As is customary for the last three weeks, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas fell again on Friday, dropping to $4.108, according to AAA. The string of decreases began after the Memorial Day weekend holiday, traditionally recognized as the start of the summer driving season — and, subsequently, the start of increases in fuel costs. However, the current military conflict between the U.S. and Iran has disrupted the traditional gas market and caused significant price fluctuations since the beginning of March.
Over the last three weeks, those fluctuations have benefited consumers. The three weeks prior, not so much. It’s been a whirlwind of gas price changes over the last few months, and no one seems to be sure what is next, as uncertainty around the Iranian conflict and hostilities in the Strait of Hormuz directly correlate with the national average price for a gallon of regular gas. Fuel costs have been quite volatile this spring. The recent three-week decline was preceded by days of rising costs, culminating in the record high for 2026 of $4.564 on May 21.
Friday’s price point was slightly lower than Thursday’s, when gas was $4.1290 per gallon. A week ago, gas was about ten cents per gallon more expensive at $4.22. A month ago, as prices were concluding their streak of increases, a gallon of gas in the U.S. averaged $4.504. All of it has led to uncertainty about what the future holds for gas prices, in the short term and long term. This was confirmed in a recent Washington Examiner interview with GasBuddy price analyst Patrick De Haan.
“Gas prices this summer could fall below the $4 mark; they could go above $5,” said De Haan. “I think for motorists, we’re all kind of living this uncertainty.”
On Jan. 12, 2026, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped to $2.79, the lowest price in over five years. Prices began to increase in January and early February, primarily due to winter weather that affected much of the country. Prices began to soar as Operation Epic Fury commenced on Feb. 28.
The only certainty is that the current gas market is full of uncertainty, De Haan said. He explained that the volatility of recent weeks could help stabilize the market, insofar as, barring unforeseen circumstances, the previous tumultuous weeks helped normalize extreme fluctuations.
“From the psychological standpoint, the market is now accustomed to this situation, and unless there’s some sort of wild and completely unpredictable development, the market may respond in a more measured way now because it’s not as fearful of the unknown,” De Haan said. “We’ve been at this 100 days now, and I think there’s been a lot of twists and turns, so the market’s not really shocked by new developments.”
FED AND WARSH UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE TO KEEP RATES HIGHER, THANKS TO LABOR MARKET STRENGTH
As such, in 2026, gas prices have been anything but constant. However, one thing that has remained steady and will continue to do so is that fuel costs across the country tend to vary by region. One certainty, at least for the last three years, is that the states with the most expensive gas prices are located on the West Coast. States with the most affordable gas prices have changed in recent weeks. After nearly two years in which Gulf Coast states had the nation’s cheapest gas prices, the Midwest has now taken that distinction.
Indiana is the state with the cheapest statewide average gas prices. On Friday, a gallon of regular gas in the Hoosier State averaged $3.378. This was followed by Texas, which had a statewide average of $3.563 per gallon. Oklahoma is next at $3.603, and then Tennessee at $3.661. Kentucky was next with a statewide average of $3.67.
Meanwhile, Gavin Newsom’s California is the state with the highest gas prices in the country. On Friday, the Golden State had a statewide average for a gallon of regular gas of $5.786. Next was Hawaii at $5.58 per gallon followed by Washington at $5.545. Alaska was next with a statewide average price of $5.138 per gallon and then Oregon at $5.033 per gallon.