Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. This summer has been absolutely relentless for travelers. It's not just the sweltering heat in cities like New York and Chicago that's causing stress, but major cities have been crowded in a way that compounds the heat. Additionally, June 23 set the all-time record for TSA screenings (2.99 million in a single day), eight of the 10 busiest travel days ever occurred in the past month alone and the World Cup is taking place across most major North American cities, meaning that already crowded cities are even busier.
And you're not beating it with a trip across the Atlantic. Europe just logged its hottest June temperatures since records began, with temperatures reaching 111 Fahrenheit in Paris. Two separate heat-driven disruption waves — around June 21 and again June 25–26 — each snarled thousands of European flights in a single 24-hour stretch.
It's been a lot, and we're not even halfway through July. With TPG's team being on the road all summer, here's what we're doing to beat the heat and manage the crowds — and keep our sanity while we jet set.
Related: Summer travel checklist: 12 things to do now to make your trip great
We've all been there. You land in a new city, drop your bags and immediately head out to explore. Two hours later, you realize you haven't had a drop of water. When it's 100-plus degrees outside, this is downright dangerous for your health. So, do yourself a favor and pack a reusable water bottle with you this summer.
TPG's managing editor of hotels and destinations, Ellie Nan Storck, packs a collapsible water bottle with her in her backpack whenever she travels. These break down easily so you're not lugging a rigid plastic bottle around. Storck recommends the Salomon Soft Flask , which has treated her well on dozens of recent trips. Given it's just $22, it'll pay for itself after just a few refills (yay, no more $5 water bottles on the Vegas Strip!).
Storck also packs electrolyte packets, which matters more than people give it credit for. When it's hot enough that you're sweating through a city day, you're losing more than water. An electrolyte boost can make all the difference in how you feel.
One more hydration tip that catches a lot of people off guard: Flights are actively dehydrating you. "Airplanes dehydrate you way more than you might think," says TPG social media manager Annie Black. "I knew they were dry, but I didn't know they were that dry." Start drinking water hours before you even board, and you'll get off the plane without feeling like you've spent the day in the desert.
Storck and TPG's editor-in-chief Nick Ewen recently attended the Miami Grand Prix. It was sweltering, and the duo was lucky enough to spend an hour in the American Express Lounge, thanks to their Amex Platinum cards. This had complimentary water, air conditioning and free lunch that kept them cool and well-fed during the event.
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