Gasoline prices are climbing again, snapping a nearly two-week stretch of declines and putting fresh pressure on American drivers.

As of Friday, May 1, 2026, the AAA national average stands at $4.39 per gallon of gas, reflecting a sharp 36-cent increase in just one week.

The move higher comes as brent crude oil prices in early trading Friday surged back above $106 per barrel.

The speed of the increase is notable.

Just one month ago, prices were still under $4, and a year ago drivers were paying barely above $3.

Today’s levels mark a $1.21 year-over-year jump, pushing gasoline costs to their highest point since late July 2022. For consumers, the timing is especially painful, with the summer driving season just weeks away and little indication that relief is imminent.

GAS STATS
Today’s National Average: $4.39
One Week Ago: $4.03
One Month Ago: $3.99
One Year Ago: $3.18

⛽ MOST EXPENSIVE GAS MARKETS
California ($6.01), Hawaii ($5.64), Washington ($5.57), Oregon ($5.15), Nevada ($5.12), Alaska ($4.92), Arizona ($4.67), Illinois ($4.66), Michigan ($4.58), Ohio ($4.46)

⛽ LEAST EXPENSIVE GAS MARKETS
Oklahoma ($3.70), Kansas ($3.75), Georgia ($3.75), Mississippi ($3.77), Arkansas ($3.79), Louisiana ($3.80), Missouri ($3.83), North Dakota ($3.84), Texas ($3.85), Alabama ($3.86)

The geographic divide remains stark.

West Coast states continue to dominate the high end of the spectrum, with California drivers now paying just over $6 per gallon, while much of the South and Midwest still sits below $3.90. But even in those lower-cost regions, prices are trending upward, signaling that the current surge is broad-based rather than isolated.

GLOBAL OIL SUPPLY

The underlying fundamentals point to a tightening market.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand ticked higher last week, rising from 9.05 million barrels per day to 9.10 million. At the same time, supply moved in the opposite direction, dropping from 228.4 million barrels to 222.3 million barrels.

With oil transit at a virtual standstill at the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran conflict, production also edged lower, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.

This suggests that refiners are struggling to keep pace with consumption. This classic squeeze — rising demand paired with falling supply — is feeding directly into higher retail prices.

Crude markets are reinforcing that trend. Early Friday trading saw West Texas Intermediate (WTI) holding firm in the $105–$106 per barrel range, up slightly from the previous session.

Traders are clearly focused on supply risks abroad, particularly the ongoing disruption tied to Middle East shipping routes.