Are gas prices creeping up again in Atlanta? What tracking data shows
The United States and Iran exchanged attacks over the weekend as President Donald Trump assured Americans the Strait of Hormuz would be open to commercial traffic.
On Monday, the president said the U.S. is instating a naval blockade and will seek operational control of the waterway. He said the U.S. was "taking over the strait" and that the country will be "reimbursed" by other Middle Eastern countries for financial hardships caused by the strait's repeated closure, according to statements made during a phone interview with Fox News.
The conflict with Iran began in February and has been highly volatile, leading to multiple closings of the strait which serves as one of the main oil corridors in the world.
In previous weeks, the conflict has been reflected in American gas prices. Some states saw gallons going for more than $5 while others saw multi-year highs. In Georgia, the average price of gas was in the high $4 range this spring.
Now, with control of the strait uncertain, are prices going up again?
Gas prices in Atlanta start to creep up again
According to GasBuddy data and the AAA gas price tracker, the average cost of a gallon of gas in the Atlanta metro area is back on the rise.
The cheapest gas in the metro is outside of the Atlanta city limits, according to GasBuddy. Gas in Lithonia is about $3.25, while gas in Duluth is $3.28. Similar prices are spotted at gas stations in Snellville and other cities on the east side of Atlanta.
As a whole, however, gas prices in the metro average to about $3.55 for regular, $4.02 for mid, $4.44 for premium and $4.66 for diesel, according to AAA.
Those prices are all higher than they were a week ago, though lower than gas prices a month ago.
The $3.55 price is also 60 cents more than a gallon cost a year ago, when it was $2.92 in the Atlanta metro, AAA data shows.
The highest average price recorded in the metro was $4.54 on June 15, 2022, according to AAA records.
Why is the price of gas higher during the war in Iran?
Crude oil, or the kind of oil that is transported through the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran, is the primary ingredient in gasoline, meaning if the oil prices continue to increase, so does the price of gas.
Oil prices are increasing as cargo ships are stuck either inside the strait, unable to get their cargo to their designated country, or if they are stuck outside the strait, unable to restock their cargo. Oil demand hasn't changed, but as the supply gets held up amid the Iran war, the prices of crude oil increase.
As of 2025, the price of crude oil made up 51.4% of the average retail price of gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The other 49% of the price comes from the cost of refinement, distribution, marketing and federal and state gas taxes.
Irene Wright covers politics in Georgia as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today's Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are gas prices creeping up again in Atlanta? What tracking data shows
Reporting by Irene Wright, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 11:42 AM.