BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Gas prices are rising locally and across the country, as global tensions push oil markets higher and lawmakers raise concerns about possible price gouging.
The average price of a gallon of gasoline nationally climbed to about $3.32 Friday, the highest level in a year and a half.
The increases have been driven largely by global oil market uncertainty tied to escalating conflict involving Iran.
In Pennsylvania, prices have risen even faster.
According to AAA, the statewide average reached about $3.45 per gallon Friday, up from roughly $3.11 a week earlier.
What drivers are seeing in the Lehigh Valley
Drivers in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area currently are paying an average of $3.43 per gallon, with prices averaging around $3.46 in Lehigh County and $3.40 in Northampton County as of Friday morning, according to AAA data.
Prices vary widely depending on location, even within Pennsylvania. Some counties are seeing prices as high as $3.70 per gallon, while others are closer to $3.24.
Friday morning, gas stations within a few blocks on Union Boulevard in Allentown had prices ranging from $3.40 to $3.79 per gallon for regular unleaded, while diesel was as high as $4.99 at the Wawa at Union Boulevard and Airport Road.
Gas stations can change prices daily based on wholesale fuel costs, competition and supply conditions.
Why prices jumped so quickly
Several factors are pushing gas prices higher, experts say:
1. Rising oil prices linked to global conflict
Oil prices surged after military strikes involving Iran and disruptions to major energy supply routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor for global oil.
Crude oil accounts for more than half the cost of gasoline, so even modest increases in oil prices can translate quickly into higher prices at the pump.
2. Wholesale fuel prices move faster than retail
Gas stations buy fuel from wholesalers whose prices react almost immediately to global markets. Retail prices often adjust within days when wholesale costs rise.
This rapid change can create the perception that stations are raising prices on fuel already in their tanks.
3. Seasonal factors
Fuel prices often rise in late winter and early spring as refineries begin transitioning to summer gasoline blends and demand increases ahead of the driving season.
Pennsylvania lawmakers call for investigation
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers now have called for state officials to review whether illegal price increases are occurring.
State Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Jim Haddock, D-Lackawanna/Luzerne, said in a joint statement Thursday that gas stations across the state raised prices quickly after the first attacks involving Iran.
“As soon as the first bomb struck in Iran, gas stations across our state hiked up their prices, not even batting an eye to the fact that the gas in their tanks were already bought and paid for,” the statement said.
“Now, Pennsylvanians will have to figure out not only how to put food on the table, but how to get to the grocery store in the first place — and this is after costs have been rising faster than worker pay."
They urged Attorney General Dave Sunday, along with the state Department of Agriculture and the Office of Consumer Advocate, to investigate whether price-gouging laws were violated.
They said higher fuel prices are adding financial pressure on residents already facing rising costs for food and other necessities.
“Taking advantage of Pennsylvanians is never right, and in these times it’s even worse — and deserves an independent investigation to determine if laws were broken," the statement said.
"We’ll also be pushing for new laws to address price gouging and consumer protection."
Attorney General Sunday's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Is this price gouging?
Is it price gouging? Not necessarily, though some economists certainly think so.
Experts say gasoline prices often rise quickly because oil markets react instantly to geopolitical events and supply risks. Retail stations then pass along higher wholesale costs.
Actual price gouging — illegal price increases during declared emergencies — can be difficult to prove and typically requires evidence that sellers raised prices far beyond increases in their own costs.
I've been banging this drum since covid-inspired price gouging and record profit-taking began, but it sure would be nice if financial reporters investigated whether the wholesale costs incurred by gas stations jumped by $0.20 per gallon and they simply passed through 100 percent… pic.twitter.com/SkMDXf95Hz
— Hal Singer (@HalSinger) March 4, 2026
But Hal Singer, an expert in antitrust, consumer protection and regulation, said on X he’s been “banging this drum since COVID-inspired price gouging and record profit-taking began.”
“My hunch is that a major gas station chain would have locked their wholesale costs in place, at least for a short time period, such that any temporary disruption in supply would not affect their wholesale costs," he said.
“If true, this would be yet another case where retailers are enjoying larger margins as a result of a crisis– the very definition of price gouging."
What happens next?
Much depends on how long global tensions last.
Analysts warn gasoline prices could continue climbing if oil supplies are disrupted or shipping routes in the Middle East remain threatened.
Some forecasts suggest prices could rise toward $3.50 per gallon or higher nationally if the conflict escalates.
