Overview
- AAA reports the national average fell to $2.819 per gallon on Thursday, the lowest since March 2021 and roughly 25 cents cheaper than a year ago.
- Gulf Coast pump prices averaged $2.37 this week, down from $2.39 last week and about 15% below the U.S. average, according to the Energy Information Administration.
- GasBuddy projects a 2026 U.S. average of $2.97 per gallon, with a brief spring rise into the low $3.20s before easing later in the year.
- Households are expected to spend about $2,080 on gasoline in 2026, while diesel is forecast to average $3.55 per gallon, GasBuddy says.
- Price gaps persist by region, with the Gulf Coast and South generally below $3 and higher costs in California, the Northeast and Chicago, as OPEC+ plans no early-2026 output increases and questions over Venezuelan supply linger.