Packing hand-luggage-only for a summer holiday comes down to renting rather than owning the bulkiest items, since dresses, blazers and evening pieces take up the most case space relative to how often they're worn.

What makes hand luggage work:

• Renting occasion pieces (evening dresses, blazers, going-out tops) instead of packing your own, since they're sourced fresh at the destination end rather than carried
• Choosing fabrics that don't need pressing on arrival, like jersey, crepe and technical blends over structured cotton or linen
• One pair of versatile sandals and one dressier shoe, rather than a shoe for every outfit
• Rolling rather than folding, which typically buys back 20 to 30 percent more case space
• Wearing the bulkiest item (a jacket, the heaviest shoes) on the plane rather than packing it

The maths is simple: a rented wardrobe delivered to your door the day before you fly replaces roughly half a case of clothing you'd otherwise need to check. That's the difference between hand luggage and a checked bag on most short-haul and even some long-haul summer routes.

This works best when the rental order is placed a day or two ahead rather than the morning of the flight, giving enough buffer for sizing swaps if needed. Endless delivers across Dubai in as little as two hours and to Abu Dhabi next day, so even a late booking can still make it into hand luggage. Start from the Vacay Mode collection for pieces built around travel.