Florida gas prices reach 9-month high

From AAA

Florida gas prices increased six cents last week. The state average for a gallon of regular unleaded reached $2.20 cents on Friday. Although that's 1-cent more than the highs set in October, $2.20 is the highest state average since March.

"Oil prices returned to pre-pandemic levels last week, so it should come as no surprise that gas prices followed suit," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. "Fuel prices have been pressured higher by optimism surrounding a new stimulus package and Covid-19 vaccine news. These are two big pieces in the puzzle for long term improvement in fuel demand, which has been heavily hampered by the pandemic."

Crude oil prices increased more than 5 percent last week. A barrel of U.S. crude oil (WTI) settled at $49.10 on Friday. That's $2.53 per barrel more than the week before and the highest daily settlement since February.

Gas prices Teeter on the Line of 2-4 Year Holiday Lows

Florida's state average of $2.20 per gallon is 45 cents less than what drivers paid on Christmas Day in 2019. It's only 1-cent less than the average price two years ago. If the state average remains below $2.21 on Christmas Day, it'd be the lowest for the holiday in four years.

Despite the multi-year lows expected for the year-end holidays, the decision to travel this year is more likely to be about health concerns - related to the pandemic - than what price drivers will pay at the pump. Even still, AAA anticipates 4.5 million Floridians will travel for the year-end holidays. The majority of them (4.3 million) are expected to take a road trip.

Read more about AAA's Year-End Holiday Travel Forecast here.

Check daily Apopka gas prices here.

Regional Prices

Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach - Boca Raton ($2.31), Port St. Lucie ($2.23), Ocala ($2.22)

Least expensive metro markets – Tallahassee ($2.14), Punta Gorda ($2.15), Panama City ($2.16)

Gas Price Survey Methodology

AAA updates fuel price averages daily at www.GasPrices.AAA.com. Every day up to 130,000 stations are surveyed based on credit card swipes and direct feeds in cooperation with the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) and Wright Express for unmatched statistical reliability. All average retail prices in this report are for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline.

The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America with more than 14 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 60 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA’s mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.