Why Gas Prices Are Skyrocketing Again In New York

Gas prices in New York are climbing fast, jumping more than 25 cents in a week and 8 cents in a few hours.

Experts are telling us why.

Gas Prices Up Over 25 Cents A Gallon In 1 Week In New York State

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As of May 1, 2026, the average price for regular unleaded gas in New York State has reached approximately $4.36 per gallon, a significant jump from roughly $4.11 earlier in the week.

In the past 24 hours, gas is up 8 cents! Gas is up 38 cents in the past month and is over $1.36 more than what New Yorkers paid before the conflict with Iran began.

This time last year, New Yorkers paid $3.107 for a gallon of regular fuel.

Why Are Gas Prices Surging?

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Gas prices in New York surged this week primarily due to intensified and continued tensions between the U.S. and Iran, which have disrupted global oil supply routes.

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AAA blames the price of oil.

"The national average is $1.12 higher than it was this time last year, as oil prices surge above $100/barrel with no indication of when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years, since late July 2022," AAA states.

Crude oil prices were trading at $65 to $73 per barrel on Feb. 28, 2026, before the Iran conflict started.

Switch To Summer Blend

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Another reason for the sharp increase. Especially the 24-hour 8-cent rise. Today, Friday, May 1st if the first day of "Summer Blend" gasoline.

On May 1st, gas stations are required to switch to their summer blend.

The EPA-mandated formula costs more money to produce, which means we pay more. The summer blend helps reduce smog during warmer weather.

On the plus side, vehicles typically get slightly better gas mileage with the summer blend.

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli

High Gas Prices Might Be Good For New York

Gas prices continue to rise to unprecedented levels across the country, and while most people are right to think that is a very bad thing, there could be some good news when it comes to higher gas prices.

Gallery Credit: Dave Fields