Long Island gas prices drop to $2.94 as holiday travel begins

Drivers heading out for the holidays can expect to pay slightly less at the pump than they did at this time last year.

Long Island’s average price hit $2.94 per gallon this week, down 2.4 cents from last December, and about 35 cents below from the same period in 2023, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 1,158 stations released Monday, Dec. 8. Many Riverhead gas station prices are below the average.

“With the national average falling further, we’re now at multi-year lows heading into Christmas,” said Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis. “Barring any major disruptions, prices are likely to stay relatively low into the new year.”

Prices fell 4.1 cents over the past week and are 4.4 cents lower than a month ago. The national average dropped 5 cents to $2.90 per gallon.

GasBuddy found wide variation on Long Island, with station prices ranging from $2.09 to $4.29 per gallon — a $2.20 spread. The Mobil station on Old Country Road in Riverhead was charging $2.79 per gallon for regular unleaded. At Southold Town gas stations, the price was about 40 cents more per gallon.

Meanwhile, diesel prices across Long Island also declined, falling 5.1 cents nationally to $3.67 per gallon.

Nearby markets showed similar trends: New York City averaged $3.10 (down 2.5 cents); Trenton, N.J., averaged $2.93 (down 7.4 cents); and Bridgeport, Conn., averaged $3.04 (down 3.3 cents).

In December 2023, Long Island’s average was $3.29 per gallon.