AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; Christmas Brings Cheaper Prices

IRVING, Texas--Dec. 17, 2004--Retail gasoline prices fell for the seventh straight week as a record number of Christmas travelers prepare to hit the roadways, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The statewide average for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline dropped nearly six cents to $1.730. Last year, the Texas average was 34.7 cents less at $1.383 a gallon.

"Travelers driving to their destination this Christmas holiday will see pump prices more than ten cents lower than a month ago," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Nationwide, nearly 51 million travelers or 81 percent of all holiday travelers are expected to travel by automobile, a 2.9 percent increase from the 49.4 million who drove last year."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline decreased about seven cents to $1.822 a gallon.

AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for automobile trips.

Average Daily Prices as of 12:01 AM, Dec. 1, 20047, 2004:

                                                           Last Year's
      Area           Current     Change      Record Price     Price
     ------          -------    --------    -------------- -----------
National             $1.822  - 6.8 cents  $2.054 (05/26/04)  $1.470
State                $1.730  - 5.7 cents  $1.927 (05/26/04)  $1.383
Austin-San Marcos    $1.722  - 5.4 cents  $1.929 (05/27/04)  $1.367
Beaumont             $1.700  - 5.8 cents  $1.903 (06/01/04)  $1.373
Corpus Christi       $1.638  - 4.9 cents  $1.925 (05/26/04)  $1.325
Dallas               $1.736  - 5.9 cents  $1.932 (05/27/04)  $1.396
Ft. Worth            $1.728  - 5.5 cents  $1.924 (05/28/04)  $1.385
Galveston-Texas City $1.725  - 5.2 cents  $1.922 (06/01/04)  $1.375
Houston              $1.725  - 5.2 cents  $1.909 (06/01/04)  $1.367
San Antonio          $1.687  - 5.9 cents  $1.952 (05/26/04)  $1.340

AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.