The national average price for regular gas decreased again on Friday, dropping to $3.973 per gallon. It marked the fourth straight week that the national average price for a gallon of regular gas dropped in the U.S., and a 56-cent-per-gallon decrease in fuel costs over the last month.Friday’s gas price is the first time the national average price for gas has been under $4 per gallon on back-to-back days since March. It comes as the United States and Iran signed a peace deal to end the military conflict between them. This includes the end of the blockades around the Strait of Hormuz, reopening the naval passageway for oil tankers. Friday’s pricing also marks a 59-cent decrease from May 21, when regular gas cost $4.564 per gallon, the record high for 2026, according to AAA. Gas prices have fluctuated significantly in 2026, with fuel costs setting both a five-year low and a four-year high within a few months. Everything from weather-related issues and concerns to geopolitics and war has affected the price of gas in the country since the year began.
On Jan. 12, 2026, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $2.79, the lowest price since 2021. Over the next few weeks, severe winter weather pushed gas prices back into the $ 2.80-per-gallon range and subsequently into the $ 2.90-per-gallon range. On Feb. 28, Operation Epic Fury began, and a gallon of regular gas averaged $2.98. Prices soared as the military operation commenced, ultimately reaching the aforementioned high of $4.564 per gallon.
