How to save money on gas over Labor Day weekend

Personal Finance / Banking Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure . How to save money on gas over Labor Day weekend Hal Bundrick, CFP® · Senior Writer Fri, September 4, 2026 at 4:24 PM GMT+2 5 min read It's the final road-trip getaway holiday of the summer, but Labor Day drivers will face pump prices that set records.

AAA reports that August saw national average gas prices above $4 per gallon for every day of the month. That hasn't happened since August of 2022. Gasbuddy predicts the average price of gas will be $4.

03 per gallon, which would be 87 cents higher than in 2025 and "the highest Labor Day price at the pump on record in nominal terms, surpassing the previous record of $3. 83/gal in 2012. " The price of diesel fuel hit a record on Friday, averaging $5.

85 per gallon as wars in Ukraine and Iran continue to disrupt refinery operations and drive up transportation costs. If you're taking a Labor Day road trip, there are still ways to save on fuel costs. We're ignoring the typical tips that rarely make a difference ("declutter your trunk," really?

) and giving you price discounts that really add up, from a dime a gallon or more on gas to over 50 cents a gallon on diesel. Punch it, let's go. Cheapest gas station finder apps GasBuddy searches for the best prices near you, even if you use the free version of the app.

Select the grade you're looking for (regular, premium, etc. ), and you'll see a range of prices near you from lowest to highest.   All prices are crowdsourced in real time by the 2.

52 million GasBuddy cardholders, and you can update prices yourself if you see a change. Each station shows the current price and the GasBuddy discount, so you can see whether it's worth stopping. When you find one you like, you "activate" the discount with the app and use a GasBuddy debit card to pay.

There is also a premium version of the app that costs $9. 99 a month, but you will need to see if your savings outweigh the subscription fee. Another option may already be on your phone: Google Maps displays gas prices when you select "Gas" from the "Search here" bar.

Prices can change quickly, so it's worth confirming the price when you get to the station. And the new "Ask Maps" feature shows a list of nearby gas stations with prices when you ask for the "cheapest gas near me" or "along my route. " Read more: When will gas prices go down?

Cash-back rewards apps and credit cards Upside is one of the leading free cash-back gas apps. You select an offer in the app, pay with your regular credit or debit card, and then claim your cash-back rewards through the app. The available offers aren't just for fuel; they can include groceries and dining deals too.

When we checked, there were cash-back offers of up to 18 cents per gallon of gas in St. Louis, and up to 20% back and more on dining. Gas card rewards programs such as Shell Fuel Rewards and Exxon Mobil Rewards+ can give you 3 to 10 cents off per gallon.

  Credit card rewards programs can also be used to earn cash back on gas purchases. Just watch out for annual fees that might eat up those rebates. Read more: Best credit cards for gas This embedded content is not available in your region.

Membership programs offering fuel discounts There are many grocery stores and wholesale clubs that offer "fuel points" or straight-up cash discounts of 10 to 30 cents per gallon. Walmart+ members get 10 cents off per gallon at Walmart, Murphy gas, and participating Exxon Mobil stations. Kroger (and its related brands, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, and Ralphs) and Albertsons/Safeway offer fuel discounts at participating locations, and wholesale clubs such as Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's Wholesale Club are also in the gas discount game.

Amazon Prime members can link their accounts to the earnify app to get 10-cent-per-gallon discounts at participating BP, Amoco, ampm , and Thorntons locations. And Circle K convenience stores have a rewards program as well as "Fuel Day" discount events. Other programs to consider are available from 7-Eleven, Speedway, BP, and Amoco stations, and Maverik.

Chevron Texaco stations have a limited-time offer offer $1 per gallon discounts on up to five fill-ups.   Discounts from these programs mostly range from 5 to 10 cents. Membership fees may apply.

Diesel savings for RVs and heavy-duty trucks If you're driving or towing an RV this Labor Day weekend, you can earn significant savings and gain some much-needed convenience by using a commercial fuel card program. Open Roads is a discount diesel fuel program offered by TSD Logistics. Originally offered to major freight carriers deploying 18-wheel big rigs, the program is now available to the RV community, including motorhomes, campervans, trailers, toy haulers, and heavy-duty diesel trucks.

  With a free fuel card, you can pull into more than 3,000 participating truck stops via the professional diesel lanes and pay at the pump. The charge is debited from your designated bank account and reduced by a discount of up to 40 to 50 cents per gallon. It also means you don't have to navigate your rig through the sometimes tight consumer gas lanes up front.

Another diesel fuel discount app is Mudflap . Instead of using a fuel card, you select a truck stop on the price map and receive a code to activate the deal. Mudflap claims to offer discounts at more than 3,600 truck stops.

  Of course, Love's Travel Stops, Pilot/Flying J, and other truck stops have loyalty programs and fuel discounts of their own, but they usually offer consumer savings closer to 10 cents per gallon. Read More How a gas card can help you navigate high prices at the pump As gas prices increase, you can save by earning rewards on gas station spending. Here's what to look for in a gas card.

Planning a summer road trip? The right credit card can help you save A road trip can help you save as travel prices increase. Here's how to get even more value with a rewards credit card.

When will gas prices go down? Two factors are driving prices higher. Geopolitical tensions are keeping gas prices above $4.

Here's where experts say prices are headed. Gas tops $4 and diesel is over $5. How an extended war with Iran could push prices higher.

Gas and diesel prices are hitting new highs as geopolitical instability in the Middle East disrupts supply. Here's a breakdown of how international tensions influence pump prices. Trump backs gas tax holiday as pump prices rise.

What drivers should know. Higher gas prices are squeezing household budgets and reviving calls for tax relief. Here's what to know about gas tax holidays.

5 ways higher oil prices could impact your wallet Here's a closer look at how high oil prices can trickle down and raise your everyday costs.