WA Travelers Save Big: Average Gas Price Drops 50 Cents for Labor Day

Good news for road trippers planning to hit the highways this upcoming Labor Day weekend: GasBuddy has released its annual Labor Day travel forecast, projecting that the average price of gas will continue its downward trend. Officials predict prices will fall to about $3.27 per gallon, marking the lowest Labor Day price since 2021.

YOU'LL BE SAVING SOME MONEY THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND

At $3.27 per gallon, this year’s national average will be about 50 cents lower than last year’s $3.77—a reduction of nearly 13%. This significant drop translates to a collective savings of around $750 million for travelers over the Friday-through-Monday travel period.

WA DRIVERS HAVE BEEN ENJOYING FALLING PRICES

Gas prices peaked earlier this year in mid-April at $3.69 per gallon, but as demand has decreased, prices have eased considerably. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, notes that average gas prices on the West Coast are currently 65 cents lower than they were at the same time last year. He pointed out that states such as Oregon have seen price drops of 90 cents per gallon, while Washington and Alaska have experienced declines of 87 cents and 84 cents, respectively.

TRAVELING OUT OF STATE? MANY STATES ARE SEEING LOWER LABOR DAY GAS PRICES

Importantly, De Haan highlighted that all 50 states are expected to report lower gas prices this Labor Day weekend compared to the previous year. “It’s been a great summer for motorists to hit the road with gas prices generally lower than last year,” he stated.
Factors contributing to the declining prices include a lack of significant refinery outages and heatwaves that typically impact production. Additionally, with hurricane season remaining quiet so far, there are currently no threats to major gasoline and diesel-producing refineries, reducing the likelihood of a late summer price spike.

HERE COMES THE WINTER GASOLINE BLEND AND EVEN LOWER PRICES

Looking ahead, De Haan mentioned that gas stations in most states will transition to winter blend gas on September 16, a change that is expected to further accelerate the decline in gas prices. With travel intentions for Labor Day on the rise—despite GasBuddy’s earlier survey showing that only a third of respondents planned road trips—this year’s forecast seems to bode well for families and travelers eager to make the most of the long holiday weekend without breaking the bank at the pump.