According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,803.57% higher in 2025 versus 1939 (a $5,951.79 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2025: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.49% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $330 in the year 1939 would cost $6,281.79 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.72% during this same period, inflation for transportation was lower.
In the year 1939: Pricing changed by -2.19%, which is significantly below the average yearly change for transportation during the 1939-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1939 (-1.31%), inflation for transportation was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Transportation, over time, for $330 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 | $330.00 | -2.19% |
| 1940 | $328.15 | -0.56% |
| 1941 | $340.62 | 3.80% |
| 1942 | $369.69 | 8.54% |
| 1943 | $367.38 | -0.62% |
| 1944 | $366.92 | -0.13% |
| 1945 | $366.92 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $389.08 | 6.04% |
| 1947 | $425.86 | 9.45% |
| 1948 | $474.85 | 11.50% |
| 1949 | $510.36 | 7.48% |
| 1950 | $523.49 | 2.57% |
| 1951 | $557.04 | 6.41% |
| 1952 | $593.79 | 6.60% |
| 1953 | $610.83 | 2.87% |
| 1954 | $601.95 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $594.67 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $605.33 | 1.79% |
| 1957 | $639.05 | 5.57% |
| 1958 | $660.18 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $687.51 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $687.34 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $695.15 | 1.14% |
| 1962 | $709.70 | 2.09% |
| 1963 | $713.61 | 0.55% |
| 1964 | $724.26 | 1.49% |
| 1965 | $736.15 | 1.64% |
| 1966 | $746.63 | 1.42% |
| 1967 | $767.93 | 2.85% |
| 1968 | $792.43 | 3.19% |
| 1969 | $822.96 | 3.85% |
| 1970 | $865.21 | 5.13% |
| 1971 | $910.65 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $921.30 | 1.17% |
| 1973 | $950.41 | 3.16% |
| 1974 | $1,056.92 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $1,156.15 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $1,271.18 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $1,360.83 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $1,424.56 | 4.68% |
| 1979 | $1,627.63 | 14.26% |
| 1980 | $1,917.51 | 17.81% |
| 1981 | $2,149.70 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $2,238.28 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $2,291.72 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $2,393.43 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $2,456.63 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $2,361.12 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $2,432.49 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $2,507.57 | 3.09% |
| 1989 | $2,633.08 | 5.00% |
| 1990 | $2,781.12 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $2,857.63 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $2,920.12 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $3,008.34 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $3,099.23 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $3,210.18 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $3,300.71 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $3,329.47 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $3,266.63 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $3,332.31 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $3,538.40 | 6.18% |
| 2001 | $3,559.70 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $3,527.57 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $3,636.04 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $3,763.85 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $4,013.25 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $4,173.73 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $4,261.88 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $4,512.68 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $4,136.59 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $4,462.98 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $4,900.75 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $5,015.48 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $5,017.19 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $4,983.21 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $4,593.84 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $4,497.54 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $4,651.50 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $4,861.47 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $4,847.73 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $4,646.17 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $5,322.85 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $6,146.07 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $6,161.04 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $6,246.58 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $6,281.79 | 0.56%* |
* 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 |
| CPI | 14.200 | 14.267 | 14.560 | 14.620 | 14.300 | 14.220 | 14.760 | 16.020 | 15.920 | 15.900 | 15.900 | 16.860 | 18.454 | 20.577 | 22.115 | 22.685 | 24.138 | 25.731 | 26.469 | 26.085 | 25.769 | 26.231 | 27.692 | 28.608 | 29.792 | 29.785 | 30.123 | 30.754 | 30.923 | 31.385 | 31.900 | 32.354 | 33.277 | 34.338 | 35.662 | 37.492 | 39.462 | 39.923 | 41.185 | 45.800 | 50.100 | 55.085 | 58.969 | 61.731 | 70.531 | 83.092 | 93.154 | 96.992 | 99.308 | 103.715 | 106.454 | 102.315 | 105.408 | 108.662 | 114.100 | 120.515 | 123.831 | 126.538 | 130.362 | 134.300 | 139.108 | 143.031 | 144.277 | 141.554 | 144.400 | 153.331 | 154.254 | 152.862 | 157.562 | 163.100 | 173.908 | 180.862 | 184.682 | 195.549 | 179.252 | 193.396 | 212.366 | 217.337 | 217.412 | 215.939 | 199.067 | 194.894 | 201.565 | 210.664 | 210.068 | 201.334 | 230.657 | 266.330 | 266.978 | 270.685 | 272.211 |