Are you paying less for gas in Florida? Here’s what the trend shows across the state
Average gas prices in Florida dipped below $3 a gallon on Friday before rising over the weekend, according to AAA.
“Florida gas prices don’t hold still for very long,” said AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins.
On Monday, Dec 9, the average price for gas in the state was $3.12 a gallon, according to AAA.
In the Miami area, gas was $3.08 a gallon. That’s about 3 cents a gallon lower than a month ago and about the same as a year ago.
Several North Florida areas are averaging less than $2.80 a gallon as the region remains the cheapest to get gas in the state, in some places about 25 to 30 cents cents less per gallon than South Florida. Naples and Palm Beach County are among the most expensive areas for gas.
Here’s what to know if you’re commuting or traveling in Florida:
Gas prices in South Florida
▪ Miami-Dade: The average price: $3.08 a gallon, down about a penny from last week, according to GasBuddy’s survey of nearly 1,700 stations in the region. Cheapest gas in the Miami area was $2.54 and the most expensive $4.28.
▪ Fort Lauderdale: $3.13, according to AAA.
▪ West Palm Beach/Boca Raton: $3.26, according to AAA.
Florida price at the pump
Average: The average price for a gallon of gas in Florida on Monday, Dec. 9, according to AAA, was $3.12, a 3-cent increase from last week.
Gas prices around Florida
Monday prices, according to AAA:
Bradenton/Sarasota: $3.15
Fort Myers: $3.16
Gainesville: $3.16
Jacksonville: $3.13
Naples: $3.19
Orlando: $3.16
Panama City: $2.77
Pensacola: $2.88
Port St. Lucie: $3.14
Tallahassee: $2.95
Tampa/St. Pete: $3.17
U.S. price at the pump
Average: The average price for a gallon of gas across the country on Monday, Dec. 9, according to AAA, was $3.01 a gallon, a 3-cent decrease from last week.
What the experts are saying
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy: “The national average has finally fallen below $3 per gallon, and it couldn’t come at a better time for motorists with the holidays upon us. One would need to count over 1,300 days since we’ve seen the national average this low, with the affordability of gasoline at its lowest non-COVID level since 2015. With average gas prices in 35 states and nearly 110,000 stations below $3 per gallon, Americans are putting in just 5.44 minutes of work to buy a gallon, the fewest minutes of work needed, excluding the pandemic, since 2015, when Americans needed to do just 5.25 minutes of work to buy a gallon. The good news is that we’ll likely continue to see additional downward pressure on gas prices, with the national average potentially falling another 10 to 15 cents by Christmas.”
Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman: “The state average moved lower through the week. By Friday, it dropped below $3, but rebounded through the weekend. Gas prices typically move lower through the winter months, because of colder weather, lower demand, and gasoline supply gains. These factors will likely help push gasoline back below $3 a gallon this month.”
How to find cheap gas near you
There’s an app to help: The GasBuddy app was built to show motorists prices around them and a fuel tracker can update users on stations that have or don’t have fuel based on supply changes.
This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 7:49 AM.