Pump prices are slowly declining heading into the long Thanksgiving weekend. For the week, the national average for regular unleaded loses three cents to $2.53 a gallon while the Oregon average slips a penny to $2.85.
Since 2014, the national gas price average has dropped one to five cents heading into the Thanksgiving week. Despite the decrease, gas prices are at their highest levels for Thanksgiving since 2014.
AAA says nearly 51 million Americans including 647,000 Oregonians are traveling for Thanksgiving, the most travelers for the holiday since 2005.
“Most are driving to their destinations and many will be thankful to see gas prices moving a bit lower,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho. “Pump prices are still about 40 cents a gallon higher than a year ago, but that’s not stopping travelers from taking a road trip this Thanksgiving.”
Find the complete AAA Thanksgiving travel projections here.
Oregon is one of 44 states where gas prices are lower week-over-week. The largest decreases are in Michigan (-12 cents) and Oklahoma (-5 cents). Alaska has the largest weekly increase of five cents.
Oregon is one of 47 states and Washington D.C. where gas prices have risen in the last month. The largest monthly increases are in Alaska (+25 cents) and Ohio (+19 cents). The national average is eight cents more and the Oregon average is 10 cents more than a month ago. The largest monthly decrease is in Utah (-9 cents).
The West Coast still has the most expensive gas prices in the nation with six of the top ten markets in this region. Alaska bumps California as the state with the most expensive gas, followed by Hawaii, California and Washington. These four states all have averages at or above $3 a gallon. Oregon is fifth most expensive for the 21stweek in a row.
