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NEWS RELEASE |
Florida Georgia Michigan Tennessee |
U.S. AVERAGE PRICE (Per Gallon) |
AAA FORECASTS LOWER GAS PRICES IN 2019
TAMPA, Fla. (January 7, 2019) — Prices at the pump are off to their lowest start to the month of January since 2016. The national average price for gasoline is $2.24 per gallon, which is the lowest daily average since July 2017. On average, Americans are paying 67 cents per gallon less than they did three months ago, amounting to a savings of $10 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline.
"Motorists should expect low gas prices to linger through January, as gasoline demand is typically the lowest of the year," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. "Although pump prices could become somewhat volatile this month, drivers will notice a significant increase in the spring, with the upward trend beginning as early as February. Putting global supply and demand fluctuations aside, gas prices often rise 30-70 cents in the spring, as gasoline demand increases, refiners conduct seasonal maintenance, and begin to switch to a more expensive-to-produce summer blend gasoline. AAA expects pump prices to peak around $2.75 this year, but there is higher potential if a hurricane threatens gulf coast refineries, or there are sizable swings in fuel supplies or the economy."
Overall, AAA expects the national average to stay below last year’s high of $2.97, set just before Memorial Day. Government data suggests that fuel prices in 2019 will be lower than last year. The latest Short Term Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration has WTI crude averaging $54 per barrel in 2019. That’s $11 per barrel less than last year’s average for WTI ($65.23/b). An $11 difference in oil prices suggests a 27.5 cent discount at the pump.
In 2018, U.S. gas prices averaged $2.72 per gallon. AAA expects that average to land somewhere in the $2.50s this year.
National Stats
- U.S. gas prices averaged $2.72 per gallon in 2018
- The national average in 2017 was $2.39 per gallon
- The national average is forecast to peak at around $2.75 per gallon in 2019
- The highest daily average price in 2018 was $2.97 per gallon
Regional Gas Prices
Gas prices in Florida dropped another 4 cents last week. The state average has now declined nearly 70 cents since October.
Florida drivers are now paying an average of $2.13 per gallon - the lowest daily average price since November 2016. Compared to last Memorial Day, when the state average peaked at around $2.92 per gallon, drivers are now saving an average of nearly $12 for a 15-gallon tank of gas.
In 2018, Florida gas prices averaged $2.65 per gallon. That was almost 30 cents more than 2017, and the highest annual average since 2014. Based on these figures, if a Florida driver bought a 15-gallon tank of gas - every week in 2018 - they would’ve spent an average total of $2,067 on gasoline last year. That total cost is $218 more than what they would’ve spent on gasoline in 2017.
Click here to view AAA’s state and metro gas price averages
- Most expensive gas price averages: Panama City ($2.46), Miami ($2.32), Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($2.31)
- Least expensive gas price averages: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater ($2.01), Melbourne-Titusville ($2.01), The Villages ($2.01)
Gas prices in Georgia dropped another 3 cents last week. The state average has now declined a total of 74 cents since October.
Georgia drivers are now paying an average price of $2.06 per gallon - the lowest daily average price since August 2016. Compared to last Memorial Day, when the state average peaked at around $2.84, Georgia drivers are now saving an average of nearly $12 for a 15-gallon tank of gasoline.
In 2018, Georgia gas prices averaged $2.59 per gallon, for regular unleaded. That was 30 cents per gallon more than the year before, and the highest annual average price since 2014. Based on these figures, if a Georgia driver bought a 15-gallon tank of gas - every week in 2018 - they would’ve spent an average total of $2,020 on gasoline last year. That total cost is $234 more than than what they would’ve spent on gasoline in 2017.
Click here to view AAA’s state and metro gas price averages
- Most expensive gas price averages: Hinesville-Fort Stewart ($2.22), Brunswick ($2.15), Savannah ($2.14)
- Least expensive gas price averages: Catoosa-Dade-Walker ($1.88), Dalton ($1.93), and Warner Robins ($1.96)
Gas prices in Michigan are slipping lower again, after rising 8 cents last week. Michigan motorists are paying an average price of $2.09 per gallon, which is still 28 cents per gallon less than what they paid a month ago, and 54 cents less than this time last year.
Drivers in Michigan are still enjoying some of the lowest gas prices since December 2016. They are also paying $1.09 per gallon less than they did last Memorial Day weekend, when the state average peaked at $3.13 per gallon.
In 2018, Michigan gas prices averaged $2.75 per gallon, for regular unleaded. That was 30 cents more than the year before, and the highest annual average price since 2014. Based on these statistics, if a Michigan driver bought a 15-gallon tank of gas - every week in 2018 - they would’ve spent an average total of $2,145 on gasoline. That total cost is $234 more than what they would’ve spent on gasoline in 2017.
Metro Detroit currently has some of the lowest gas prices in the state. At $2.04 per gallon, gas prices in Detroit are about 3 cents less than a week ago, 32 cents less than last month, and 60 cents less than this time last year.
Unlike the state average, the average gas price in Metro Detroit did not increase last week. Drivers there are enjoying the lowest prices at the pump since December 2016. Compared to last Memorial Day, when gasoline was around $3.11 per gallon, motorists in Metro Detroit are now saving an average of $16 for a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline.
Click here to view AAA’s state and metro gas price averages
- Most expensive gas price averages: Jackson ($2.14), Marquette ($2.13), Lansing-East Lansing ($2.12)
- Least expensive gas price averages: Metro Detroit ($2.04), Ann Arbor ($2.06), Benton Harbor ($2.09)
Gas prices in Tennessee dropped another 3.5 cents last week. The state average has now declined a total of 71 cents since October.
Tennessee motorists are now paying an average price of $1.98 per gallon - the lowest daily average since December 2016. Compared to last Memorial Day, when the state average peaked at around $2.73 per gallon, Tennessee motorists are now saving more than $11 on a full 15-gallon tank of gasoline.
In 2018, Tennessee gas prices averaged $2.49 per gallon, for regular unleaded. That was 31 cents more than the year before, and the highest annual average price since 2014. If a Tennessee driver bought a 15-gallon tank of gas - every week in 2018 - they would’ve spent an average total of $1,942 on gas. That would’ve been $242 more than what they would’ve spent the year before.
Click here to view AAA’s state and metro gas price averages
- Most expensive gas price averages: Nashville ($2.06), Johnson City ($2.06), and Jackson ($2.02)
- Least expensive gas price averages: Chattanooga ($1.82), Cleveland ($1.86), and Knoxville ($1.92)
Gas Price Tools
- GasPrices.AAA.com - Daily national, state, and metro gas price averages
- AAA Mobile app - Free app that compares gas prices near you
- Gas Cost Calculator - Determine how much gasoline will cost on your next road trip
CURRENT AND PAST PRICE AVERAGES
Regular Unleaded Gasoline
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Sunday | Saturday | Week Ago | Month Ago | One Year Ago | 2018 Average | 2018 High | Record High |
| National | $2.240 | $2.245 | $2.271 | $2.443 | $2.491 | $2.720 | $2.97 (5/26/2018) | $4.11 (7/17/2008) |
| Florida | $2.129 | $2.132 | $2.168 | $2.301 | $2.447 | $2.647 | $2.92 (5/25/2018) | $4.08 (7/17/2008) |
| Georgia | $2.055 | $2.059 | $2.090 | $2.240 | $2.362 | $2.591 | $2.84 (5/27/2018) | $4.16 (9/15/2008) |
| Michigan | $2.087 | $2.094 | $2.042 | $2.366 | $2.633 | $2.750 | $3.13 (5/25/2018) | $4.26 (5/4/2011) |
| Detroit | $2.038 | $2.042 | $2.071 | $2.357 | $2.643 | $2.762 | $3.11 (5/25/2018) | $4.24 (5/4/2011) |
| Tennessee | $1.975 | $1.979 | $2.013 | $2.193 | $2.280 | $2.494 | $2.73 (5/27/2018) | $4.12 (9/15/2008) |
| Click here to view current gasoline price averages | ||||||||
Gas Price Survey Methodology
AAA updates fuel price averages daily at www.GasPrices.AAA.com. Every day up to 130,000 stations are surveyed based on credit card swipes and direct feeds in cooperation with the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) and Wright Express for unmatched statistical reliability. All average retail prices in this report are for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline.
About The Auto Club Group
The Auto Club Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA club in North America. ACG and its affiliates provide membership, insurance, financial services and travel offerings to over 9.6 million members across eleven states and two U.S. territories including Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 59 million members in the United States and Canada and whose mission includes protecting and advancing freedom of mobility and improving traffic safety. Motorists can map a route, identify gas prices, find discounts, book a hotel, and access AAA roadside assistance with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile. Visit AAA on the Internet at AAA.com.