Gas prices in the southwest suburbs have jumped $1.17 a gallon since New Year’s Day — from $3.00 to $4.17 — hammering drivers at every pump from Bridgeview to Oak Lawn as the Iran war chokes off global oil supply.
On February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched surprise airstrikes across Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint through which 20 percent of the world’s oil flows. Within days, tanker attacks and shipping chaos sent crude from the mid-$60s to nearly $120 a barrel. For a southwest suburbs driver filling a 20-gallon tank, that’s $24 more per fill-up than before the war started.
At Costco in Orland Park, members are paying $3.85 to $3.95 — still the cheapest in the area, but up $1.20 from January. Speedway stations in Tinley Park and Mokena are around $4.05 to $4.15. Shell on Wolf Road in Orland Park is pushing $4.15 to $4.30. Independent stations across Bridgeview and Oak Lawn are hitting $4.10 to $4.25.
January was cheap. The national average hovered around $2.80 — the lowest since 2021. Illinois drivers paid $3.00 to $3.05. Costco was pumping regular for under $2.75. It felt like a gift.
Then February arrived with a quiet warning. Refineries began switching to pricier summer-blend gasoline. By late February, prices had crept to $2.98 nationally, $3.03 in Illinois. Still manageable. Nobody was panicking.
But on March 5, the real shock hit. The national average jumped 27 cents in a single week to $3.25. Illinois hit $3.36. Crude had surged to $74.66 a barrel — the biggest one-week jump since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
A week later, it got worse. The national average climbed another 35 cents to $3.60. Crude blasted past $100 a barrel and kept climbing. The White House announced a massive strategic reserve release — 172 million barrels over four months, the largest emergency drawdown in history. It didn’t help. Prices kept rising anyway.
By March 19, the national average hit $3.88. Illinois crossed $4.04. Crude settled at $96.32 — still elevated despite the reserve release.
Today, Illinois regular sits at $4.17. Premium is $4.73. Diesel is $5.14. One week ago, regular was $3.72. One month ago, $2.95.
The war isn’t over. President Trump has threatened to strike Iranian power plants unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomacy is underway, but no deal is done. Iran denies talks are even happening.
The EIA forecasts the national average will hit $3.58 this month. Full-year 2026? $3.34 a gallon — still well above what drivers saw in January, and nowhere near the relief they felt at the pump three months ago.
For now, southwest suburbs drivers are watching crude prices and war headlines with equal dread. Every geopolitical move ripples straight to the pump.