Memorial Day holiday travelers will pay prices at the pump that are the highest in four years with the prolonged fuel supply shortage caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to numbers reported by the American Automobile Association (AAA) on May 21.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas reached $4.55 May 22, about $1.36 more than the same day last year, and close to what drivers paid four years ago on Memorial Day when the average was $4.61, according to AAA.
“With gasoline demand on the rise and the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, pump prices are likely to remain elevated as the summer travel season gets underway,” AAA stated.
The nation’s most expensive gasoline market is California, where an average gallon of regular gas was $6.13 on May 22.
Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Alaska, Illinois, Arizona, Colorado, and Ohio round out the top 10 states with the highest prices at the pump.
Record numbers of Americans are expected to travel for the three-day weekend despite the extra fuel costs.
AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between May 21 and May 25, which was slightly higher than last year and would set a new record.
The association expects 39.1 million to travel by car and 3.66 to take flights to their destinations.
“Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and for most Americans, it’s a three-day weekend,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks.”
President Donald Trump said he expects the high prices at the gas pump will end soon.
“And when [the Iran conflict] ends, your gasoline prices will go down lower than they were before,” Trump said May 21 during a press conference.
Travel Costs Rise Overall
Fuel prices aren’t the only travel-related expense to rise this year for consumers, according to the U.S. Travel Association’s report issued May 12.
High gas prices are displayed at a Mobil gas station in Pasadena, Calif., on May 11, 2026. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The cost to travel—which includes the cost of transportation, meals, lodging, and fuel—is up nearly 8 percent over last year, the association reported.
Airline fares have surged nearly 21 percent compared to last year and hotel prices have increased 4.3 percent. And buying food away from home also cost 3.6 percent more than in 2025, the travel association found.
