Alaska Gas Prices

What drivers in Alaska are paying this week

Alaska does not have a published weekly statewide average, so the reference number above is the West Coast (PADD 5) average of $5.417. That regional benchmark fell $0.140 week over week and is $1.148 above the national average of $4.269. Stations in Alaska typically trade within roughly 20 to 40 cents of the regional figure, depending on distance from the nearest terminal and local taxes.

Alaska prices are driven by distance, not taxes. Fuel has to be shipped to ports and then trucked or barged to communities that are often hundreds of miles from the nearest refinery.

Why Alaska gas prices land where they do

• Freight and barge costs add a large fixed premium to every gallon.
• Very few retail stations mean less price competition in rural areas.
• Anchorage and Fairbanks are cheaper than bush communities but still above the U.S. average.

These are structural factors, not daily noise. They explain why Alaska tends to sit in the same part of the national price range week after week, even when the national average moves. For the general mechanics behind these forces, see our guide on how gas prices are set.

How Alaska compares

Neighboring states with a published weekly average give the clearest picture of the regional spread. The table below compares Alaska against those states and the national average.

Market	Regular price	vs Alaska	Week change
Alaska	$5.417	—	−$0.140
Washington	$5.203	−$0.214	−$0.130
U.S. average	$4.269	−$1.148	−$0.010

Ways to spend less on gas in Alaska

1. Membership warehouses such as Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s usually price 10 to 30 cents below nearby branded stations.
2. Stations a few miles off the interstate are often cheaper than the first exit, because they pay less for land and rely on local traffic.
3. Apps that show station-level prices are worth using for the last mile — our numbers give you the regional baseline, they give you the address.
4. Keeping tires at the recommended pressure and removing roof racks can recover 3 to 6 percent of fuel economy, which is worth 10 to 20 cents a gallon at current prices.

Want a number instead of a rule of thumb? The commute cost calculator turns your own miles and MPG into a weekly and annual fuel bill, using the current Alaska price as the default.

How we source Alaska prices

Every figure on this page comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly retail gasoline survey, which reports average retail prices in dollars per gallon including taxes. We rebuild the page every week after the survey is released, so the date on the price panel always matches the data behind it. We do not estimate missing state numbers; where the EIA does not publish a statewide series, we label the regional benchmark instead. Full details are in our methodology and data sources pages.

The bottom line for Alaska drivers

At the regional benchmark of $5.417 per gallon, a 12-gallon fill-up in Alaska costs about $65.00. Over a 15,000-mile year at 28 MPG, that implies roughly $2902 in fuel, before any local station discounts.