Home » AAA: Labor Day Gas Prices Highest in Seven Years, State Average Jumps 8 Cents From Last week

AAA: Labor Day Gas Prices Highest in Seven Years, State Average Jumps 8 Cents From Last week

By  //  September 8, 2021

83 cents more than last year's labor Day holiday

Holiday travelers found the most expensive Labor Day gas prices in seven years. Prices at the pump are now averaging $3.02 per gallon, in Florida. (AAA image)

(AAA) – Holiday travelers found the most expensive Labor Day gas prices in seven years. Prices at the pump are now averaging $3.02 per gallon, in Florida.

That’s 83 cents more than last year’s holiday, and 58 cents more than what drivers paid during the 2019 holiday weekend.

Florida’s gas price average shot up 8 cents last week after Hurricane Ida’s impact on the gulf coast left nine crude oil refineries offline. This resulted in an outage of about 13% of the total U.S. refining capacity.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, four of the nine refineries have begun the process of restarting.

Three of those are located on Baton Route, the other is near New Orleans. The DOE says it could take several days for those refineries to produce at full rates.

Meanwhile, five refineries near New Orleans remain shut due to issues including power outages.

These plants account for 6% of total U.S. refining capacity.

“News that refineries are working to restore operations is a positive sign for motorists,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group.

“As refineries get back up and running, prices should begin to slide lower; especially now that the summer driving season has come to a close.”

Regional Prices

Most expensive metro markets – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.16), Panama City ($3.09), Tallahassee ($3.06)
Least expensive metro markets – Punta Gorda ($2.96), Jacksonville ($2.98), Orlando ($2.98), Fort Myers-Cape Coral ($2.99)

Ways to Save on Gasoline

■ Combine errands to limit driving time.
■ Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
■ Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
■ Remove excess weight in your vehicle.
■ Drive conservatively. Aggressive acceleration and speeding reduce fuel economy.
■ Enroll in savings programs. AAA Members who enroll in Shell’s Fuel Rewards program can save 5 cents per gallon when they fill up at Shell. Members who enroll between July 1 and August 31, 2021, can save 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up.

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

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