The Week

Drivers across the District of Columbia and the Washington, D.C. metro area caught another break at the pump this week as prices dropped several pennies. Gasoline supplies increased slightly locally and nationally while crude oil prices dropped more than $4 per barrel since last Friday, pushing pump prices lower. Should these current trends continue, drivers will likely continue to enjoy paying less to fill up at the pump.

Today’s national gas price average is $2.53, down three cents in the last week, down a penny in the last month and up 26 cents from this time last year.

CURRENT AND PAST GAS PRICE AVERAGES

Regular Unleaded Gasoline (*indicates record high)

At the close of NYMEX trading Friday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil settled at $54.19 per barrel, $4.35 lower than last Friday’s close. Crude prices dropped all week, experiencing its biggest weekly fall since May on Friday. Fears that economic growth and demand for oil will be affected by the coronavirus outbreak in China helped to push prices lower. Widespread travel restrictions, flight cancellations and reduction in regional travel could affect China’s overall economic activity.

The Weekend

“Gas prices typically trend lower in January as demand for fuel drops due to colder temperatures and fewer people driving,” says John B. Townsend II, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “Add in lower crude oil prices and an increase in gasoline supply, and drivers are likely to see this trend continue.”

The Week Ahead

Since Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped a penny while local prices have dropped even more. In its latest weekly report, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) revealed that total domestic stocks of gasoline continue to grow. For gasoline demand, EIA estimates that it grew slightly, but the current level is lower than last year’s at this same time. As these trends continue, American motorists will likely continue to see lower pump prices.

AAA has a variety of resources to help motorists save on fuel:

• Shell Fuel Rewards Program for AAA Members: (https://www.AAA.com/Shell) gives AAA members nationwide a discount on gasoline at Shell stations when they join the Fuel Rewards® program.
• Fuel Price Finder (https://www.AAA.com/fuelfinder) locates the lowest fuel price in your area. 
• AAA Gas Cost Calculator (https://gasprices.aaa.com/aaa-gas-cost-calculator/) helps budget travel expenses. 
• TripTik Mobile (https://www.aaa.com/mobile) plots fuel prices along your travel route. 
• AAA's Member Rewards Visa® Credit Card (https://www.AAA.com/financial/AAAvisa.htm) accumulates double points on fuel purchases.          

AAA is the most comprehensive resource for gas prices.  Unlike the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations, AAA reports reflect actual prices from credit card transactions at more than 100,000 gas stations in the U.S.

Next Weekend Gas Watch: Friday, January 31, 2020

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 60 million members nationwide and nearly 82,000 members in the District of Columbia.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit  https://aaa.com