Filling up with petrol in the USA can be a bit tricky for foreigners at first. Some gas stations require you to pay in advance, the names of the gasoline vary, and you still need to know the trick to paying with a credit card. This article will give you the average price of gasoline in the USA and give you advice on how to use the automatic dispenser.
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Table of Contents
How to Refuel in the USA
In the USA, you must first either pay for your fuel or at least authorise a credit card.
Fueling stands are equipped with a reader for this purpose, insert the card into the reader and select “credit card” (even if you have a debit card). To check, you may be asked to enter your card PIN or your home postcode. If your real or other made-up postcode doesn’t work, you’ll need to go to the pump.
Once the card is successfully authorized, you can remove the card and stick the fuel gun in your car. At some gas stations, there is a lever on the fuel dispenser that must be manually lifted. If there are more than one type of fuel available at a given dispenser, you must use the button to select the correct one.
You will be issued with a fuel bill when you have refuelled.
If your credit card is declined, try selecting “debit card”. If this doesn’t work, you will need to go to the attendant and ask for a prepayment of fuel at your stand. You should have enough to fill your tank with about $75. You can authorize a higher amount, any unused dollars will be refunded. Just go back to the attendant after refueling.
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Types of Gasoline in the USA
Gas stations in America usually offer three types of gasoline, which differ in octane rating and, logically, in price. Some petrol stations use their own designations for each fuel.
🟠 Regular (87 octane)
Regular is the cheapest gasoline available and is usually 87 octane. It is sold as Unleaded at some petrol stations.
🔴 Midgrade (89-90 octane)
Mid-grade refers to a slightly higher quality gasoline with 89-90 octane and is referred to as Special, Unleaded Plus or Plus (Exxon and Shell) at some gas stations.
🔵 Premium (91-94 octane)
The highest quality fuel, referred to as Premium, is used in sports cars. Usually 91-94 octane, it is sometimes sold as Unleaded Premium, Supreme (Exxon) or V-Power (Shell).
🟢 Diesel in the USA
You’re unlikely to encounter diesel engines in everyday driving in the USA. Diesel is only available at select gas stations and is mostly used in trucks and buses.
🔢 Octane Numbers in the USA
US petrol stations have different octane ratings than those in Europe. You need to add 5 to the US value. Rental cars are most often filled with the cheapest Regular petrol.
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Price of Gasoline in the USA 2024
Fuel prices in America are per 1 gallon, which is 3.785 litres.
At some petrol stations the price varies according to the method of payment. Gasoline paid for in cash is usually cheaper than paying by card, from which the retailer must deduct fees from the card company. The price difference is approximately $0.06 per gallon of fuel. Some gas stations do not accept cards at all, it is always stated on the cards.
The cheapest gasoline is in the mining states (Oklahoma or Texas), while the expensive fuel is in Hawaii. The differences between states are significant. There is not as much of a tax on fuel in the USA, so the price of fuel is relatively significantly influenced by the current price of oil.
The table below shows average US gasoline prices as of 19 July 2024, converted to 1 litre. For a current summary, see GasBuddy.com.
State Regular Mid-Grade Premium Texas $0.82 $0.94 $1.03 Florida $0.91 $1.02 $1.10 Arizona $0.92 $1.01 $1.08 USA Average $0.93 $1.05 $1.14 Utah $0.94 $1.01 $1.07 New York $0.96 $1.09 $1.19 Nevada $1.05 $1.12 $1.19 Hawaii $1.24 $1.30 $1.37 California $1.25 $1.31 $1.35 -
How to Refuel at a Self-Service Dispenser in the USA
At some petrol stations, you may see automatic dispensers where you can fill up your own fuel without an attendant. You insert your credit card into the machine and it pops right out. Unlike an ATM, it is not left in the machine.
Then you just follow the instructions on the dispenser’s display, and in some locations you need to enter a postcode to authorise the card. Then the gun can be pulled out of the rack, the desired gasoline can be selected at the push of a button and you are ready to fill up. Refueling is completed by returning the gun to the rack.
Detailed instructions are available in a YouTube video.
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The Most Common Petrol Station Brands in the USA
There are countless gas station brands across the United States, some of which are only represented in certain states. The 10 most common gas station brands you’ll see on the road are.
1️⃣ Shell
Shell is America’s largest gas station chain, with a total of over 12,000 locations in every U.S. state.
2️⃣ Exxon / Mobil
Exxon Mobil operates just under 12,000 gas stations in the U.S. and has a presence in most states. You are most likely to encounter Exxon/Mobil on the East and Southeast coasts of the country.
3️⃣ BP
BP’s gas station network has over 7 thousand locations, all of which are in the eastern half of the United States.
4️⃣ Chevron
Chevron is an American gas station chain, founded in 1911. All of its more than 7 thousand gas stations are located on the West and Southeast coasts of the United States. Units of gas stations are still in Alaska.
5️⃣ QT – QuikTrip
QuikTrip has over 1,000 locations in the U.S., most of them in the South and Midwest. QuikTrip gas stations emphasize quality snacks, and you can get freshly made sandwiches or pretzels in addition to baked goods.
6️⃣ Citgo
Founded in 1910, Citgo currently has over 4,000 gas stations exclusively in the eastern United States.
7️⃣ Speedway
Speedway is a network of gas stations with adjacent convenience stores that is under 7-Eleven. Over 3 thousand Speedway gas stations can be found primarily in the eastern United States and on the West Coast.
8️⃣ 76
76 gas stations with the orange and blue logo have been owned by Phillips 66 since 2012. There are over 1,800 76 gas stations across the United States, most of them in coastal states.
9️⃣ Phillips 66
The first Phillips 66 gas station opened in November 1927, and today there are about 2,500 locations in operation across the country. Most of them are located inland.
🔟 Murphy USA
Murphy USA gas stations are in operation in over one and a half thousand locations primarily in the East and Southeast. The stations are mostly located near Walmart stores.
Discussion (1)
Journey California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California.
I had two embossed MasterCard debit cards, and an embossed Visa credit card. I tried my luck on the rack regularly. I succeeded once out of about 15 attempts. Many times it even got to the point that Debit card accepted, I entered my PIN, then it would chug for a while and still get “Please see cashier”. So I guess. I solved it by taking the $30 cash, prepaid at the counter, pumped and went.
It’s weird because there was no problem with this at stores, parking meters of various kinds, McDonalds, etc.. anywhere.
As for the aforementioned coffee, for 1,5USD you usually get a half-liter cup full of tasty coffee, where I always put two nut milks, stoppered and sipped 200 km later… It’s great.