According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,775.88% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $35,517,671,675.77 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026:Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.43% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $1,999,999,998 in the year 1939 would cost $37,517,671,673.77 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.69% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.44%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1939-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.30%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $1,999,999,998 beginning in 1939. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | $1,999,999,998.00 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $1,987,194,410.12 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $2,038,416,761.64 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $2,224,679,858.08 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $2,227,008,146.78 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $2,221,187,425.02 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $2,221,187,425.02 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $2,314,318,973.24 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $2,577,415,596.96 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $2,874,272,406.90 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $3,089,639,112.16 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $3,168,800,928.15 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $3,372,526,189.88 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $3,594,877,761.25 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $3,697,322,464.29 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $3,643,771,824.06 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $3,599,534,338.66 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $3,664,726,422.41 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $3,868,451,684.14 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $3,996,507,562.94 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $4,161,816,061.03 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $4,160,651,916.68 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $4,208,381,835.14 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $4,295,692,661.59 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $4,320,139,693.00 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $4,384,167,632.40 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $4,456,344,582.27 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $4,520,372,521.67 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $4,648,428,400.47 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $4,797,438,877.62 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $4,981,373,685.36 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $5,237,485,442.96 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $5,512,223,510.20 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $5,577,415,593.96 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $5,753,201,391.22 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $6,398,137,362.64 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $6,998,835,848.65 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $7,694,994,171.58 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $8,237,485,439.96 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $8,623,981,365.07 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $9,853,317,801.56 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $11,607,683,341.13 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $13,012,805,574.88 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $13,549,476,121.49 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $13,873,108,251.55 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $14,488,940,614.15 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $14,871,944,106.20 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $14,293,364,362.89 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $14,725,261,917.75 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $15,179,278,215.32 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $15,939,464,477.66 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $16,835,855,629.26 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $17,299,185,081.65 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $17,677,531,996.29 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $18,210,710,109.85 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $18,761,350,388.69 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $19,433,061,680.22 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $19,981,373,670.36 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $20,154,831,178.91 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $19,774,155,975.57 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $20,172,293,344.20 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $21,420,256,090.34 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $21,548,311,969.14 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $21,353,899,862.23 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $22,010,477,277.17 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $22,784,633,271.74 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $24,294,528,497.24 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $25,265,424,887.42 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $25,799,522,675.02 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $27,317,718,249.75 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $25,041,082,629.21 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $27,016,891,707.56 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $29,666,961,553.57 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $30,361,455,150.08 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $30,371,816,034.82 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $30,166,135,010.58 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $27,809,068,656.71 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $27,226,111,730.63 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $28,158,102,416.55 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $29,429,126,862.31 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $29,345,972,031.19 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $28,125,855,617.97 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $32,222,165,276.28 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $37,205,564,572.81 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $37,296,169,927.78 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $37,814,004,618.76 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $38,038,812,534.72 | 0.59% |
| 2026 | $37,517,671,673.77 | -1.37%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Transportation:
| Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.250 | 14.508 | 14.675 | 14.317 | 14.225 | 14.592 | 15.925 | 15.942 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.567 | 18.450 | 20.575 | 22.117 | 22.683 | 24.142 | 25.733 | 26.467 | 26.083 | 25.767 | 26.233 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.783 | 30.125 | 30.750 | 30.925 | 31.383 | 31.900 | 32.358 | 33.275 | 34.342 | 35.658 | 37.492 | 39.458 | 39.925 | 41.183 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.083 | 58.967 | 61.733 | 70.533 | 83.092 | 93.150 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.717 | 106.458 | 102.317 | 105.408 | 108.658 | 114.100 | 120.517 | 123.833 | 126.542 | 130.358 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.033 | 144.275 | 141.550 | 144.400 | 153.333 | 154.250 | 152.858 | 157.558 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.858 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.663 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.295 | 268.564 |