WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (May 21, 2026) - As holiday travelers start hitting the road for the Memorial Day weekend in record numbers, California gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years. While the state average remained $6.14 this week, that price is $1.26 higher than this time last year.
The national average for a gallon of regular is at $4.56, up three cents over last week and $1.38 higher than this time last year. Current prices are close to what drivers were paying four years ago, when the national average on Memorial Day was $4.61.
“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,” said AAA Mountain West Group spokesperson Doug Johnson.
Fuel Prices Around the State:
AAA Shares Tips to Help Drivers Save on Gas
Save on gas. Use the AAA Mobile App to find the cheapest gas stations along your route, plan your trip, request roadside assistance, and more. AAA Members can save 30¢ per gallon on your first fill-up at participating stations when you join Shell Fuel Rewards®. All AAA Shell Fuel Rewards® Members save 5¢ per gallon on their fill-ups of up to 20 gallons at participating stations with complimentary Gold Status.
Avoid Speeding: Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Driving the recommended speed limit can increase fuel economy between 7 and 14 percent.
Regular vs. Premium: Pay close attention to the words “recommended” and “required.” If regular gas is recommended for your vehicle, that’s all you need. Choosing premium when your car doesn’t require it will only cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.
Remove unnecessary weight from your vehicle (e.g., trunk, cargo area, etc.) as weight increases the amount of effort it takes to move the vehicle.
Avoid Excessive Idling: When idling, car engines use up to one-half gallons of fuel per hour. Warm engines take about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. Shut off your engine when stopped for more than a minute and if it's safe to do so.
Check Tire Pressure and Align Tires: Maintaining proper tire pressure reduces your tire's friction with the road. Less friction means less energy is needed to move, resulting in using less gas. Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by 0.6 percent on average.
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell $5.89 to settle at $98.26 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 7.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 445 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV Charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station remained the same this past week at 41 cents. In California, the average is 46 cents.
State Stats
Gas
The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($6.14), Washington ($5.78), Hawaii ($5.64), Oregon ($5.35), Alaska ($5.27), Nevada ($5.27), Illinois ($5.01), Arizona ($4.81), Colorado ($4.76), and Ohio ($4.76).
The nation's top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($4.01), Georgia ($4.03), Indiana ($4.04), Louisiana ($4.05), Texas ($4.09), Oklahoma ($4.09), Kansas ($4.11), Arkansas ($4.12), Alabama ($4.17), and South Carolina ($4.17).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (52 cents), Hawaii (51 cents), Alaska (50 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), New Hampshire (46 cents), California (46 cents), New Jersey (45 cents), Illinois (44 cents), Arkansas (44 cents), and South Carolina (44 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (29 cents), Missouri (32 cents), Utah (33 cents), Maryland (33 cents), Iowa (34 cents), Nebraska (34 cents), South Dakota (34 cents), Vermont (35 cents), Delaware (37 cents), and New Mexico (37 cents).
Drivers can find current gas and electric charging prices along their route using the AAA Mobile App, now available on CarPlay. Find current fuel prices at gasprices.aaa.com. Find local news releases at mwg.aaa.com/news/press-release.
About AAA Mountain West Group
AAA Mountain West Group is one of the most trusted membership organizations, proudly serving over 6.8 million Members across Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Utah, and Wyoming. Named one of Forbes’ Most Trusted Companies in America, AAA delivers unmatched expertise and value through roadside assistance and electric vehicle (EV) resources, along with comprehensive auto repair, travel, insurance, financial, and home security services. Powered by 5,300 dedicated Team Members, AAA is on a mission to revolutionize solutions that help our Members.
The national average for a gallon of regular is at $4.56, up three cents over last week and $1.38 higher than this time last year. Current prices are close to what drivers were paying four years ago, when the national average on Memorial Day was $4.61.
“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,” said AAA Mountain West Group spokesperson Doug Johnson.
Fuel Prices Around the State:
- San Francisco: $6.33
- Oakland: $6.22
- San Jose: $6.16
- Sacramento: $6.10
- Fresno: $6.09
- Stockton: $6.01
AAA Shares Tips to Help Drivers Save on Gas
Save on gas. Use the AAA Mobile App to find the cheapest gas stations along your route, plan your trip, request roadside assistance, and more. AAA Members can save 30¢ per gallon on your first fill-up at participating stations when you join Shell Fuel Rewards®. All AAA Shell Fuel Rewards® Members save 5¢ per gallon on their fill-ups of up to 20 gallons at participating stations with complimentary Gold Status.
Avoid Speeding: Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Driving the recommended speed limit can increase fuel economy between 7 and 14 percent.
Regular vs. Premium: Pay close attention to the words “recommended” and “required.” If regular gas is recommended for your vehicle, that’s all you need. Choosing premium when your car doesn’t require it will only cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.
Remove unnecessary weight from your vehicle (e.g., trunk, cargo area, etc.) as weight increases the amount of effort it takes to move the vehicle.
Avoid Excessive Idling: When idling, car engines use up to one-half gallons of fuel per hour. Warm engines take about 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. Shut off your engine when stopped for more than a minute and if it's safe to do so.
Check Tire Pressure and Align Tires: Maintaining proper tire pressure reduces your tire's friction with the road. Less friction means less energy is needed to move, resulting in using less gas. Proper inflation can improve gas mileage by 0.6 percent on average.
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell $5.89 to settle at $98.26 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 7.9 million barrels from the previous week. At 445 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 2% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV Charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station remained the same this past week at 41 cents. In California, the average is 46 cents.
State Stats
Gas
The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($6.14), Washington ($5.78), Hawaii ($5.64), Oregon ($5.35), Alaska ($5.27), Nevada ($5.27), Illinois ($5.01), Arizona ($4.81), Colorado ($4.76), and Ohio ($4.76).
The nation's top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($4.01), Georgia ($4.03), Indiana ($4.04), Louisiana ($4.05), Texas ($4.09), Oklahoma ($4.09), Kansas ($4.11), Arkansas ($4.12), Alabama ($4.17), and South Carolina ($4.17).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (52 cents), Hawaii (51 cents), Alaska (50 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), New Hampshire (46 cents), California (46 cents), New Jersey (45 cents), Illinois (44 cents), Arkansas (44 cents), and South Carolina (44 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (29 cents), Missouri (32 cents), Utah (33 cents), Maryland (33 cents), Iowa (34 cents), Nebraska (34 cents), South Dakota (34 cents), Vermont (35 cents), Delaware (37 cents), and New Mexico (37 cents).
Drivers can find current gas and electric charging prices along their route using the AAA Mobile App, now available on CarPlay. Find current fuel prices at gasprices.aaa.com. Find local news releases at mwg.aaa.com/news/press-release.
About AAA Mountain West Group
AAA Mountain West Group is one of the most trusted membership organizations, proudly serving over 6.8 million Members across Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Utah, and Wyoming. Named one of Forbes’ Most Trusted Companies in America, AAA delivers unmatched expertise and value through roadside assistance and electric vehicle (EV) resources, along with comprehensive auto repair, travel, insurance, financial, and home security services. Powered by 5,300 dedicated Team Members, AAA is on a mission to revolutionize solutions that help our Members.
