The Economy is Booming

Don't pay attention to the Dow's recent correction. Just check vacancy rates of hotels, airline load factors, and rental car availability.

Every flight I have booked recently has been nearly full, forcing my employer to have to pay higher fares. I have also had serious problems finding vacancy in hotels, and have been forced to stay in hotels on the outskirts of town. And for my next trip, not only are those first two points a factor, but there are no rental cars available.

Granted the airlines have reduced flights. And perhaps rental car companies have reduced their fleets. But other than the Stardust Hotel in Vegas last night, I don't recall hotels being imploded to reduce capacity.

I don't remember air, rental car, and hotels being this tight since 1999 and 2000, in the peak of the dot-com era.