by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:42 PM ET, Wed September 7, 2022
A new report found the United States national average price for a gallon of gas was down to $3.77 this week, thanks in part to lower oil prices, modest domestic gasoline demand and a quiet hurricane season.
According to AAA Travel, the national average was 31 cents less than a month ago, but still 59 cents more than a year ago. Analysts believe that if oil prices continue to fall, drivers will see pump prices drop even more.
Several states saw substantial price decreases over the last week, including Vermont (-15 cents), Connecticut (-14 cents), Rhode Island (-14 cents), Pennsylvania (-14 cents), Massachusetts (-13 cents) and Maine (-13 cents).
"According to weather analysts, it's the first time in 25 years that a named Atlantic storm did not develop in August," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said. "That's the good news, but we still have another month of peak hurricane season, and these storms can affect gas prices by disrupting oil production and refining."
Of the estimated 137 million people in the U.S. that traveled during the Labor Day holiday period, The Vacationer claims around 92 million hit the road via car. Data also found that 129 million Americans said fuel costs impacted their holiday weekend plans.
Despite concerns about fuel costs, new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) found that the U.S. remains the world's biggest and most powerful travel market. The country's tourism industry contributed $1.3 trillion to the economy last year, a decline of $700 billion from the total reported in 2019.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, be sure to subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter here.
Topics From This Article to Explore
