Washington / Oregon Travel: Gas Prices Jump More Than Usual As War Heightens

Published 03/11/26 at 7:55 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Portland, Oregon) – AAA termed it the “jump at the pump,” and that may have been putting it lightly. Just before spring break in Washington and Oregon, gas prices hike higher than they normally would this time of year.

The organization said crude oil prices are surging in the wake of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and a slowdown in tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, driving gasoline prices sharply higher nationwide. Seasonal refinery maintenance and the transition to summer-blend fuel are adding additional upward pressure.

“For the week, the national average for regular soars 43 cents to $3.54 a gallon. The Oregon average jumps 31 cents to $4.26 a gallon,” said AAA Oregon/Idaho public affairs director Marie Dodds.

Washington’s average surged from $4.40 to $4.724 and is now approaching the $5 mark. Oregon recorded the 42nd-largest weekly increase among states.

As unpleasant as that is, the Pacific Northwest has it rather lucky.

“While drivers in all 50 states are finding higher prices at the pumps, Oregon and Washington have some of the smallest increases in the country.” Dodds said.

This week’s spike remains below the extreme run-up seen in March 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent the national average soaring 60 cents and Oregon’s rising 58 cents in a single week.

Along the Oregon coast, Tillamook County averages the highest at $4.51 a gallon, and Lincoln County the least expensive at $4.16. Clatsop County and Curry County were both around $4.43 a gallon, according to AAA.

Dodds says the rapid rise in crude prices is directly feeding into higher pump prices.

“When crude oil prices shoot up, pump prices follow suit because crude oil is the basic ingredient in gasoline and diesel,” she said. “It’s impossible to predict how high prices might go, but expect elevated oil and gas prices as long as the conflict in Iran continues and tankers are stalled in the Strait of Hormuz.”

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About 20% of the world’s oil and refined products move through the strait, a narrow chokepoint bordered by Iran that handles exports from major producers including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, Iraq and Iran. Any disruption can ripple through global markets. While the U.S. does not rely on Iranian oil, major importers such as China and India do.

Gasoline prices in Oregon began 2026 at $3.42 a gallon, with the year’s low of $3.33 recorded on January 20. Tuesday’s $4.26 average is the highest so far this year. Nationally, prices started the year at $2.83 a gallon, dipped to a low of $2.795 on January 11, and have now reached their 2026 high at $3.54.

See AAA's gas prices display: https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/.

Crude markets remain sensitive to a wide range of geopolitical and economic pressures, including the conflict involving Iran, instability in the Middle East, sanctions on Iranian oil, the war in Ukraine, tensions involving Venezuela and Greenland, and broader economic uncertainty, AAA said. Russia remains one of the world’s top oil producers, behind the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. OPEC+ production cuts in recent years have also kept global supplies tight.

Seasonal factors are now adding to the strain. Refinery maintenance and the switch to more expensive summer-blend gasoline typically begin in late winter and early spring. California transitions first—some areas require summer-blend fuel by April 1 - often pushing West Coast prices higher ahead of the rest of the country. Most U.S. refiners and terminals must meet summer-blend requirements by May 1, with gas stations following by June 1.

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