SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gas prices have soared to new heights for the Sacramento region on Labor Day weekend with an average of $4.35 per gallon, according to AAA.
That's the highest they've been since March of 2012.
Despite the CDC's recommendation for unvaccinated people not to travel on Labor Day weekend, there was still a very steady flow of people coming and going from the Sacramento International Airport for most of the day.
"Coming from Idaho!" Kevin Flemming, a traveler at the airport, said.
Flemming flew home from Boise just in time to be back before work on Tuesday.
"We drove out actually, part of us, and I needed to get back so I flew back. But it was so much cheaper than driving really. If we could have done the whole trip, it would have been a better deal, saved us so much time," he said.
According to AAA, gas prices in the Sacramento area are the highest they've been since March of 2012.
"When demand is high, when crude oil is high, that leads to extra high gas prices, and that trend kind of continued from March until about now" Sergio Avilia, a spokesperson for AAA Northern California, said.
Still, Avilia says the majority of people choosing to travel this weekend are doing so by car.
"It's ridiculous. I mean, if I fill up my gas tank right now, it's probably going to be $100 or more so not going to go anymore with this car, with these prices," Adriana Hernandez, a traveler at a Chevron gas station, said.
"I expect them to be high, and I don't think they're going any lower. And I just save the money to do what I want to do," Donna Clayton, a traveler, said.
Even though Gabriella Cunningham said they're fully booked at her jet ski rental company for the weekend, the high gas prices certainly are not helping the business.
"With our company, we actually provide a full tank of gas, so for us, it does make the expense go up but the high demand has kind of evened it out and sometimes you've got to take your losses where they come," Cunningham said.
AAA says they are expecting demand to drop off a bit after this Labor Day weekend. They are also expecting gas prices to reflect that and start declining soon after this weekend.
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