Utah’s average gas price slips below national average as Thanksgiving travel picks up

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s average gas price slipped below the national average this week, giving drivers in the Beehive State something to be thankful for just in time for one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the Beehive State is now $3.05, about two cents below the national average, according to AAA’s fuel price index, updated on Tuesday — when traditional Thanksgiving holiday travel begins.

Gas prices typically fall around this point in the year because driving drops in the winter and the “winter blend” produced at this time of the year is cheaper to produce, Julian Paredes, a spokesman for AAA Utah, explained last year.

Related: Don’t fall for the viral chicken check-in travel hack

This annual decline has been more beneficial for consumers than in years past. The national average has remained stagnant over the past week, but it trended downward for weeks before that, putting itself in a position to potentially drop below $3 for the first time since 2021.

This is why the organization estimates nearly 72 million Americans will drive at least 50 miles at some point between Tuesday and early next week for Thanksgiving.

“The cost of travel is still pretty high, but it is coming down a little bit,” Paredes told KSL NewsRadio last week. “The cost of gas is cheaper as well. It’s definitely going to motivate some people to drive a little bit more than they used to.”

Read more from KSL.com here.