Long Island gas prices at $3.87 a gallon Tuesday, up $1 from last month

Gas prices on Long Island, which have seen daily increases since the war with Iran began in late February, are up a dollar from the same time a month ago, according to online pricing data from AAA.

The average per gallon price of regular gasoline on Long Island reached $3.87 Tuesday, up from the $2.86 per gallon the motorist club reported on Feb. 24.

The rapid increase in price is not the norm for this time of year and is reflective of the soaring price of crude oil caused by the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran, said Robert Sinclair Jr., senior manager of public affairs at AAA Northeast.

Traditionally, gas prices on Long Island, like in the rest of the Northeast, begin to slowly increase in early spring due to the seasonal switchover from winter blends to summer blends of gasoline at refineries across the country, he said.

“The summer changeover usually is responsible for a 25-to-35 cent per gallon increase under normal circumstances,” Sinclair said.

But that slight increase is a far cry from the more than dollar bump that local drivers are experiencing at the pump. 

Steven Kent, chief economist for the Long Island Association business group, said high gas prices have a direct impact on consumers and the economy.

"For people who are making less, it takes away from them spending on other things," he said. "For a person who has a higher income it doesn't impact them to the same degree, but it still takes cash away from their wallets."

Kent added that if the war "goes on longer, you will start to see it impact people's spending habits."

While prices are higher, they are still below record prices set less than four years ago on Long Island.

Gas prices hit a record high of $5.04 on Long Island in June 2022 following the U.S. decision to levy sanctions against Russian oil exports after the country invaded Ukraine early that year.

To save money on trips to the pump, experts recommend that drivers make sure their vehicles are well-maintained, and that drivers try using new spark plugs and fuel injectors to get more efficiency out of their truck or car. 

Long Island drivers also should consider filling up their tanks on Sunday, as it is the most affordable day of the week to buy gas.

Additionally, buying gas from independent service stations, stations away from major roadways or stations owned by warehouse clubs like Costco and BJ's Wholesale Club, can often result in lower per gallon prices, local AAA experts say.