Quick exchanges
Customers describe the exchange as quick, seamless and hassle-free, useful when you are travelling on a schedule.
Travelex
Al Garhoud
Travelex is a currency exchange service in Al Garhoud, with reviews highlighting quick money changes, cash transactions and help getting the exact change needed. Some customer accounts also describe using its Dubai Terminal 1 counter for VAT refunds paid in cash.
Reputation Score
4.9
★★★★★
1,164 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Clear explanations
The process is explained clearly, helping customers understand the transaction before it is completed.
Exact change
One customer received the exact change needed without hassle, a practical benefit for cash transactions.
Helpful service
Reviews repeatedly describe the staff as friendly, professional, accommodating and efficient during exchanges.
Decent rates
Some customers describe the exchange rate as decent or good, though rates should still be checked for the specific currency.
Tips for a Better Visit
Ask for AED. For a VAT refund, ask whether AED cash is available and compare the conversion before accepting another currency.
Avoid shift change. Allow extra time or visit outside shift-change periods, which one review links to delays.
Bring documents. For the VAT-refund process, have your original invoices and passport ready for the required Tax Free Planet scan.
Check rates. Ask for the rate before exchanging or accepting a cash refund, since one review specifically criticises foreign-currency conversion.
Plan the visit
Practical details
International Airport - Terminal 1 Departures Landside - opposite Entrance 5
Dubai Int'l Airport, Dubai
| Mon | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Tue | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Wed | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Thu | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Fri | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sat | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | 12:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Popular Mentions
VAT refund in cash
Reviews identify Travelex’s Dubai Terminal 1 counter as a place to collect a VAT refund in cash after the required validation steps.
Home currency
One customer mentions receiving their home currency during the exchange.
Common Concerns
Shift delays
A review warns that transactions can be delayed during staff shift changes, with the counter described as slow at that time.
Low conversion
One VAT-refund review says the conversion rate for taking a refund in foreign currency was really low.
Currency pressure
A customer says they were pushed toward receiving a VAT refund in foreign currency rather than AED.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Travelex is a currency exchange service in Al Garhoud. Reviews point to quick, straightforward exchanges, with customers using the counter for ordinary cash transactions, getting exact change and changing money into their home currency. Several accounts describe friendly, efficient help and clear explanations, which matters when you are trying to complete an exchange quickly before a journey.
The reviews also mention a Dubai Terminal 1 counter for VAT refunds in cash. The described process starts with a Tax Free Planet scan outside the baggage area, using original invoices and a passport; customers who want the refund as cash are then directed to Travelex. That makes it a useful airport stop for a specific refund option, not just a standard currency change.
There is one important caution. A customer reported delays during shift changes and said the counter pushed foreign-currency refunds despite what they considered a very low conversion rate. Ask whether the refund can be paid in AED, confirm the rate before agreeing, and allow extra time if your trip depends on the transaction.
The wider review pattern is strongly positive, but the VAT-refund experience appears more dependent on timing and currency choice than a routine exchange.