What’s the Best Day of the Week to Buy Gas in the USA?

In a blog posted on its website recently, GasBuddy released new analysis identifying the cheapest and most expensive days of the week to buy gasoline in all 50 states.

GasBuddy revealed in the blog that, based on an analysis of daily statewide fuel prices over the past year, it found that Sunday is the most consistently affordable day to fill up in most U.S. states. Midweek on the other hand, particularly Wednesday through Friday, “tends to be more expensive”, GasBuddy warned. 

“While price trends fluctuate with oil markets and seasonal demand, weekly patterns remain surprisingly consistent,” GasBuddy said in the blog.

“In most states, prices gradually rise through the week before easing into the weekend, creating a reliable window for motorists to save simply by adjusting the timing of their fill-up,” it added.

“Buying on the lowest priced weekday instead of the most expensive one can save drivers four to nine cents per gallon with little effort,” it continued.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, highlighted in the blog that “gas prices don’t just move based on global oil markets – they also follow a weekly rhythm”.

“For most drivers, Sunday is the safest bet for finding lower prices, while filling up mid-week can mean paying more,” he added.

Price Cycling States

In the blog, GasBuddy outlined that, in several states – including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Texas and parts of the West Coast – prices “follow a more pronounced pattern known as price cycling”.

“In these markets, prices often ‘reset’ sharply higher on a specific day, then slowly decline over the next several days before the next spike,” GasBuddy said.

“In price cycling states, the best savings often come five to seven days after a price jump, when competition drives prices back down,” it added.

“In these states, the gap between buying at the peak of a spike and near the bottom of the cycle can reach 15 to 45 cents per gallon or more, making timing especially important,” it stated.

De Haan went on to note that “these states experience sharper and more predictable weekly swings”.

“If drivers notice a big jump, patience can pay off. Waiting several days after a spike often leads to better prices,” he added.

Current Prices

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) latest gasoline fuel update, which was released on Tuesday, the U.S. regular gasoline price averaged $2.902 per gallon on February 9, $2.924 per gallon on February 16, and $2.937 per gallon on February 23.

The February 23 price was $0.312 lower than the price two years ago and $0.188 lower than the year ago price, the update outlined.

Of the five Petroleum Administration for Defense District (PADD) regions highlighted in the EIA’s latest fuel update, the West Coast was shown to have the highest U.S. regular gasoline price as of February 23, at $4.111 per gallon. The Gulf Coast was shown in the update to have the lowest U.S. regular gasoline price as of February 23, at $2.532 per gallon.

A glossary section of the EIA site notes that the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia are divided into five districts, with PADD 1 further split into three subdistricts. PADDs 6 and 7 encompass U.S. territories, the site adds.

According to the AAA Fuel Prices website, the average price of regular gasoline in the U.S., as of February 25, is $2.975 per gallon.

Yesterday’s average was $2.951 per gallon, the week ago average was $2.923 per gallon, the month ago average was $2.864 per gallon, and the year ago average was $3.140 per gallon, the site showed.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com