GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It’s the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, so drivers may be wondering what they can expect at the pump this holiday weekend.
GasBuddy predicts the average price of gas on Thanksgiving will be $3.02/gallon, one of the lowest prices for the holiday in the past five years.
“Keep in mind, a lot of us stay parked for several days, and so, surprisingly to many, demand for gasoline the week of Thanksgiving is generally lower than the week before and the week after, as we kind of go back to school and work,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan said.
Even with cheaper gas prices, De Haan doesn’t expect to see a big boost in drivers traveling for the holiday. A travel survey done by GasBuddy shows 74% of Americans say gas prices do not affect their Thanksgiving travel plans. 60% of Americans will be traveling for Thanksgiving, down from 72% last year.
Good news for West Michigan drivers: gas prices are expected to continue falling through the holiday season.
“Once BP gets its issues sorted out at its Whiting refinery, I think that when we do cycle, it’ll go up to lower amounts, like $2.99, instead of the $3.29 that we’ve been seeing as of late,” De Haan said. “And I think that could happen by maybe Christmas.”
Another big question is when everyone will be hitting the road. GasBuddy says midmorning Wednesday is expected to be the peak of travel, with 66% of Americans planning to drive more than 100 miles for their feast.
Current county-by-county prices as of 7 a.m. on Nov. 25 show:
- Kent County: $3.18 per gallon
- Muskegon County: $3.12 per gallon
- Ottawa County: $3.13 per gallon
- Kalamazoo County: $3.19 per gallon
Overall gas prices in the state have risen about 18 to 19 cents, according to GasBuddy, marking the peak of the current price cycle. That means stations are expected to start bringing prices down as we head into the holiday weekend. Drivers should begin seeing relief at the pump today, with the lowest prices anticipated next Sunday and Monday.
