Memorial Day driving will be much more expensive this year
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A record number of Americans will hit the road over Memorial Day weekend — and they'll pay an average of $1.34 more per gallon at the pump compared to a year ago.
Why it matters: Holiday car trips are proving to be resilient, even as President Trump's war with Iran pushes gas prices sharply higher.
By the numbers: The national average will be $4.48 per gallon on Memorial Day, up from $3.14 a year ago, according to GasBuddy.
- Nonetheless, an estimated 45 million Americans will brave the high prices and travel at least 50 miles over the holiday period, per AAA data.
- That's up from 44.8 million in 2025 and 42.8 million in 2019.
What they're saying: Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, tells Axios that more than 90% of the price difference is directly tied to the Iran war.
- "These states are all paying quite a bit more compared to last year, and it's very much because of what's going on with the Strait of Hormuz," he says, referencing the ongoing blockade that's halting ships moving through the Strait.
- "That's what happens when the world's most vital waterway to the shipment of oil becomes a military target."
Flashback: The last time gas prices were this high over Memorial Day weekend was in 2022, when Russia's war in Ukraine drove prices up to about $4.61 per gallon.
- Gas prices later hit their all-time high of $5.02 per gallon on June 14, 2022.
Zoom in: Trump dismissed the climbing price of gas on Tuesday as "peanuts" compared to the cost of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.
- He said he "appreciate[s] everybody putting up with it for a little while," adding prices won't stay high "much longer."
Yes, but: Analysts predict that even if the Strait immediately reopened, prices would likely stay elevated above pre-war levels until 2027.
Go deeper: Best, worst times to drive on Memorial Day weekend.
