Gas prices have shown no signs of easing as the end of summer approaches, a time when drivers would normally begin to see some relief. Instead, prices have remained above $4, reaching record levels.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline remained above $4 every day in August for the first time, according to AAA.
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WATCH HEREAugust is also on track to become the most expensive August ever at the gas pump, surpassing the monthly average of $3.97 recorded in 2022.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $4.08 on Aug. 31, according to AAA. A year ago, it was $3.18.
Despite declining gasoline demand, elevated crude oil prices and continued volatility surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have kept gas prices persistently high ahead of the Labor Day weekend.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed above $90 a barrel on Monday, while the U.S. benchmark crude traded above $86. By comparison, crude oil averaged around $67 a barrel during Labor Day weekend in 2025.
States where gas prices are already above $5 a gallon
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In some states, average prices have climbed well above $5 a gallon. California tops the list as the most expensive gas market in the country, with an average of $5.63 per gallon, followed by Hawaii at $5.41 and Washington at $5.27.
Other Western states are also among the most expensive, including Arizona, at $4.54, and Utah, at $4.40.
Meanwhile, some states have managed to stay below $4. Indiana has the lowest average in the country, at $3.46 per gallon, while Texas stands at $3.63.
When could relief come?
As the war with Iran reaches six months and tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz continue to put pressure on oil prices, the Trump administration is looking to Venezuela as a potential additional source of supply.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that the United States had signed an agreement with Venezuela that includes access to 65 billion barrels of oil reserves. According to the president, the agreement will help ease the pressure Americans are feeling at the gas pump.
However, experts warn that relief is unlikely to come soon, as significantly increasing Venezuela's oil production would require substantial investment and improvements to the country's aging oil infrastructure.
The agreement could be “useful in the long run, but it's not going to do anything to change the price of gasoline at the pump over Labor Day weekend,” Amy Myers Jaffe, director of New York University's Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab, told The Associated Press.
