The national average price of regular gasoline has tied the record of 157 days above $4 a gallon in a single year, according to GasBuddy’s count.
Prices are expected to break the record on October 14 if the national average remains above $4.
AAA reports regular gasoline averages $4.34 a gallon, keeping fuel costs elevated even as prices ease.
American drivers have reached an unwelcome milestone. The national average price of regular gasoline is on the verge of a record number of days above $4 a gallon.
Tuesday, October 13, marks the 157th day above that threshold in 2026, matching the record set in 2022, according to a tally from Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. If the average remains above $4 on Wednesday, the count will reach 158 days and establish a new record.
The milestone measures the total number of days above $4 during a calendar year. Those days do not have to be consecutive.
AAA’s national average for regular gasoline stood at $4.34 a gallon Tuesday, compared with $3.08 a year earlier. Although prices have declined slightly over the past week, motorists are still paying approximately $1.26 more per gallon than last October.
For someone purchasing 50 gallons a month, that difference translates into roughly $63 in additional monthly fuel costs. A 15-gallon fill-up costs about $65 at today’s national average, compared with approximately $46 a year ago.
The persistence of expensive gasoline is particularly unusual for the season. AAA said in its October 8 report that this is the first year the national average has exceeded $4 a gallon during October. The organization described pump prices as the highest ever for this time of year.
Still, the annual duration record should not be confused with the highest price ever recorded. AAA’s national average reached $5.0165 a gallon on June 14, 2022 — well above today’s price. This year’s milestone reflects how often drivers have faced prices above $4.
Less pain in some areas
In spite of the painful milestone, DeHaan notes that prices at the pump have softened in some regions in recent days.
“More states saw average gasoline prices decline than rise over the last week, with diesel falling approximately five cents per gallon nationally,” DeHaan said in the GasBuddy blog.
For consumers trying to control expenses, the cumulative burden matters. Even small reductions at the pump provide limited relief when gasoline remains substantially more expensive than a year earlier.
Drivers can reduce their fuel bills by comparing nearby stations, combining errands, and avoiding unnecessary idling. When evaluating a station’s discount, consumers should also check whether the advertised price requires cash payment, a membership, or enrollment in a rewards program.