A frequency doubled tunable dye laser system with ∼0.4 cm−1 resolution was used to measure the integrated absorption cross sections of more than 20 rotational transitions in the O2 Herzberg I (A  3Σ+ u ←X  3Σ− g ) 8‐0 and 9‐0 vibrational bands near 248 nm and 249 nm. Oxygen pressures from 200 to 800 Torr and path lengths from 5 to 25 m were employed. The measured absorbances were fitted using a nonlinear least squares analysis and Beer’s Law to obtain absolute values for the individual transition integrated cross sections in good agreement with a recent spectral simulation and experimental data. By using the spectral simulation in conjunction with the present experimental results, total oscillator strengths in reasonable agreement with literature values were estimated for the 8‐0 and 9‐0 vibrational bands.