Labor Day gas prices are forecast to average a record $4.03 per gallon nationwide in 2026. GasBuddy says geopolitical uncertainty continues to affect fuel markets, while Columbus and central Ohio prices remain well above year-ago levels.
Labor Day gas prices are forecast to reach their highest level on record for the holiday, with GasBuddy projecting a national average of about $4.03 per gallon during the 2026 Labor Day weekend.
GasBuddy said on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, that the projected price would be 87 cents higher than Labor Day 2025 and above the previous holiday record of $3.83 per gallon set in 2012.
GasBuddy forecasts record Labor Day gas prices
The $4.03 projection would make Labor Day 2026 the most expensive Labor Day at the pump on record in nominal terms.
Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis, said this year's fuel market has been influenced less by typical seasonal supply-and-demand patterns and more by uncertainty surrounding global crude oil and refined-product supplies.
Columbus and Ohio gas prices remain elevated
Central Ohio gasoline prices fell 19.8 cents per gallon over the previous week to an average of $3.92, according to GasBuddy's survey of 500 stations. Despite the decline, the average remained 26.2 cents higher than a month earlier and 67.2 cents above the year-earlier level.
In the Columbus area, reported prices ranged from $3.41 to $4.39 per gallon, creating a 98-cent difference between the cheapest and most expensive stations surveyed.
U.S. fuel and diesel prices stay high
GasBuddy reported that the national gasoline average had fallen 3.2 cents to about $4.01 per gallon, remaining 86.2 cents above the comparable year-ago level.
Diesel prices also declined slightly, falling 1.4 cents to about $5.57 per gallon.
Global oil risks keep prices volatile
De Haan identified developments involving the United States and Iran, conditions affecting the Strait of Hormuz and Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries as major factors capable of moving fuel prices.
GasBuddy expects continued volatility as motorists prepare for holiday travel. An easing of geopolitical disruptions could reduce pressure on gasoline prices, while additional problems affecting oil production, refining or transportation could keep fuel costs elevated in the weeks ahead.
