Gas prices have been inching down for several weeks, and are now at their lowest point of the year so far. This means holiday travelers may keep a little extra jingle in their pockets when they finish up at the pump.
Marie Dodds with AAA Oregon said nearly 1.7 million Oregonians will be traveling 50 miles or more over Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s. Ninety percent of them will be driving.
“This is a little bit of a gift for folks as they head out on those holiday road trips,” she said. ‘We are paying the cheapest prices for gas in four years for the holidays. We have to go back to 2020 to find gas prices that are cheaper than what we’re paying now.”
Nationally, the current average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.03. The Oregon average is now $3.47 a gallon. Dodds said if you shop around, it’s easy to find prices that are well below those figures.
Dodds said gas prices tend to bottom out for the year sometime between December and February. There are normal seasonal factors that put downward pressure on prices including the reduction in demand.
“The summer driving season comes to an end and everyone gets back into their fall and winter routines, which tend to include less travel,” she said.
Also impacting gas prices is the type of gas being sold. In the fall and winter months, Oregonians can purchase “winter blend fuel” which is less refined, thus less expensive. Dodds explained the winter blend fuel causes more pollution when it evaporates, so it is only available when temperatures are cooler.
Summer blend fuel is burned during the hotter months and is more environmentally friendly. It also costs more to make.
