Consuming Juneau: Local gas prices range from $3.51 to $4.40 a gallon
- Mark Sabbatini
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 5
Hostilities in Middle East not having major impact yet following oil price drop earlier this year
A sharp decline in oil prices this year is causing anguish among state policymakers who say funds for public services and Permanent Fund dividends are being starved. But the silver lining — more of a smog-colored grey, perhaps — is gas prices are also taking a tumble.
"Summer Gas Prices Haven’t Been This Low Since 2021," The New York Times reported on Thursday morning, citing AAA’s tracking website. The site reported Juneau’s price for a gallon of regular unleaded is currently about $3.70, compared to $3.73 a month ago and $4.22 a year ago. The site also notes the record-high average was $5.51 on July 7, 2022.
The current national average of $3.22 is down from $3.49 a year ago, according to AAA. Alaska’s statewide average of $3.75 is down from $3.90 a year ago.
But as has long been the case in Juneau, motorists may find themselves paying well below or well above the average depending on where they fuel up.
A price check of Juneau’s 12 retail gas stations on the morning of Thursday, June 26, shows prices for regular unleaded ranging from $3.50⁹ at Fisherman’s Bend to $4.39⁹ at two Delta Western Petroleum stations. That gap isn’t quite as large as the $1 difference between the same stations in an Oct. 22, 2023, survey, but generally speaking all 12 stations have similar rankings in the least-to-most-expensive comparison.
Station/location | Regular unleaded | Premium unleaded |
Capital Service | $3.99⁹ | $4.19⁹ |
Delta Western (downtown and valley) | $4.39⁹ | $4.79⁹ |
Douglas Depot | $3.59⁹ | $3.81⁹ |
Gas N’ Go | $3.58⁹ | $3.78⁹ |
Petro One (Lemon Creek) | $3.57⁹ | $3.77⁹ |
Fred Meyer | $3.59⁹ | $3.81⁹ |
Petro One (airport) | $3.54⁹ | $3.76⁹ |
Mike’s Airport Express | $3.90⁹ | $4.35⁹ |
Safeway | $3.59⁹ | $3.89⁹ |
DeHart’s Auke Bay Store | $3.69⁹ | $3.99⁹ |
Fisherman’s Bend | $3.50⁹ | $3.70⁹ |
Alaska statewide average | $3.746 | $4.203 |
Nationwide average | $3.220 | $4.053 |
Key factors that may affect prices at Juneau’s stations are contractual agreements with the supplier — which may involve purchasing/selling fuel at a set price — and competition from nearby stations, said Peter Bibb of Petro Marine Services, which supplies fuel to three local stations, in an October 2023 interview when that survey was conducted.
The turbulence of national news over the past several months is also having a significant effect on prices nationwide, according to AAA and expert analysts. A sharp decline in prices occurred during the winter and spring due to economic uncertainties stemming from Trump administration policies such as widespread global tariffs. But in recent days a conflict between Israel and Iran that the U.S. has become involved with has some officials speculating a disruption in Middle East oil shipments may drive prices up.
"U.S. airstrikes over the weekend caused petroleum futures to spike Sunday evening, with oil creeping up to $78/bbl," AAA reported at its price-tracking website Thursday. "That quickly dissipated by Monday, and as of this morning, oil prices are back to what they were pre-conflict. With Independence Day around the corner, and 61.6 million holiday travelers preparing to hit the road next week, gas prices may increase slightly."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
