Phoenix gas prices are cheaper than this time last year. How long will it last?

Gas prices in the Phoenix area were 30 cents cheaper on Thursday than the same day last year, according to data from AAA.

A downward trend of lower prices for the rest of the summer was expected, as the average price for unleaded gas was currently 70 cents cheaper than the average price in summer 2023, according to the association.

On Thursday, the average cost of a gallon of gas in Phoenix was $3.50, compared with $3.83 on the same date last year.

In 2023, the summer months, defined as June, July and August, saw an average of $4.19 per gallon of unleaded gas in Phoenix. In summer of 2022, the average cost of unleaded gas was $4.84 in Phoenix, according to data from the association.

The rest of this summer will likely recover from the high gas prices of the past two years, as part of a national trend showing growth after oil supply issues due to the war in Ukraine and oil industry oversight, according to Julian Paredes, spokesperson for AAA.

"A lot of it goes back to 2022. Russia invaded Ukraine, and it caused oil prices to go crazy," said Paredes, who said those problems lingered through 2022.

To complicate Arizona's situation after 2022, oil refineries under immense supply demand for gas delayed industry maintenance until 2023.

"Unfortunately, a lot of those refineries supplied gas to Arizona, that's one of the main reasons gas in Arizona was just so expensive last year," Paredes said.

A record 60 million travelers crossed the country on the July 4th holiday when prices in Phoenix floated about 30 cents cheaper than last year's holiday.

"In a weird sense, gas prices are just back to normal, back where they have historically been," Paredes said.