AAA estimates record-breaking travel for Memorial Day, here's a look at your gas prices
Despite forecasts of record-breaking travel this year, most Americans will be paying roughly the same for gas as they did this time in 2023, according to the American Automobile Association.
While an estimated 38.4 million Americans hitting the road for the long weekend will pay about $3.61 per gallon, Pennsylvanians will pay about $0.16 per gallon more at the pump, according to AAA gas price data.
Gas prices in Pennsylvania ranged from as high as almost $3.90 in Cameron County to almost $3.64 in Carbon County, making an average of $3.76 per gallon statewide, according to Wednesday’s gas prices.
Bucks Countians may want to fill up before hitting the road, depending on their destination.
Counties in the Philadelphia suburbs make up some of the cheapest counties in the state, with Bucks County ranking 56th out of 67 counties at $3.67 per gallon.
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Montgomery and Delaware counties’ gas prices are about the same as Bucks, but Chester county is slightly cheaper at about $3.65 per gallon. Gas is about $3.69 per gallon in Philadelphia.
If you’re heading into New Jersey for the weekend, gassing up in The Garden State could save you about 30 cents per gallon.
New Jersey gas prices averaged about $3.52 per gallon as of Wednesday, with prices in Salem, Mercer, Gloucester, Burlington and Camden counties between two and nine cents cheaper than the state average.
The Memorial Day weekend is often referred to as the unofficial start of summer, and a AAA spokesperson said this year’s projections could be a precursor for a busy summer for traveling.
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“We haven’t seen Memorial Day weekend travel numbers like these in almost 20 years,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “We’re projecting an additional one million travelers this holiday weekend compared to 2019, which not only means we’re exceeding pre-pandemic levels but also signals a very busy summer travel season ahead.”
While gas prices have been relatively stable in recent weeks after rising earlier this spring, a AAA news release warns that higher gas prices could be on the way due to a few “wildcards,” like the cost of oil and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Chris Ullery is the Philadelphia Hub Data Reporter for the USA Today Network. Reach him at cullery@couriertimes.com or find him on Twitter at @ulleryatinell.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: How much will you spend on gas this Memorial Day weekend?
