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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

First and foremost: Stay hydrated

BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/GETTY IMAGES 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.

Check your credit card benefits at events

CAROLINE TANNER/THE POINTS GUY 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.

With that in mind, check if your credit cards have similar benefits at concerts, sporting events and conferences. These spaces give you a place to beat the crowds, cool down and enjoy a bit of quiet time outside the event's chaos.

Also note that Clear members have access to expedited security lines at airports, as well as at a number of arenas and stadiums around the country, which can significantly speed up your travel experience. I recently used Clear to get into Yankee Stadium and saved at least 20 minutes in the heat.

The right travel gear goes a long way

A portable battery-powered fan used to feel like something only an over-prepared tourist would carry — but not in this heat. Senior writer Ben Smithson was a skeptic until he recently went to a comedy show in a historic building. "I used to think carrying around those battery-powered portable fans was a bit extra," he says, "but I went to a comedy show in a very un-AC-ed historic building and I (and several others) had them perched on the back of the seat in front." It made all the difference throughout the show.

On trains and planes, TPG's senior newsletter editor Colin Hogan has a different tactic: a cooling migraine mask. "This cooling migraine mask has been a godsend in a hot plane or train cabin," he says. "I originally got it for migraines but have honestly used it more for travel. It cools my whole head and tunes out stimulation, while also making me look like the kind of ridiculous person no one wants to talk to — a win-win, IMO." It's hard to argue with that logic.

Lastly, TPG writer Rachel Craft recommends bringing a pack of bandages on the road to prevent blisters. When you're hot and sweaty, friction increases, which makes blistering more likely. A bandage is a cheap and easy way to fix a problem that could otherwise take you out of commission for the rest of the day.

Do your research before you book a hotel

It's one of those things that sounds obvious until it happens to you. "There is literally nothing worse than trekking through a heatwave with all your luggage, getting to your hotel/rental in the hopes of cooling off, and realizing that the place you booked doesn't have working AC as a respite," says TPG editor Madison Blancaflor.

You can find this info on hotel websites and online travel agencies. Likewise, Airbnb and VRBO listings will specifically note whether the property has air conditioning, so be on the lookout when you're headed to Europe, especially.

If all else fails, head somewhere colder

Head to Australia to beat the heat. CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY TPG's cruise lead Gene Sloan's answer to a brutal summer is simply to leave it behind. This summer, he went on a trip to Australia, where the seasons are reversed (compared to his home in the U.S.) — and July is the middle of winter. "My summer PTO was in Australia , where the seasons are reversed and it was blissfully cool," he says. "Not cold. Sydney and the coast were very pleasant in the 50s and 60s during the stay. Some days all the way up to 70."

I did this just last weekend, when my wife and I went to Nova Scotia for the second time. It's our new favorite place to visit in July , with mild temperatures (think mid-70s at the highest) and very few crowds, even in touristy areas like Lunenburg.

Those seeking colder weather can also consider traveling to Patagonia, South Africa, Scandinavia and New Zealand.

Bottom line

Traveling in the summer can be a challenge, especially during a heatwave. But if you plan your trip carefully, you can avoid the worst of the heat. Stay hydrated, check your credit card benefits and make sure you're staying somewhere with air conditioning. And if you want to get out of the heat (and crowds) entirely, headed south of the equator and enjoy mild winter weather.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Fans of the iconic Back to the Future recently got some exciting news , as it was confirmed that co-creator Bob Gale is diving into the franchise’s archive for a new book titled Back to the Future: The Complete Screenplay , which hits shelves later this year in celebration of the movie’s 40th anniversary last year. "This is going to be really instructional about how movies are made, how scripts are written," Gale said in an interview. "The mistakes are in there, the deleted scenes are in there, the stuff that we changed, stuff that we thought we were going to do that we didn’t do. It’s chock full of stuff like that."

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Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority

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T-Mobile’s free Wi-Fi benefit on United Airlines flights will end on July 13, 2026.

This will be the last day to take advantage of the carrier’s perk.

One of the benefits of being a T-Mobile customer was its free Wi-Fi perk on certain flights. T-Mobile has offered free in-flight Wi-Fi on select airlines for eligible members for over a decade. While the perk is still alive and well for some airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines recently bowed out of the partnership . If you’re about to fly on United Airlines, know that this is your last day to take advantage of T-Mobile’s offer.

As a quick recap, United Airlines officially ended its deal with T-Mobile back in April. This was a direct result of United forming a partnership with Starlink to begin offering its own complementary in-flight Wi-Fi service. It’s expected that United will offer this benefit on all of its flights by 2027.