TAMPA, Fla. — Here's an early holiday present this year – gas prices in Florida have dropped to a two-year low.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the state average on Sunday was $2.86 per gallon, which is the lowest daily average price since June 2021.
Over the past 17 days, Florida gas prices have been on a free fall – lowering a total of 31 cents. As of Sunday, 88% of gas stations in the Sunshine State have reportedly seen prices below $3.
"Pump prices are falling at the perfect time, as more than 6 million Floridians prepare to take a road trip for the year-end holidays," Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA-The Auto Club Group, said in a statement. "Strong domestic gasoline supplies and low oil prices have contributed to the downward pressure on prices at the pump.
"Oil prices regained some strength last week, so a modest increase is possible at the pump, but AAA expects gas prices to remain low through the holidays."
GasBuddy reports the cheapest station in Tampa was showing prices of $2.42 per gallon. The most expensive was $3.69 per gallon.
The national average price of gas has reportedly fallen 8.6 cents per gallon in the last week.
"As the nation's average price of gasoline has fallen for the 13th straight week, we're on the cusp of potentially seeing a $2.99 per gallon average for the first time in years, most welcome just in time for the Christmas holiday," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement. "While the declines may soon come to an end as the price of oil has rebounded from recent lows, we could see a gentler 2024 at the pump for motorists.
"Gasoline could see its average fall below $3 this week while the price of diesel has just fallen below $4 for the first time since July, also very welcome news for the economy as nearly all goods are impacted by the price of diesel."
Here's a breakdown of Florida gas price averages from AAA:
- Sunday: $2.86
- Saturday: $2.87
- Week Ago: $3.00
- Month Ago: $3.07
- One Year Ago: $3.05
Here are some ways AAA says to save on gas::
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Pay with cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
- Remove excess weight in your vehicle. Every 100 pounds taken out of the vehicle improves fuel economy by 1-2 percent.
- Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduces fuel economy.
Visit GasPrices.AAA.com to view daily gas price averages.