Georgia drivers are seeing some welcome holiday cheer at the gas pump as prices continue a steady decline just in time for Christmas travel. As of Monday, the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline sits at $2.74, with only minor day-to-day fluctuations expected.
If it doesn’t feel like late December in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia, you’re not imagining it. A warmer-than-normal pattern is taking hold and will only strengthen as we move through the week and into the Christmas holiday.
With Christmas and New Year’s travel picking up, the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) is issuing travel alerts and safety reminders for motorists across the state. Georgia DOT says it will temporarily suspend lane closures on interstates, major state routes, and roadways near key shopping areas, malls, and retail districts to reduce congestion during peak travel times.
While extreme cold settles across Georgia, drivers are seeing a bit of relief where it matters, at the pump as the state’s average gas price moved lower this week. As of Monday, the statewide average sits at $2.76 per gallon, though daily price changes remain possible.
AAA projects 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during the 13-day year-end holiday period from December 20 through January 1, a 2.2% increase over 2024 and higher than last year’s record. For Georgia, AAA forecasts a new milestone as well, projecting 3.8 million Georgians will travel during the same stretch, with the vast majority expected to drive and nearly 200,000 expected to fly.
The Thanksgiving travel period is routinely the busiest time of year on Georgia roadways, and state officials say 11 people died in traffic crashes during this year’s holiday reporting window.
As Thanksgiving travel ramps up, drivers across Georgia are seeing a slight increase in gas prices heading into the holiday week. According to AAA, the statewide average now stands at $2.87 per gallon, driven by a modest rise in crude oil prices and growing travel demand. Prices are six cents higher than last week, nine cents higher than last month, but still six cents lower than this time last year. Filling up a standard 15-gallon tank now costs about $43.95.
As Thanksgiving travel increases across Georgia, law enforcement agencies statewide — including the Summerville Police Department, Trion Police Department, and the Chattooga County Sheriff’s Office — are stepping up patrols to keep roads safe during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
