Overview
- The EIA reports the U.S. average was $3.06 per gallon on the Monday before Thanksgiving, the lowest for that pre-holiday Monday in real terms since 2020.
- AAA placed the national average near $3.05 on Wednesday with nearly 30 states below $3, reflecting a modest dip from earlier in the week.
- Analysts cite a roughly 17% slide in Brent since June, the end of refinery maintenance, and lower fall demand; the EIA says prices are down about 12 cents since summer.
- Prices vary widely by region: California averages around $4.59 while Oklahoma is near $2.50, with a few stations briefly under $2 reported in Oklahoma and Denver.
- AAA forecasts 81.8 million Thanksgiving travelers, including about 73 million drivers, as minor differences among trackers and political messaging shape how the declines are portrayed.