Travel Tips

Arriving to Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport is relatively small so you should have no problem finding your way through customs and making your way to your destination, whether it be Luttrellstown or another accommodation. Unlike in the United States, Uber and similar applications are used exclusively for hailing regulated taxis, and often come with additional booking fees.

We spoke with a taxi driver who advised it is cheaper to simply hail a taxi yourself at the airport taxi rank and pay with cash (Euros) or card. The rate on Uber would be the same as the metered rate you end up paying, but you would pay additional fees. In addition, your driver will appreciate that they do not need to give a 15%-20% cut to Uber!

Departing from Dublin Airport

Dublin Airport is one of very few airports in the world with U.S. Preclearance before departure. This means you will clear customs and immigration prior to departing from Dublin if you are returning to the United States. While this convenience means you can head straight home as a domestic passenger upon landing, it also means that you may need a bit more time than you expect in Dublin Airport, as you will be required to clear airport security as well as United States immigration and customs, which can have long wait times. For those with Global Entry, kiosks are available in Dublin.

Tipping Culture in Ireland

You should never feel obligated to provide gratuity or tips in Ireland. Most often, there is no opportunity to do so while paying, but many tourist-focused venues and restaurants will opt to present you with an empty tip line on your receipt. Tipping in Ireland is never expected and generally signifies that the individual went above and beyond the norm.

Euros

The currency of Ireland is the Euro. You can exchange US Dollars for Euros at a bank or an airport, but these methods often come with the highest conversion fees. Almost every business in Ireland accepts credit cards (with American Express being accepted much less than Visa/Mastercard). Many credit cards have no Foreign Transaction Fees, meaning the exchange rate will be the market rate for Euros, and will not include any additional conversion fees. This is our preferred method for travel in Europe - we usually do not carry cash because paying with a credit card is the easiest and most cost effective.

If you prefer to carry cash, often cheaper still than getting Euros in advance at a bank or airport is to withdraw them from an ATM in Europe. Compare your debit card/ATM fees for international withdrawals with the conversion rate offered by your bank at home or an airport currency exchange counter - these fees will probably be cheaper and give you a market rate conversion. Keep in mind, ATMs that are located at banks tend to have fewer fees than those in convenience stores, etc.

(Pro Tip: The Fidelity Cash Management Account offers a debit card with no foreign transaction fees, and Fidelity will reimburse any ATM fees, including international ones.)

Finally, when paying in Ireland sometimes you will receive the option for the merchant to convert your purchase to USD. This almost always includes a hefty conversion fee, and you should pay in Euros with your credit card and let your bank convert to Euros at the market rate, especially if your credit card has no foreign transaction fees.