Gas prices
fall from a short-lived increase just in time for Thanksgiving travel.
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Gas prices are dropping again, just in time for the Thanksgiving travel weekend.
Prices are at a seven-year Thanksgiving low, down to an average of $2.02 in the Orlando metropolitan area, according to travel group AAA.
A few stations on South Orange Blossom Trail are selling gas for as low as $1.89 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.
Oil continues to sell cheap on international trading markets -just over $40 a barrel Tuesday morning. A glut of oil in reserves and low demand during the fall is driving prices down.
“Motorists are saving around $11 for a full tank of gas compared to this time last year,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said in a statement. “That gives travelers more money to spend on lodging, shopping and dining out. For those on the fence about taking a trip, these low gas prices could be all the incentive one needs to hit the road.”
The national average is about $2.06 a gallon.
Prices in Central Florida have been hovering just above $2 a barrel since mid-September, when Middle Eastern countries started a price battle to drive fracking drillers in North America out of business.
A year ago, gas was selling for about $2.76 a gallon in the Orlando area.
Gasoline prices are expected to fall further. GasBuddy analysts say prices should drop below $2 a gallon nationwide before Thursday.
“With gas prices plunging under $2 just in time for Thanksgiving Day, it’s a perfect reminder — some folks automatically expect gas prices to rise in advance of a major travel holiday. That’s become a popular misconception and this holiday exemplifies the point,” GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan said in a statement. “November gas prices have slid significantly lower and holiday travelers will certainly be the beneficiaries.”
On the other hand, some gas stations near Orlando International Airport are still keeping prices stubbornly high, with Suncoast Energy’s selling for $5.95 a gallon for regular unleaded, according to GasBuddy.
karnold@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5664