Bad news for anyone hitting the road this Labor Day weekend: GasBuddy is forecasting the national average price of gasoline to be around $4.03 per gallon, which is 87 cents higher than last year and would make this the most expensive Labor Day at the pump on record in nominal terms. The previous record was $3.83 per gallon in 2012.
And prices have already climbed even higher than GasBuddy’s forecast. As of September 3, AAA says the national average for a gallon of regular gas is $4.14, compared to $3.19 a year ago. AAA says continued volatility surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has helped push crude oil prices into the $90-per-barrel range.
So, if you’re planning one last summer road trip, finding ways to save money on gas is more important than ever.
There’s also the issue of traffic. INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says Labor Day traffic will be especially heavy Thursday and Friday afternoon as holiday travelers mix with regular commuters.
The good news is that a little planning can save you from sitting in traffic and burning expensive gas. INRIX recommends leaving early and avoiding the middle of the afternoon whenever possible. On Thursday, leave before early afternoon; on Friday, morning departures are best; and if you’re heading out Saturday, the earlier the better. Sunday is expected to have the lightest traffic, while travelers returning home Monday should try to leave before late morning or wait until later in the evening.
Some routes could get particularly ugly. INRIX says last year’s Labor Day getaway produced major delays on routes including I-90 into Seattle, I-93 between Boston and Manchester, the Long Island Expressway between New York and the Hamptons, I-10 between Los Angeles and Palm Springs and I-4 between Tampa and Orlando.
AAA also has an important reminder before you leave: Check your car. Last Labor Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 400,000 roadside assistance calls for problems including flat tires, dead batteries and emergency towing. AAA recommends checking your tires, battery and fluids before leaving and packing an emergency kit with water, snacks, first-aid supplies, a flashlight and jumper cables.
As for where everyone is going, AAA says the top domestic destinations for Labor Day 2026 include Seattle, Orlando, Boston, Denver and New York. Internationally, Rome tops the list, followed by Vancouver, London, Dublin and Paris. Alaska cruises, river cruises, National Parks and European vacations are all popular with travelers this year.
If you’re driving this Labor Day and trying to save money — and with gas over $4 a gallon, who isn’t? — below are nine ways to help keep more money in your wallet.
1. Use Gas Buddy
The first thing I suggest is checking Gas Buddy (free on both iOS or Android) before you fill up. Gas prices can vary significantly from one station to another, even when they’re just a few blocks apart.
GasBuddy lets you compare nearby stations so you can see whether driving a short distance could save you money. The company itself recommends shopping around for the best price along your route before filling up.
GasBuddy also offers Flash Deals through its app. You activate an eligible deal before filling up and then have four hours to make the purchase. Just be sure to read the terms because discounts and participating stations vary.
2. Find Out Gas Prices Before You Leave
If your road trip takes you through multiple states, check gas prices before you leave and plan your fuel stops accordingly. Gas taxes, environmental requirements and other factors can make prices dramatically different from one state to the next. If you’re driving from an expensive state into a cheaper one, it may make sense to buy just enough gas to get across the border before filling up.
AAA’s state-by-state gas price averages make it easy to compare prices before your trip. This tip can be especially useful for drivers in California, where prices are typically well above the national average.
3. Fill Up at Costco
If you’re a Costco member, check the price at your local warehouse before heading to a regular gas station. I was late to the Costco gas game myself, but once I started filling up there, I understood why those lines can get so long. Depending on where you live, the savings can really add up over the course of a road trip.
Costco says its fuel stations offer member-only fuel pricing, and its app lets you see current gasoline prices at nearby warehouses before you drive over. You can also use Costco’s gas station locator to check locations and hours.
4. Don’t Automatically Fill Up at the First Station You See
There’s an old rule of thumb that certain days of the week are always cheapest for gas, but I’d put less emphasis on that this year. With oil and gasoline markets unusually volatile in 2026, shopping around is more useful than relying on a particular day of the week. GasBuddy says this year’s prices have been driven less by normal supply-and-demand patterns and more by uncertainty surrounding global oil supplies.
Before pulling into the first station you see — especially one right off a busy freeway exit — compare nearby prices. A station a few blocks away may be considerably cheaper.
5. Use the Right Credit Card
If you’re going to spend more at the pump, you might as well earn something back. Check the credit cards already in your wallet to see which one offers the best rewards for gas station purchases. Depending on the card, you may earn cash back, points or miles.
Just remember that the cheapest gas station plus a good rewards card can sometimes save you more than chasing credit-card rewards at an expensive station. And always pay your balance in full if you can — paying credit-card interest will quickly wipe out whatever you earned at the pump.
6. Slow Down
One of the easiest ways to burn through gas is also one of the easiest to control: your speed. Fuel economy generally decreases as speed increases, particularly at highway speeds. Besides saving fuel, staying near the speed limit can obviously save you from an expensive speeding ticket and, more importantly, make your trip safer.
With gas hovering around $4 a gallon nationally this Labor Day, even a modest improvement in fuel economy can add up over a long road trip. Check FuelEconomy.gov for additional government-backed fuel-saving advice.
7. Drive Sensibly
Jackrabbit starts, hard braking and aggressive driving aren’t just stressful — they waste fuel. Accelerate smoothly, anticipate traffic ahead and avoid racing from one red light to the next. On the highway, maintaining a steady speed when conditions allow can also help.
This Labor Day weekend, sensible driving has an additional benefit: With INRIX expecting heavy congestion Thursday and Friday afternoon, leaving early can help you avoid stop-and-go traffic in the first place.
8. Avoid Hauling Cargo on Your Roof
Roof boxes and other exterior cargo can increase aerodynamic drag, which means your engine has to work harder and use more fuel. If you’re taking a family road trip and have a choice between carrying something inside the vehicle or strapping a bulky item to the roof, the more aerodynamic option will generally be better for fuel economy.
Of course, don’t compromise safety or overload your vehicle just to save a few dollars in gas.
9. Remove Excess Weight
Before you hit the highway, take a quick look in your trunk or cargo area. Are you hauling around golf clubs you’re not going to use? Boxes you’ve been meaning to donate? Heavy gear left over from another trip? There’s no reason to make your vehicle haul unnecessary weight for hundreds of miles. Clean out the trunk before your trip and bring only what you need.
Bottom Line
Unfortunately, Labor Day 2026 is shaping up to be a much more expensive road-trip weekend than last year. GasBuddy forecasts an average of about $4.03 per gallon for the holiday, compared with $3.16 during Labor Day weekend in 2025, while AAA’s national average had already reached $4.14 on September 3.
There could be some relief after the holiday. GasBuddy says gasoline demand typically slows after summer and much of the country begins switching to cheaper winter-blend gasoline after September 15. But with global oil markets remaining volatile, that relief could take longer than usual to show up at your neighborhood station.
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Happy Holiday Johnny, will keep your Dad in our prayers.
These are helpful tips. I would add a few more.
1) Find ways not to drive! Americans make a lot of vehicle trips that are three miles or less. Switch these trips to walking or biking.
2)If you have to drive – pool your trips. I’m doing a grocery run today in the car. So I’ll also stop to pick up flowers for the garden and wine – bulky things I can’t do by bike.
3)Try out public transit. We live where a bus conveniently gets me in to work. I still wear a mask, but am also comfortable knowing that the air transfer rate on transportation is around ten times higher than inside a building. And we just returned from Europe where buses and trains got us around to our destinations efficiently and cost-effectively. What a great example of saving money and being responsible for our climate impact
The United States need to be energy independent and at the same time explore how we can make electric vehicles more affordable for everyone. Not just the rich. Offer incentives for people to purchase electric vehicles similar to incentives to go solar for homes and businesses.
Agreed