Texas gas prices average just above $3 ahead of Memorial Day 2023 travels

As Austin Metro drivers count down to the Memorial Day weekend holiday, the price of gasoline continues to remain steady, according to AAA.

AUSTIN (KXAN) – As Austin Metro drivers count down to the Memorial Day weekend holiday, the price of gasoline continues to remain steady, according to AAA.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Austin-San Marcos was $3.08 on Sunday. That is four cents lower than Sunday, May 14 and 25 cents lower than April 21.

AAA said the average price had fallen $1.22 since May 21, 2022.

The average price in Texas was $3.07 a gallon. On May 18, AAA ranked Texas No. 2 in the nation behind Mississippi when it came to least expensive gas markets.

On May 15, AAA projected a 7% increase in Memorial day weekend travel over 2022 with 42.3 million Americans travelling 50 miles or more from home.

“This is expected to be the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel in the May 15 release.

AAA said Memorial Day road trips are up 6% over last year.

37.1 million Americans will drive to their destinations, an increase of more than 2 million from 2022.

Gas prices are lower this holiday compared to last year, when the national average was more than $4 a gallon. The national price was $3.54 for a gallon of regular as of May 21, according to AAA.

The company says car travel this holiday will be shy of pre-pandemic numbers by about 500,000 travelers.