(The Center Square) – Drivers in parts of Virginia are paying some of the lowest gas prices in the country, just as millions prepare to hit the road for Memorial Day weekend.
According to GasBuddy, the national average for regular gasoline is expected to reach $3.08 per gallon on Memorial Day — the lowest holiday price in four years, and part of what analysts say is a third straight year of national fuel price declines.
As of Tuesday, Virginia’s statewide average was $2.987 per gallon, placing it among the 25 least expensive states in the country. But many stations are coming in well under that. User-submitted reports on GasBuddy showed prices as low as $2.42 at a CITGO in Luray, with others — including Walmart in Danville and Murphy USA in Bedford — ranging between $2.53 and $2.64.
GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said Americans are expected to spend about $700 million less on gasoline this Memorial Day weekend compared to last year. In a public post Tuesday, he noted that all 50 states are seeing lower prices than they did in 2023, including a 52-cent drop in Maryland.
“Rather than canceling plans, travelers are becoming more strategic with their spending,” De Haan said in a statement. “That can mean finding the best fuel prices along their routes, potentially saving families $20 to $40 per trip.”
A recent GasBuddy survey found that 69% of Americans plan to take at least one road trip this summer, and 32% are planning more than one. Many are using apps and price-checking tools to find cheaper gas, even if it means driving a little out of the way.
For drivers heading north from Virginia into Maryland or Washington, D.C., filling up before the state line could save money. Prices at D.C. stations ranged from $2.79 to $3.05 as of Tuesday, while Maryland’s cheapest stations listed regular gas at $2.75 to $2.79, still 30 to 60 cents higher than Virginia’s lowest.
For Memorial Day travelers, filling up in Virginia could save as much as 60 cents per gallon compared to parts of Maryland and D.C.
