Millions In PA Planning July 4 Travel: Wheres The Cheapest Gas?

PENNSYLVANIA — It’s nearly time to celebrate the nation’s founding, and with the Independence Day holiday comes millions of travelers in Pennsylvania.

According to AAA, 972,428 Pennsylvanians in the five-county Philadelphia region alone are planning to travel 50 miles or more now through July 7.

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Nationally, AAA predicts 70.9 million travelers over the holiday period, with 60.5 million of them going by car. That’s 2.8 million more than 2023’s number and higher than 2019’s pre-pandemic number of 55.3 million.

With millions of drivers in Pennsylvania and across the nation hitting the road to celebrate the holiday, AAA listed the best and worst time to drive during the holiday period.

They are:

Tuesday

• Worst — 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Best — Before Noon

Wednesday

• Worst — 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Best — Before Noon

Thursday

• Worst — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Best — Before 10 a.m.

Friday

• Worst — 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Best — Before 10 a.m.

Saturday

• Worst — 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Best — Before 11 a.m.

Sunday

• Worst — 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Best — After 7 p.m.

And as many Pennsylvanians are planning to road trip over the holiday, gas prices are at the forefront of many drivers’ minds.

According to AAA, the gas average is $3.64 as of Friday, up one cent in the last week and one cent higher than a year ago.

The Philadelphia 5-county gas price average is $3.52 per gallon, down 8 cents in the past week and 13 cents lower than last year.

Gas price tracking website GasWatch.com reports the cheapest gas price in Pennsylvania is at a Kwik Fill station in Barkeyville, Venango County, with a price of $3.09 per gallon.

In the immediate Philadelphia area, gas appears to be the lowest at $3.25 and $3.26 at Chester Gas in Chester and at Gulf in Northeast Philadelphia.

Prices are lower in the Allentown area, with stations offering $3.23, $3.23, and $3.25 in that area.

In the Scranton-Wilkes Barre area, GasWatch.com shows prices at $3.24.

Check out gas prices across Pennsylvania online here.