KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — If you're hitting the road for Memorial Day weekend, get ready to pay more at the pump.
AAA said the national gas price average is expected to hit its highest level since Memorial Day weekend prices in 2014. For perspective, a gallon of gas cost $3.42 on average at its peak in 2014.
This doesn't necessarily mean you will pay that high of a price at the pump, but the average price of gas will be higher this weekend than in recent years.
For comparison, Memorial Day weekend/early summer gas prices in Knoxville peaked at around $2.15 a gallon in 2016.
Prices are expected to fluctuate leading up to the weekend.
"AAA expects 37 million Americans to travel, mostly by car and plane, for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. That is a 60% increase over last year’s holiday and a strong indication that summer travel is going to be largely popular,” said Jeanette McGee, AAA spokesperson.
According to GasBuddy, the national average for regular unleaded was $3.036 a gallon as of 2 p.m. Wednesday. California reported the most expensive average price at $4.206 a gallon, and Mississippi reported the cheapest average price at $2.703 a gallon.
The good news is that if you're keeping your travel to the Southeast, gas prices are still significantly lower in most states than the national average.
In Tennessee, the average price per gallon across the state was $2.857 Wednesday afternoon, and GasBuddy reported that's nearly 3 cents cheaper than the average price in the state last week.
AAA said the higher gas prices seen in states affected by the Colonial Pipeline shutdown, which included Tennessee, earlier this month have mostly stabilized. However, travelers may come across some gas stations that are still struggling with lower fuel supply.
"Holiday road trippers may come across some gas stations with low fuel supply in popular travel destinations, like beaches, mountains or national parks. However, markets are not expected to be fuel-less, like we saw in the wake of the pipeline shutdown,” McGee said.
The price of gas bottomed out below $2.00 a gallon during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on travel, but since November 2020 prices have rapidly risen to meet the renewed demand as most people resume their daily commutes and travel.
