Gas Prices Up In Arizona For Memorial Day Weekend

ARIZONA — Gas prices up are up 7 cents in Arizona as travelers prepare to hit the road for Memorial Day.

With 34 million Americans planning road trips for the holiday, an increase of 53 percent from last year, demand for gas has gone up dramatically. Nearly every state in the U.S. has seen an increase in average gas prices heading into the three-day weekend, including the Buckeye State.

The average gallon of gas now cost $3.12 in Arizona, AAA said.

Since last month, Arizona's average gas price has jumped 2.3 percent, from $3.05 per gallon to the current level. The average price of gas has spiked by more than 43 percent in Arizona versus where it was a year ago, from $2.17 a gallon to $3.12, according to AAA.

The average price of gasoline is cheapest in Arizona's Greenlee ($2.93 per gallon), Graham ($2.96 per gallon), Pima ($2.97 per gallon) and Gila ($2.99 per gallon) counties.

The most expensive counties in Arizona for gasoline are Coconino ($3.31 per gallon), Mohave ($3.28 per gallon), La Paz ($3.23 per gallon) and Santa Cruz ($3.17 per gallon).

Expect additional price increases throughout the weekend. Pre-pandemic level traffic will push demand for fuel, AAA said, leading to fluctuations in prices everywhere.

"As more people get the COVID-19 vaccine and consumer confidence grows, Americans are demonstrating a strong desire to travel this Memorial Day," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. "This pent-up demand will result in a significant increase in Memorial Day travel, which is a strong indicator for summer, though we must all remember to continue taking important safety precautions."

The worst time to start your road trip is Friday afternoon, according to AAA. Highways are likely to be congested as travelers look to escape their hometowns for the weekend.

"Although vehicle trips are down as much as 40 percent in some metros, afternoon congestion is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels. With the increase of holiday travelers to the typical afternoon commute, drivers in the larger metros should expect longer delays heading into the holiday weekend," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst, INRIX.