Average gas prices below $3.00 per gallon nationwide: Further price drops projected

Gas prices are at their lowest non-COVID era level since 2015, according to GasBuddy, which has the average price nationally at $2.97 per gallon at the start of the business day on Monday.

GasBuddy surveys more than 150,000 stations nationwide each day; of that total, nearly 110,000 are below $3 per gallon.

“The national average has finally fallen below $3 per gallon, and it couldn’t come at a better time for motorists with the holidays upon us,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

Virginia drivers are paying an average of $2.88 per gallon, which is down 10.2 cents from a month ago and 16.4 cents per gallon from a year ago.

The national average price of diesel has declined 2.3 cents in the last week and stands at $3.491 per gallon.

“The good news is that we’ll likely continue to see additional downward pressure on gas prices, with the national average potentially falling another 10 to 15 cents by Christmas,” De Haan said.