MARQUETTE – GasBuddy has reported holiday travelers may find a welcome gift at the pump this Christmas. GasBuddy expects the national average on Christmas Day to land near $2.79 per gallon, below last year’s price of $3, saving motorists over half a billion dollars during the Christmas week compared to last year. While 2024 previously represented the lowest Christmas Day price since 2020, this year continues that trend and marks another year of modest improvement for holiday drivers.

The softer holiday pricing comes as refinery maintenance winds down and gasoline supplies rise, easing some of the pressure that typically builds earlier in the year. In addition, OPEC has been increasing oil production for much of 2025, pushing crude prices to multi-year lows in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Even with millions of Americans traveling for the holidays, winter gasoline demand remains far lower than in the summer, helping keep a natural lid on prices. While unexpected refinery issues or international tensions could still introduce volatility, the overall backdrop is far more favorable for Christmas travelers than it was a few years ago when the re-opening economy surged prices.