, where any counter is, or its opening hours, and we found no measured BLR rate.

A simple plan

1. Check the terminal on your ticket, and look for forex signage after customs or in the check-in area.
2. Ask for the final amount in rupees for your exact sum, and compare it with the mid-market rate.
3. If you are a resident buying forex, pay by card or transfer from 50,000 rupees, and bring your PAN.
4. At an ATM or card terminal, choose the local currency and check your card's fees first.
5. Keep the receipt, and keep the exchange small if you can wait for a better rate in the city.

FAQ

Who runs currency exchange at Bengaluru airport?
Thomas Cook's own page lists an airport branch, and a forex seller names Centrum Money Exchange. We could not read an airport page to confirm either.

How many terminals does BLR have?
Two, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The sources disagree about what Terminal 1 handles.

Does Terminal 1 have a forex counter?
Thomas Cook lists one there. A forex seller says Terminal 1 has no dedicated forex desk. We could not settle it.

Is currency exchange open 24 hours at BLR?
One seller says Centrum is open 24 hours and also says not all counters are. We could not confirm it.

Do I need a PAN to buy foreign currency?
Yes, when you pay more than 50,000 rupees in cash at one time; see our India money rules page.

Sources and how we checked them

Checked on 21 October 2026. Where we call something confirmed, at least two of these sources agree, or an official source says so directly. Most are sellers or travel guides. Thomas Cook and BookMyForex sell forex, and one guide carries affiliate links.

• Thomas Cook India, forex company, Currency exchange in Bangalore page (undated). It sells forex.
• BookMyForex, forex seller, Currency exchange at Bangalore airport (no date, rates shown from about 20 October 2026). It sells forex.
• The Bengaluru Times (blog), Centrum starts exclusive foreign exchange at Kempegowda International Airport (undated; the web address suggests January 2014).
• Airportsdata, travel site, BLR airport services page, updated 7 June 2026.
• Travel Currency Guide, travel site with affiliate links, BLR currency exchange guide, May 2026. It names no sources.
• Cathay Pacific, airline, Bengaluru airport information page (undated).
• Reserve Bank of India, official, FAQ on miscellaneous forex facilities, updated 28 November 2025, and circular RBI/2026-27/05, 2 April 2026.
• Income Tax Department of India, official, Rule 114B (page uploaded 13 December 2025).

Editorial note: The counter, rate and airport information in this guide is editorial and is not paid for. Rates and fees change, so confirm the final rate at the counter before exchanging.