Hawaii Gas Hits Record High; Hilo Close

Going into what for many is a long weekend, Hawaii has set another record for gas prices, with Hilo poised to set a new mark of its own.

By far the costliest in the nation, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in the state today hit $4.608. That surpassed the average of $4.604 set on Thursday, according to AAA Hawaii’s Fuel Gauge Report.

That’s a penny higher than a week ago, 20 cents higher than a month ago and 26 cents higher than this time last year.

In Hilo, the average today was $4.756 a gallon, narrowly eclipsed by the record $4.758 set March 31. Today’s price is 20 cents higher than a month ago and a 40-cent increase from a year ago.

The average in Honolulu was $4.47 a gallon today, just below the record of $4.48 set a year ago. Honolulu’s average was $4.23 a year ago.

In Wailuku, Maui, today’s average of $4.79 was well below the record $4.98 of May 9, 2011. A year ago the average there was $4.61.

Nationally, the average was $3.93 a gallon, up slightly from last week, and 21 cents higher than a year ago. The record average was $4.11 in July 2008.

The state closest to Hawaii in price was Alaska with an average today of $4.37. California wasn’t far behind at $4.28 with Illinois at $4.19.