Florida gas prices took an unexpected turn higher last week. After sinking to a 2022 low of $3.17 per gallon on Wednesday, the state average shot up 16 cents per gallon over the course of four days, in what became the largest weekly increase since June.
“The jump at the pump came as a surprise, as this time a week ago, it appeared that the state’s gas tax holiday would pressure prices lower,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “However, things changed quickly after OPEC and its allies announced plans to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. This sent oil and gasoline futures prices back to 5-week highs. As a result, the price for retailers to purchase gasoline jumped more than 30 cents, erasing any of the downward progress created by the 25 cent sales tax holiday.”
In full, the U.S. price of oil rose 17% last week. Friday’s closing price of $92.64 per barrel was $13 more than the week before. Since oil is a key ingredient in gasoline, this raises the cost of producing, buying and selling the fuel.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $3.33 per gallon. That’s 7 cents more than the average price last Sunday and closer to what drivers paid on October 1st ($3.38) than on October 2nd ($3.26).
Regional Prices
- Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.50), Fort Lauderdale ($3.36), Miami ($3.36)
- Least expensive metro markets – Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.17), Pensacola ($3.18), Panama City ($3.21)
Ways to Save on Gasoline
- 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.
AAA Resources for Drivers
- Enroll in savings programs. AAA Members who enroll in Shell’s Fuel Rewards program can save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon each additional trip to the pump. Click here for more information.
- Get a tune-up. Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained to optimize its fuel economy. Visit AAA.com/AutoRepair to find a certified repair shop.
- Find the lowest gas prices in your area by using the free AAA mobile app.
- Determine anticipated fuel costs for your trip by using the AAA’s Gas Cost Calculator.
Find Florida Gas Prices
- Daily gas price averages can be found at Gasprices.aaa.com
- State and metro averages can be found here
| AAA GAS PRICE AVERAGES (Price per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline) |
 |
Sunday | Saturday | Week Ago | Month Ago | One Year Ago |
| National | $3.910 | $3.904 | $3.796 | $3.738 | $3.266 |
| Florida | $3.325 | $3.317 | $3.255 | $3.478 | $3.171 |
| Georgia | $3.226 | $3.219 | $3.177 | $3.283 | $3.058 |
| Click here to view current gasoline price averages | |||||
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.
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This article originally appeared here and was republished with permission.
