A customer reaches to pump gas from a dispenser at a Buc-ee's gas station in Katy, Texas, on August 17, 2026.

With the war in the Middle East still raising energy costs, Americans face record-high gasoline prices for Labor Day weekend, just as political campaigns ⁠kick off for midterm Congressional elections.

The national average gasoline price will probably hit $4.03 on Labor Day, far surpassing the previous record of $3.83 per gallon set in 2012, said GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan.

"Gasoline, while not at all-time records, ​is at its highest level ever recorded this late in ​the calendar year, meaning Americans could for the first ​time ever see a national average price of gasoline above $4 per gallon on Labor Day," De Haan wrote in a recent blog post.

The national average price of gasoline stood at around $4.13 per gallon on Thursday, up nearly a dollar from last year's average, according to price-tracking service GasBuddy. Analysts say $4 per gallon is a pain point for many consumers.

Gasoline prices, among the most visible economic indicators for U.S. consumers, ⁠can ‌quickly shape perceptions of the broader economy. With prices hovering above $4 a gallon for much of the year, ⁠the issue has become a persistent concern for President Donald Trump and his Republican Party.

Trump has pledged to lower energy costs. In recent weeks, he stepped up criticism of refiners and fuel retailers, accusing them of profiting from elevated pump prices. On August 14, Trump said Americans should be willing to pay a "tiny little bit more" for gasoline to ensure Iran could not obtain a nuclear weapon.

Labor Day is typically a final summer getaway for many Americans, with ‌many people traveling by car or airplane.

Prices at the pump have climbed alongside crude oil prices, which jumped back over $90 a barrel this week after renewed military action between the U.S. and Iran revived concerns about disruptions to global crude supplies.

Prices of distillates, which include diesel and heating oil, also increased, driven in part ​by ongoing attacks on Russian refining facilities, which raised concerns about supply disruptions.

Retail fuel prices and crude oil typically move in the same direction because crude feedstock is the dominant cost for producing the fuel.