EL PASO, Tx., March 17, 2026: This morning El Pasoans are waking up to rising gasoline prices and delays in air travel across the country. The delays are being caused by the latest federal shutdown, now on its 32nd day. The rising price of gasoline is being caused by disruptions across the globe in a vulnerable Middle East strait where oil has virtually come to a stand still.
Airport Delays and Cancellations
El Paso International Airport is experiencing nine delays as of this morning. Southwest Airlines is reporting 8 delayed flights.
Weather conditions on the East Coast yesterday saw airlines begin to cancel or delay flights in preparation for the weather. Around 3,700 flights were cancelled yesterday because of the weather conditions. Today’s weather forecast is not expected to impact today’s flights.
However, the ongoing partial federal shutdown will continue to impact travelers today as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents missed their last full paycheck on Friday. The ongoing partial federal shutdown – now on its 32nd day – was caused after Democrats refused to vote in the last federal funding bill unless the Republicans agree to three demands over immigration enforcement.
The three demands are having immigration agents remove their facemasks while conducting immigration enforcement, requiring them to use judicial warrants to detain people, and the implementation of a code of conduct for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The shutdown is forcing travelers to experience long lines at the TSA checkpoints across the country, with waits of up to two hours for domestic flights being reported. As of this morning, more than 300 TSA agents have reportedly quit their jobs since the latest shutdown began, exacerbating the long airport lines. However, according to the El Paso International Airport website, the wait times are one to six minutes at the local airport.
Around 20 airports, who participate in the Screening Partnership Program (SPP), are not impacted by the shutdown because the security screeners are private contractors instead of federal employees. Among the largest airport using SPP security is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which launched its private security program around 20 years ago.
There are no Texas airports, including El Paso, using the private security program. The closest airport with private security is Roswell International Airport (ROW).
Flight delays are not the only thing affecting El Pasoans as gasoline prices continue to increase.
Gasoline Prices
As the Iran war stretches on for a third week, gasoline prices across the globe continue to rise. Before the war started on February 28, oil prices per barrel hovered around $70 a barrel. Soon after Israel and the U.S. launched military strikes against Iran, oil prices spike to $120 a barrel. Today it is around $96. Each dollar increase in the barrel price translates to around a three cent jump per gallon of gasoline, depending on the location.
Unleaded gasoline across the nation is hovering around $3.86 per gallon. In El Paso, the Sam’s on Pellicano is reporting unleaded gasoline this morning at $3.59 per gallon. The price of unleaded at the North Mesa Sam’s is $3.69 per gallon of unleaded gasoline. El Paso relies on the local Marathon Petroleum refinery for much of its gasoline needs. The price of gasoline hovers around $18.76 Mexican Pesos per liter, or around $4.01 per gallon at this morning’s exchange rate.
The Mexican government is taking steps to limit the changes in gasoline prices due to the war by reducing the Special Tax on Protection and Services (IEPS). The IEPS and the national Value Added Tax (VAT) – like El Paso’s sales tax – account for around 64% of the price of gasoline in México.
With no end in sight to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to seaborne oil from the Middle East, the price of gasoline will continue to spike.
Although Hormuz – where around 25% of the world’s daily oil production transited – is said to be closed, there are oil tankers being allowed to transit by Iran for oil deliveries mainly to China and India.
Operation Epic Fury ORBAT No. 1, MartÃn Paredes/Special to El Paso Herald Post.
The Trump administration has asked countries to help escort oil tankers through the strait. As of this morning, US allies have rebuffed the administration’s help with the Strait of Hormuz. Also, there has been no movement by Congress to end the latest shutdown as well.
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