What Will Thanksgiving Gas Prices Look Like In Iowa This Year?
Exactly how much will home for the holidays cost?
It doesn't matter if you're flying or driving for the holidays, you're still going to cough up cash (and sanity) to make it home in time for family drama.
The good news is that the price of gas has dropped about 16-cents in Iowa this last week and the trend is nationally continuing downward.
The most expensive Thanksgiving week gas price on record was just in 2022, when the average cost of gas nationally was $3.65/gallon. And now, about 2 weeks out from Thanksgiving, even with a decline in the cost of gas over the last few months, we could break that record this year.
Meanwhile Airfare Is At A 10-Year High
If you're really looking for a year with a good excuse to skip the family gathering, this may be it. This year, a Thanksgiving domestic round-trip plane ticket is averaging $402 and Christmastime flights are $452.
On the road, gas prices in Iowa have dropped 41-cents within the last month but it's still over a dollar more expensive than it was this time last year. Analysts are expecting the price of gas to go down 20-to-30-cents by the time the holiday rolls around.
Plus, filling stations are now switching to winter-blend gas, which is less expensive to produce than summer-blend gas.
Read More: Google Flights: The Best Time To Book Holiday Travel 2026
When To Fly vs. When To Drive
Experts are saying that the best time to drive would be if you're bringing along a family or more than one person (obviously, you don't have to buy more than one ticket like you would on a plane). Bonus if there's multiple people in the car that can chip in. But driving can often include additional expenses, especially if a hotel stay is necessary.
But if you're traveling somewhere solo for Thanksgiving, experts advise you to book a plane ticket.