U.S. Diesel Prices Just Surpassed a Record $6 Per Gallon. Here Are Three Ways That Affects You

A shopper looking at produced offered for sale at a grocery store in Chicago, Illinois, on Sept. 10, 2026 Scott Olson—Getty ImagesDiesel prices in the U.S. soared past $6 a gallon Friday for the first time ever, and experts predict the costs will fall back on the consumer through steeper prices for everyday staples.The U.S.-Iran war has severely disrupted the flow of oil, with the national average of diesel now $6.06 a gallon according to the American Automobile Association, up from $5.85 last week, as renewed hostilities persist. By comparison, the national average this time last year was around $3.71.The spike in fuel prices has been driven by higher oil prices. The price of benchmark Brent crude oil, a key ingredient in diesel, spiked to $109 per barrel Thursday, amid widening regional instability. The active hostilities between Washington and Tehran are largely focused on the Strait of Hormuz, but the advances of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis pose fresh risks for the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another key shipping route.Continued disruption of the Red Sea chokepoint would be “devastating to the global supply of energy,” says Shuting Pomerleau, director of energy and environmental poli...