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Mass. gas prices dip below $4 per gallon ahead of Labor Day

The lower gas prices are still higher than the national average — but are about a dollar less than June’s record-high.

September 3, 2022

1 minute to read

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in Massachusetts fell below $4 per gallon Friday, the lowest it’s been since March.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gas in Massachusetts was $3.972 per gallon, which is $1.077 less than the state’s record high of $5.049 per gallon in June. On Thursday, the cost was $4.002 per gallon. One month ago, the average price was $4.464; this time last year, it cost $3.073 per gallon.

Despite the recent dip in gas prices, the average cost for a gallon of gas in Massachusetts is still higher than the national average of $3.809 per gallon.

The decrease in gas prices comes as state officials anticipate a busy weekend of holiday travel.

According to a AAA survey, 32 percent of Americans will travel for Labor Day Weekend, and of those travelers, 82 percent will travel by vehicle.

In Massachusetts, high traffic was expected on Friday and Monday. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation said work would halt on several highways to accommodate the increased holiday traffic. The HOV lane in Boston and Quincy opened Friday, and work paused on the Sumner Tunnel.

#LaborDay Travel Reminders:
🚗I-93 #Boston–#Quincy HOV lane opens at 2:00pm.
🚧No #SumnerTunnel work
🏦 @MassRMV offices closed Monday, 9/5
🚋🚌 @MBTASubway, Bus, @MBTA_CR on a Sunday/weekend schedule. No Orange line service.
Plan ahead and use https://t.co/v2W0B7nXYc pic.twitter.com/77YISMu1Fx
— Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) September 1, 2022

AAA’s survey also found that many respondents are consumed by wanderlust this fall due to “pent-up demand for travel.” According to the survey:

73% plan to take a leisure trip after Labor Day
52% will take a road trip
30% will fly somewhere
7% will take a cruise

Many travelers set their sights on international cruises to the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, and Mexico, the report said.

According to AAA, inflation and gas price fluctuations this summer forced 80 percent of surveyed drivers to cut back on shopping trips and drives to the movies, concerts, and sporting events. About 30 percent of respondents said they also cut back on flying.