SAN ANTONIO — Gas prices in San Antonio climbed to their highest level in a year as motorists prepare for late-summer travel, with drivers paying an average of $3.73 per gallon of regular unleaded Tuesday, according to AAA Texas.
The average price is $1 higher than the $2.73 recorded on the same date last year. Filling a 14-gallon tank now costs about $52.22, compared with $38.22 a year ago.
AAA Texas attributed the increase to rising crude oil prices fueled by uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
“Texas drivers are seeing another noticeable increase at the pump as uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz pushes crude oil prices higher,” AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster said. “While the statewide average remains well below $4 per gallon, continued volatility in the oil market could lead to additional fluctuations in retail gasoline prices.”
Statewide, the average price for regular unleaded reached $3.61 per gallon Tuesday, up from $2.75 a year earlier.
Among Texas’ largest metro areas, Austin recorded the highest average price at $3.70 per gallon, followed by Dallas at $3.60. Houston posted the lowest average among the major cities at $3.53 per gallon.
Drivers traveling to remote areas of the state faced even higher prices. Brewster County, home to much of Big Bend National Park, recorded the state’s highest average at $4.40 per gallon.
Nationally, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline stood at $4.01 per gallon Tuesday, compared with $3.14 a year ago.