Gas prices not affecting travel much over Thanksgiving week

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - According to AAA, the national gas price average has slowly gone down starting the beginning of Thanksgiving week. But it's up overall compared to last year's price.

The national gas price average is $2.54 per gallon. That is two cents less than one week ago, and 40 cents more than it was this time in 2016.

The jump over last year's prices is not detouring travelers from hitting the road this holiday week.

"We are going to Kansas City," said Ruby Dell-Hardin, who was traveling on Wednesday. "We just go. We don't think about, I wonder how much the fuel is going to be in Cape Girardeau? We just get in the car and go, and when we need to buy fuel, we buy fuel."

AAA Spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said nearly 40 million will travel more than 50 miles away from their homes this Thanksgiving.

Drivers can find gas for $2.50 per gallon or less at 55 percent of gas stations in America right now, according to AAA.

"Since 2014, the national gas price average has dropped one to five cents heading into the Thanksgiving week," said Casselano.

Stats from AAA:

• The nation’s top ten states with the largest yearly increases: Alaska (+63 cents), Illinois (+59 cents), Indiana (+58 cents), Minnesota (+55 cents), Wisconsin (+54 cents), California (+52 cents), Michigan (+51 cents), Kansas (+49 cents), Iowa (+47 cents) and Colorado (+47 cents).
• The nation’s top ten states with the least expensive gas prices: Alabama ($2.25), Mississippi ($2.26), South Carolina ($2.27), Texas ($2.28), Arkansas ($2.29), Oklahoma ($2.31), Virginia ($2.31), Tennessee ($2.31), Louisiana($2.33) and Missouri ($2.35).
• Illinois ($2.70) lands on this week’s top 10 states with the most expensive gas in the country.

Kansas City, Memphis, and Nashville are all going to run you around $2.30 per gallon.

"Gas prices are a little bit higher than they are in Memphis, said Steve Zimmerman, who was traveling. "I paid $2.09 at Costco yesterday, and it's $2.49 in Cape Girardeau, so it doesn't influence my travel too much. Still going to go to St. Louis for Thanksgiving."

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