Gasoline Prices Reach 2019 High Point

The national average price of a gallon of regular unleaded increased 4 cents for the week to $2.88, which marks a new high for 2019, according to AAA.

The move comes a week after the U.S. State Department ended waivers for countries to import oil from Iran as part of tough new sanctions against that country by the Trump administration.

The April 29 gasoline price is now 20 cents higher than a month ago and 7 cents higher than a year ago. It's 63 cents higher than it was at the beginning of the year.

"Compared to the beginning of this year, motorists have definitely felt an increasing squeeze on their wallets at the pump," said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. "These increases mean Americans are having to work more to afford to fill-up their gas tanks."

There are now 17 states within 10 cents of $3 per gallon, and gasoline on Memorial Day weekend is expected to surpass the 2018 high of $2.97 per gallon, according to AAA.

States with the largest weekly increases include Utah (13 cents), Delaware (12 cents), Rhode Island (10 cents), Idaho (9 cents), Massachusetts (9 cents), Alaska (9 cents), Nevada (9 cents), New Jersey (8 cents), Connecticut (8 cents), and West Virginia (8 cents).

States with the least expensive gasoline include Alabama ($2.51), Mississippi ($2.53), Louisiana ($2.54), Arkansas ($2.56), South Carolina ($2.56), Missouri ($2.58), Oklahoma ($2.61), Tennessee ($2.62), Texas ($2.62), and Kansas ($2.63).

Meanwhile, the average price of a gallon of diesel fuel increased 2.2 cents to $3.169, which is 1.2 cents higher than a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.