With ample oil supplies, Florida drivers have gotten a break at the pump, but it’s unclear how long that will last.
The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas on Sunday in Florida was $2.94. That’s down 14 cents from a week earlier, 2 cents below last month and 58 cents less than this time last year, according to the AAA.
“This season’s lower pump prices are due to an abundance of supply in the oil market,” the auto club said in a statement.
However, AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins suggested the price “break may not last much longer” amid signs on the broader market.
“Gas prices in Florida often follow a pattern of falling for about 10 days, then spiking by as much as 20 cents,” Jenkins said in a statement. “With oil and gasoline futures climbing again, it’s likely we’ll see upward pressure on retail prices in the coming days.”
Over the past two weeks, the U.S. price for crude oil rose 4%, while gasoline futures climbed 10 cents per gallon. Traders are closely watching developments amid speculation that President Trump may implement additional sanctions targeting Russian energy exports which could further constrain international supply lines and impact fuel prices worldwide, according to AAA.
Gas prices across Florida
In Miami-Dade on Monday, the average price for regular unleaded was $2.95 a gallon, down 12 cents from the week before. In Broward, the average was $2.93 a gallon, down 17 cents from last week.
Florida’s most expensive metro areas for gas include West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.10), Gainesville ($3.06) and Sebring ($3.02).
The cheapest markets are Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($2.83), Melbourne-Titusville ($2.84), Panama City ($2.85).
Tips for saving at the pump
AAA encourages drivers to combine errands, drive conservatively, remove excess vehicle weight, shop around using the AAA mobile app, and consider paying with cash to avoid credit card surcharges.
AAA members can also save by enrolling in gas rewards programs, such as Shell’s Fuel Rewards or discounts at Love’s Travel Stops.
Travelers can find updated gas prices and plan routes using AAA’s tools at GasPrices.AAA.com.
