Dallas-area drivers filling up this week are paying some of the highest prices they've seen in years — and the primary culprit is a war thousands of miles away.
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline crossed $4 for the first time since 2022 this week, according to AAA, with prices now more than a dollar higher than they were before the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran began on Feb. 28. AAA described it as the largest monthly jump the motor club has recorded.
In the Dallas metro, the average price for regular unleaded hit $3.69 per gallon as of late March — 22 cents higher than the week prior and 80 cents more than the same time last year. The statewide Texas average now sits at $3.68 per gallon, still below the $4.06 national average. Many DFW-area gas stations are now charging $3.89 per gallon.
The surge has been relentless. AAA Texas spokesperson Doug Shupe said oil prices have been hovering near $100 a barrel, compared to less than $70 a barrel when the Iran conflict erupted at the end of February, pushing pump prices up roughly three to four cents a day statewide. The Texas statewide average has risen 32 cents in a single week at its steepest point, with prices up 86 cents per gallon compared to a year ago.
The conflict has caused deep supply chain disruptions across major Middle Eastern oil producers. Crude oil — the main ingredient in gasoline — has spiked and swung rapidly since strikes began. According to Jay Young, founder and CEO of the Dallas-area King Operating Corporation, roughly a fifth of all globally produced oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz. When that flow paused, oil prices shot up approximately 30%.
Seasonal factors are compounding the problem. AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster noted that gasoline demand is also rising as the spring travel season ramps up, adding pressure to an already strained market. "The biggest factor remains the price of crude oil, and because it is traded globally, developments overseas can quickly affect what drivers pay here at home," Armbruster said.
The White House announced the release of 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over four months, but AAA noted the move has provided no immediate relief, with crude prices continuing to climb.
For now, AAA is urging North Texas drivers to reduce highway speeds, avoid unnecessary idling, and check whether their vehicle actually requires premium fuel — simple steps that can stretch every tank a little further as prices show no immediate sign of retreating.
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The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline crossed $4 for the first time since 2022
