Most Expensive October Ever. 5 Days Out.

October, presented by the pump.

AAA said in an October 22 news release that this month is poised to set a record as the most expensive October ever for gas prices, following similar records in August and September. As of October 23, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $4.29.

The calendar, as always, is the comedian here. Five days before the midterms, the most expensive October in history pulls up to the pump and asks for the full tank. Nobody scheduled it. Everybody noticed it. The timing department accepts no questions.

The price nobody wants to talk about has become the event nobody can avoid. October is doing campaign events now — one gallon at a time.

The underlying reporting is filed in the Evidence Locker: El Paso Times (Oct. 23, 2026), reporting AAA data.