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Manila NAIA currency exchange

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

Manila Airport (NAIA) Currency Exchange: Terminals, Counters and Rules

Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has four terminals not within walking distance of each other, so the first question is which terminal you're in. This guide states what the sources we read say about the counters at each, includes two sets of measured rates from the same writer, covers the new BDO self-service machines at Terminal 3, quotes the cash declaration rules, and is plain about what we could not confirm. The measured rates are about a year old, so treat them as a guide to the size of the gap, not a quote.

The short version

The four terminals

Philippines Embassy Info (site refreshed 10 September 2026) describes the four terminals and says they are not within walking distance of each other, recommending a free inter-terminal shuttle or a taxi or Grab and allowing two to three hours for connections. It describes Terminal 1 as international and used by most foreign airlines, Terminal 2 as Philippine Airlines, Terminal 3 as Cebu Pacific, AirAsia and several international carriers, and Terminal 4 as smaller domestic carriers. It is an independent site, not an official one, and gives no source.

Check your airline or the airport's own site for your terminal before you travel, because the money changers you can use depend on it.

Terminal 1 counters

Thaiest (updated 15 August 2025) lists these money changers at Terminal 1 and says most are in the arrivals area on the right after customs:

Terminal 3 counters

Thaiest lists these at Terminal 3, most in the arrivals area with some on the departure level:

The article says the Metrobank branch at Terminal 3 is closed, and that Security Bank is listed as closed or apparently closed. It was published before the BDO kiosks below.

Spot.ph (8 October 2026) reports that BDO has opened 24/7 self-service currency exchange machines at Terminal 3, in front of its airport branch right past immigration clearance. They convert US dollars, euros and yen to pesos without a teller or paper forms, take up to 30 banknotes per transaction, and need a passport scan and a photo. The article does not state a fee and says the rate is based on BDO's foreign exchange rates. It advises checking the rate before confirming. We could not check the machines ourselves.

Terminals 2 and 4

We found no source that lists money changers at Terminal 2 or Terminal 4. NAIA's own page for other services and amenities says it covers ATMs and foreign exchange across Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4, but the text we could read did not name any operator.

What the sources say about rates

Thaiest measured the best airport rate to the mid-market rate on the day of its visit. These are one writer's snapshots, and the article is dated 15 August 2025.

At Terminal 1:

At Terminal 3:

The author says Terminal 3 rates are normally as good as in the centre of Manila and should be better than Terminal 1's. On the day of the visit, the best US dollar rate in central Manila (51.85) matched the airport's best. For less common currencies the author says rates vary widely, so comparing booths is worthwhile.

The range matters more than the average. At Terminal 3 on that visit, the same euro note could fetch 60.35 pesos at Land Bank or 63.70 at BDO, a gap of about 5%. A booth that looks fine on dollars can be poor on euros.

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, based on the sources above. It is not a sourced fact.

  1. Look up the mid-market rate for your pair on the day you travel.
  2. Check the rate on each booth's board, and compare booths side by side if you can.
  3. Work out the gap: subtract the board rate from the mid-market rate, and divide by the mid-market rate. Test it on Thaiest's Terminal 1 euro figures: (64.29 minus 63.20) divided by 64.29 is about 1.7%.
  4. Ask for the final amount for your exact sum before you hand over notes.
  5. Compare at least two booths for any currency other than US dollars.

ATMs and cards

Thaiest says ATM withdrawals might be a less cost-effective option, because you pay the exchange rate, your bank's foreign withdrawal fee and, in most cases, an additional fee for a Filipino bank. Spot.ph mentions local ATM fees of around 250 pesos plus international charges as a comparison point. We could not confirm either figure on a bank's own schedule. We found no source for ATM locations. Check your own card's fee schedule before you travel, and if a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose pesos. Our guide to dynamic currency conversion explains why.

Philippines Embassy Info says exchange is available in all terminals but airport rates are worse than city rates, and suggests changing only what you need and using SM Malls or authorised money changers in Makati. It gives no method.

Carrying cash into or out of the Philippines

Gulf News (28 February 2026) reports that passengers may bring foreign currency, but when the total exceeds USD 10,000, or the equivalent, the entire sum must be declared to customs on arrival or departure. Travellers can declare through the government's e-Travel system or at Bureau of Customs counters at airports and seaports. For pesos, up to 50,000 pesos per person may be taken in or out without prior approval. Above that, written authorisation from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is required before leaving the country of origin, and the amount must be declared. The article says carrying more than 50,000 pesos without clearance may result in confiscation, and gives no fines.

This is a news report. The Philippines' customs and central bank are the sources, and we did not read their notices. Check the current rule before you travel with a large amount.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm current airport rates (the only measured figures are from a visit before 15 August 2025), which money changers operate at Terminals 2 and 4, the BDO machines' fee, or ATM locations and fees at NAIA.

A simple plan

  1. Confirm your terminal first. Do not assume you can walk between terminals.
  2. Change only what you need for transport and the first day, and compare the boards before you hand over notes.
  3. For euros, pounds or Australian dollars, check at least two booths.
  4. At an ATM, choose pesos if offered a choice, and check your own card's fees.
  5. If you carry more than USD 10,000, declare it, and seek written approval for more than 50,000 pesos.

FAQ

Which banks run currency exchange at Manila airport?
Thaiest lists Bank of Commerce, Land Bank, BDO, PNB, Philtrust and Security Bank at Terminal 1, and a similar list at Terminal 3. It says some Terminal 3 counters are closed.

Which terminal has the best rates?
Thaiest measured both terminals and says Terminal 3 rates are normally as good as in central Manila, and should be better than Terminal 1's. The data is from before August 2025.

Are there self-service exchange machines at NAIA?
Spot.ph reports 24/7 BDO machines at Terminal 3 right past immigration, handling US dollars, euros and yen.

Do I have to declare cash in the Philippines?
Gulf News reports you must declare foreign currency above USD 10,000 or the equivalent, and that peso amounts above 50,000 need written approval from the central bank.

Can I walk between terminals?
No. Philippines Embassy Info says the terminals are not within walking distance and recommends the free shuttle or a taxi.

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. None of these is an official source.

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.

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