USA: Christmas Day fuel prices highest in four years

GasBuddy projects that average Christmas Day gas prices will be their highest since 2013.

GasBuddy projects the national average gas price this Christmas will be $2.39 per gallon, a 12-cent drop since Thanksgiving, but the priciest Christmas in four years (2013: $3.26), and 11 cents higher than Christmas last year.

Average gas prices have fallen in every state in the last month as demand for gasoline cools off with winter returning in full force, led by states in the Great Lakes which have seen drops of over 15 cents per gallon in recent weeks.

“It’s hard to be completely happy with gas prices dropping slightly in recent weeks when we’re going to see the most expensive Christmas at the pump in years, but what we’re seeing now really pales in comparison to the holidays when we pulled up to a pump that was over $3 per gallon,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

GasBuddy recommends users to watch out for differing state taxes, in some extreme cases, drivers can spend an extra $25 when refueling the tank if on the wrong side of the line according to a review GasBuddy study.

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