AAA expert tells ABC13 Houston, “Drivers are paying about $18 more per fill up for that typical midsize sedan” compared to a year ago
Published
This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising prices in the United States. See more here.
Citation
From the May 22, 2026, video uploaded to the YouTube channel of KTRK-TV ABC13 Houston
JONATHAN BRUCE (ABC13 HOUSTON ANCHOR): Now, one thing you will need if you are hitting the road for the holiday is, of course, gas, and it is a cost that experts say could reach record highs this summer.
ERICA SIMON (ABC13 HOUSTON ANCHOR): Yeah, it's rough. For us in Texas AAA data shows the price is lower than nearly any other state. That is the piece of good news. But as ABC13's Nick Natario explains, even though it's low, it's actually gone up faster than many others.
NICK NATARIO (ABC13 HOUSTON REPORTER): Right now, AAA data shows only four states pay less per gallon of gas than Texas. AAA data shows that Texans pay about $4.10 a gallon. But a year ago, the agency says it was $1.31 less per gallon. And while Texas has some of the lowest fuel prices around the country, data shows the climb actually here has been worse than other states. Take Kansas, for example, where AAA data shows the price there has only climbed by $1.20 over the last year. And in Oklahoma, AAA data shows the price has climbed by $1.26. And even in California, AAA figures show the price there has climbed $1.26 per gallon since this time last year.
Higher prices that Gas Buddy says will impact decisions this summer. Last year, they say 70% of Americans took a road trip that was more than two hours. This year, they say, it'll fall to about 55%. Still, AAA predicts 3.7 million Texans will travel this Memorial Day weekend.
DOUG SHUPE (AAA TEXAS): High gas prices may cause people to change their plans a little bit. Maybe they don't go as far or they don't go for as many days or they stay with friends and family instead of spending money at hotels.
NATARIO: If you dislike the prices now, GasBuddy says you could be really upset later this summer. They believe the national average will continue to climb because of the war in Iran to $4.80 a gallon. It's not there yet, but AAA says you're already feeling the pinch.
SHUPE: When you look at what the price is today compared to a year ago, drivers are paying about eighteen dollars more per fill-up for that typical midsize sedan with the fourteen-gallon-sized fuel tank.
NATARIO: If you're hoping for gas prices to go the other way, GasBuddy says you may have to wait a while. Even if the war in Iran were to be resolved. The group says it still may take more than a year to see gas prices go below $3 a gallon.