TAMPA, Fla. — As millions of Floridians are expected to hit the road ahead of this Thanksgiving holiday, gas prices are on the rise.
On Sunday, the average statewide gas price in Florida was $3.12, according to AAA. Last week, Florida drivers paid an average of $3.01 per gallon.
"An uptick in oil prices has restored upward pressure on pump prices as a record number of Americans prepare to hit the holiday road," Mark Jenkins, a spokesman for AAA - The Auto Club Group, said in a statement. "Oil prices increased last week on concerns that rising tensions in Ukraine could impact global crude supplies. While higher oil prices should cause an uptick in prices at the pump, it's unlikely to be significant enough to cause people to cancel travel plans."
Last Thanksgiving, AAA reported average gas prices in Florida were $3.03 per gallon. In 2022, they were $3.41 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy, gas prices were $3.16 on Monday in Tampa. The company surveyed 1,260 gas stations in the city to determine that price.
"Ahead of Thanksgiving, motorists continue to be teased by the prospect of a $2.99 per gallon national average, a level now seen in 32 states. But for the last few weeks, the stars just haven’t quite aligned," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement.
AAA is predicting a record-breaking season of holiday travel, with nearly 4.5 million Floridians expected to take a trip of 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving.