Los Angeles - Where to buy £ Sterling pounds in LAX?

I read that ICE has booths on LAX but the website seems to suggest that they will give you dollars (makes sense since you're in the US), but I want to know if I can buy british pounds at an ICE booth in LAX.
Thanks

If you are passing through a terminal that has international flights in or out you should be able to exchange for British pounds (unless the money exchanger is out of stock). If you have not yet Googled LAX Airport...you should try to determine exchangers and their locations. It may be that Travelex has a concession at LAX.

This website should be helpful:
http://www.lawa.org/welcome_LAX.aspx?id=1588

The nearest Travelex store is in Terminal 2 of SAN.

Did you ever consider an in-person purchase of currency at a large retail bank like Wells Fargo, Chase, or US Bank?

There is a currency exchange booth in the non-sterile departure side of the Tom Bradley international terminal which I believe buys AND sells USD. It's between the two main entrance glass doors. That said, the obvious followup question would be wouldn't it be cheaper to just use the ATM in your UK destination? I usually just hit one of the HSBC machines when I land in Heathrow and pay a nominal Forex fee instead of the ridiculous boutique buy-sell spread.

I've read http://www.lawa.org/welcome_LAX.aspx?id=1588
but it doesn't specify whether or not they sell GBP, I know I can get USD if I have another currency, but I want to buy GBP.

I thought about using the ATM once I land on Heathrow, but a friend told me ATM's are no where to be found (I thought it was ridiculous since it's a big airport) but she says that's the case.

I know I'm arriving Heathrow through terminal 1. Any ATM's right there?

How easy is it to get pounds while in Heathrow? I'm taking a bus from Heathrow so I'm not entering the city of London.

I thought about using the ATM once I land on Heathrow, but a friend told me ATM's are no where to be found (I thought it was ridiculous since it's a big airport) but she says that's the case.
I've been in LHR 3 times this year, and I was able to find an ATM in Ts 3 and 5 and my ATM card worked perfectly there. Heck right next to the one in T-5 (near the bag claim) was an "ATM" that sold me a SIM card, too.

(And hands-down, that's the best way to get cash; my credit union pays out within pennies of the XE.com rate and charges no fees to do so.)

I'd avoid the booths for exchanges- when Euros were $1.25 on my way to France earlier this month, one of the booths in TBIT were selling them for $1.44.

I would only buy foreign currency in the USA as an absolute last resort. Services like Travelex use padded exchange rates and often charge flat fees on top of it. Major banks are little better, and it's a hassle to make a side trip to visit one. I almost always obtain foreign currency by using a local ATM when I land in country.

There are several ATMs in LHR T1. I saw at least 3 when I passed through recently. I checked a few of them and found they were offering an exchange rate +3% over the interbank rate. I held off and used an ATM when I got into town and got my money fee-free.

I agree about buying your British currency there rather than at LAX. I can't imagine you getting a better rate in the U.S. They certainly have money exchange places at Heathrow, and, per above, they also have ATMs. You can get just enough in pounds to get you by for the first day or so and then get more in town.

There are several ATMs in LHR T1. I saw at least 3 when I passed through recently. I checked a few of them and found they were offering an exchange rate +3% over the interbank rate.
Um, huh?

All the ATMs at LHR (or anywhere for that matter) that I've ever seen do is "dispense <insert native currency here>", which amount (in that native currency's values) then gets transmitted back to your bank, and from there your bank decides what to charge you. How did you determine an "exchange rate" from a machine that dispenses its native currency? What am I missing?

The FX rates at the LAX airport are most likely going to be the worst. When I fly through LHR I use my BofA ATM card at a Barclays ATM.

The currency exchange place in T7 (air side) charges a $5.99 flat fee on top of lousy exchange rates.

There are plenty of ATMs at Heathrow. I just used one there last month and it wasn't hard to find (right by an Amex office and apparently Amex related).

What was hard to find was an ATM which doesn't add on a "Heathrow Surcharge" of 5 to 10 %--which is sort of disclosed just before your get the cash. Amex socked me for 5.5%, IIRC.

Even so, I suspect you'll still be better off just using an ATM on arrival. Just wait until you get into town to do any substantial exchanges.

I also suggest getting your pound from ATM in Heathow after you clear custom.

And just as an aside for future reference... you can open a HSBC online savings account in the US and HSBC won't charge you extra fees to use their ATM in Europe or Asia.

http://www.us.hsbc.com/1/2/1/default/learn-more/osa?code=MIW0000333&WT.ac=HBUS_MIW0000333

All the ATMs at LHR (or anywhere for that matter) that I've ever seen do is "dispense <insert native currency here>", which amount (in that native currency's values) then gets transmitted back to your bank, and from there your bank decides what to charge you. How did you determine an "exchange rate" from a machine that dispenses its native currency? What am I missing?

I tried 2 ATMs at LHR, one airside and one outside customs. After I inserted my card, entered my PIN, and selected a transaction amount, each machine displayed an exchange rate that would apply for conversion from GBP to USD. That rate was 3% above the interbank rate. I passed and tried an ATM at Paddington Station. It, too, displayed the exchange rate when it asked me to confirm my transaction, though it offered the bank rate. I didn't have cause to try any other ATMs in the UK to figure out whether this is a standard practice there.