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Florida gas prices hit pre-pandemic levels

But Christmas Day prices are tracking to be the lowest in years.
 
Florida gas prices reached pre-pandemic price averages this week, according to AAA, the Auto Club Group. Pictured is traffic on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge into Pinellas County this month. | [Douglas R. Clifford | Times]
Florida gas prices reached pre-pandemic price averages this week, according to AAA, the Auto Club Group. Pictured is traffic on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge into Pinellas County this month. | [Douglas R. Clifford | Times] [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
Published Dec. 22, 2020

Florida gas prices have hit an average price not seen since the outset of the pandemic.

The state’s gas prices averaged $2.20 per gallon Tuesday, up 3 cents from last week, according to AAA, the Auto Club Group. Tampa Bay prices matched Florida’s average, up 4 cents from the week before.

“Oil prices returned to pre-pandemic levels last week, so it should come as no surprise that gas prices followed suit,” said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesman.

Rising fuel prices, he said, are compounded by optimism brought by the recently passed federal stimulus package, as well as the pace of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Should prices hold below $2.21 per gallon, Jenkins said, drivers could see the lowest average Christmas Day gas prices since 2016.

Last year, drivers paid $2.65 per gallon on average on Christmas Day.

AAA expects 4.5 million Floridians to travel for the holidays at the end of the year, the vast majority of which will travel by car. Whether Floridians will travel during this period will be more related to the pandemic than to gas prices, Jenkins said.

Florida’s lowest average gas prices Tuesday were in Punta Gorda ($2.14 per gallon), Tallahassee ($2.15 per gallon) and Jacksonville ($2.16 per gallon).

Its highest average gas prices were in West Palm Beach ($2.31 per gallon), Port St. Lucie ($2.23 per gallon) and Ocala ($2.22 per gallon).

Nationally, gas was $2.24 per gallon Tuesday.

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