AAA Washington: Area by Area Comparison of Self-Serve Regular Unleaded Fuel Prices
18 December 1997
AAA Washington: Area by Area Comparison of Self-Serve Regular Unleaded Fuel PricesBELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 18 -- With prices dropping at the gas pumps, travel this holiday season is expected to rise by 5 percent nationally. Locally, Washingtonians are expected to take to the highways and skyways in record numbers as well. Gas prices in central and western Washington are down an average of 5 cents per gallon since Thanksgiving. The average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded self-serve fuel this holiday season is $1.26 compared to the average Thanksgiving price of $1.31. This time last year, the average fuel price for unleaded, self-serve was $1.25. Nationally, the price for regular unleaded, self-serve fuel averages $1.21 per gallon, down 1.8 cents since mid-November. Reasons cited for the drop across the country are a seasonal drop in demand and the drop of crude oil prices since Iraq's concessions to the United Nations. The Energy Information Administration, supported by AAA's figures, also reports that the price drop since the end of August is the largest seasonal decrease since price tracking began in 1990. The travel industry reports that the greatest number of auto travelers will originate in the West with 9.1 million people driving a distance of 100 miles or more. Destinations Washingtonians are heading to -- both by car and by air -- are visits to family and friends; skiing here in the state, in British Columbia, or in Colorado; Disneyland in California; and Hawaii for extended vacations. AAA Washington is a not-for-profit travel services organization with 13 offices in central and western Washington. The club provides more than 570,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services. Christmas 97 Thanks/ 1997 Christmas 96 Bellevue/Eastside 1.289 1.349 1.301 Bellingham 1.280 1.333 1.223 Bremerton 1.250 1.284 1.284 Everett 1.272 1.347 1.281 Lynnwood 1.270 1.339 1.264 Olympia 1.269 1.307 1.283 Renton 1.299 1.331 1.265 Seattle 1.320 1.350 1.331 Tacoma 1.289 1.329 1.289 Tri-Cities 1.094 1.111 1.121 Vancouver 1.275 1.354 1.211 Wenatchee 1.319 1.390 1.208 Yakima 1.253 1.321 1.236 AVERAGE 1.267 1.318 1.253 SOURCE AAA Washington