The national average price for a gallon of regular gas slightly dropped on Monday to $4.52. While this is still significantly higher than a month ago, a week ago, and earlier this year, it is lower than over the weekend, such as on Sunday, when gas prices were $4.522 per gallon.Monday’s decrease was still nearly 7 cents per gallon higher than a week ago, when the national average price was $4.457 per gallon. It is also much higher than a month ago, when a gallon of regular gas cost $4.135, according to AAA. Before Monday’s decrease, the daily national average price had increased every day for over two weeks. The highest price for a gallon of regular gas in 2026 so far was $4.56 per gallon last week.For various reasons, gas prices have fluctuated substantially in 2026. Since gas prices fell to $2.79 per gallon on Jan. 12, a five-year low, fuel costs in the country have steadily increased. Initially, winter weather nationwide was blamed for rising fuel costs, as snowstorms in January and February disrupted oil refinery operations and production. However, fuel prices began to soar after the Iran war began.
During the first week of March, a gallon of regular gas increased to $2.98. By March 31, the national average price of regular gas had risen to $4.02 per gallon. Gas prices had previously reached a 2026 high of $4.16 per gallon on April 9. As a result, soaring fuel costs have been a frequent topic of discussion, with Democrats blaming President Donald Trump’s choice to go to war with Iran as the primary reason gas prices are high.
