According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for transportation are 1,804.18% higher in 2026 versus 1939 (a $86,600.61 difference in value).
Between 1939 and 2026: Transportation experienced an average inflation rate of 3.44% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, transportation costing $4,800 in the year 1939 would cost $91,400.61 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 $4,800 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 | $4,800.00 | -2.44% |
| 1940 | $4,769.27 | -0.64% |
| 1941 | $4,892.20 | 2.58% |
| 1942 | $5,339.23 | 9.14% |
| 1943 | $5,344.82 | 0.10% |
| 1944 | $5,330.85 | -0.26% |
| 1945 | $5,330.85 | 0.00% ** |
| 1946 | $5,554.37 | 4.19% |
| 1947 | $6,185.80 | 11.37% |
| 1948 | $6,898.25 | 11.52% |
| 1949 | $7,415.13 | 7.49% |
| 1950 | $7,605.12 | 2.56% |
| 1951 | $8,094.06 | 6.43% |
| 1952 | $8,627.71 | 6.59% |
| 1953 | $8,873.57 | 2.85% |
| 1954 | $8,745.05 | -1.45% |
| 1955 | $8,638.88 | -1.21% |
| 1956 | $8,795.34 | 1.81% |
| 1957 | $9,284.28 | 5.56% |
| 1958 | $9,591.62 | 3.31% |
| 1959 | $9,988.36 | 4.14% |
| 1960 | $9,985.56 | -0.03% |
| 1961 | $10,100.12 | 1.15% |
| 1962 | $10,309.66 | 2.07% |
| 1963 | $10,368.34 | 0.57% |
| 1964 | $10,522.00 | 1.48% |
| 1965 | $10,695.23 | 1.65% |
| 1966 | $10,848.89 | 1.44% |
| 1967 | $11,156.23 | 2.83% |
| 1968 | $11,513.85 | 3.21% |
| 1969 | $11,955.30 | 3.83% |
| 1970 | $12,569.97 | 5.14% |
| 1971 | $13,229.34 | 5.25% |
| 1972 | $13,385.80 | 1.18% |
| 1973 | $13,807.68 | 3.15% |
| 1974 | $15,355.53 | 11.21% |
| 1975 | $16,797.21 | 9.39% |
| 1976 | $18,467.99 | 9.95% |
| 1977 | $19,769.97 | 7.05% |
| 1978 | $20,697.56 | 4.69% |
| 1979 | $23,647.96 | 14.25% |
| 1980 | $27,858.44 | 17.80% |
| 1981 | $31,230.73 | 12.11% |
| 1982 | $32,518.74 | 4.12% |
| 1983 | $33,295.46 | 2.39% |
| 1984 | $34,773.46 | 4.44% |
| 1985 | $35,692.67 | 2.64% |
| 1986 | $34,304.07 | -3.89% |
| 1987 | $35,340.63 | 3.02% |
| 1988 | $36,430.27 | 3.08% |
| 1989 | $38,254.71 | 5.01% |
| 1990 | $40,406.05 | 5.62% |
| 1991 | $41,518.04 | 2.75% |
| 1992 | $42,426.08 | 2.19% |
| 1993 | $43,705.70 | 3.02% |
| 1994 | $45,027.24 | 3.02% |
| 1995 | $46,639.35 | 3.58% |
| 1996 | $47,955.30 | 2.82% |
| 1997 | $48,371.59 | 0.87% |
| 1998 | $47,457.97 | -1.89% |
| 1999 | $48,413.50 | 2.01% |
| 2000 | $51,408.61 | 6.19% |
| 2001 | $51,715.95 | 0.60% |
| 2002 | $51,249.36 | -0.90% |
| 2003 | $52,825.15 | 3.07% |
| 2004 | $54,683.12 | 3.52% |
| 2005 | $58,306.87 | 6.63% |
| 2006 | $60,637.02 | 4.00% |
| 2007 | $61,918.85 | 2.11% |
| 2008 | $65,562.52 | 5.88% |
| 2009 | $60,098.60 | -8.33% |
| 2010 | $64,840.54 | 7.89% |
| 2011 | $71,200.71 | 9.81% |
| 2012 | $72,867.49 | 2.34% |
| 2013 | $72,892.36 | 0.03% |
| 2014 | $72,398.72 | -0.68% |
| 2015 | $66,741.76 | -7.81% |
| 2016 | $65,342.67 | -2.10% |
| 2017 | $67,579.45 | 3.42% |
| 2018 | $70,629.90 | 4.51% |
| 2019 | $70,430.33 | -0.28% |
| 2020 | $67,502.05 | -4.16% |
| 2021 | $77,333.20 | 14.56% |
| 2022 | $89,293.36 | 15.47% |
| 2023 | $89,510.81 | 0.24% |
| 2024 | $90,753.61 | 1.39% |
| 2025 | $91,404.84 | 0.72% |
| 2026 | $91,400.61 | 0.00%* |
* 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 | 272.628 | 272.615 |