The national average price for a gallon of gas was $3.54 for the week ending June 29, according to the latest report by AAA. That marked a four-cent drop from the previous week and could spell good news for motorists getting ready to travel for the 4th of July weekend. 

"Drivers hitting the road for the Fourth of July holiday will find the gift of lower gas prices across most of the country," AAA said in its report. 

Mathew Alvarez is excited to drive more than 100 miles from Los Angeles to Tehachapi, Calif., to visit his family this Fourth of July, encouraged by gasoline prices well below last year’s levels. 

The 36-year-old machinist didn’t spend time with his family during the holiday last year, mainly because of record-high gas prices. That prompted him to sell his Volkswagen Jetta in December for a hybrid Ford Escape. Each fill-up now costs him $15 every week instead of $60.

The roads will be crowded this Fourth of July weekend, but travelers have at least one thing going for them: much cheaper gas prices than last year.

A record-setting 43.2 million Americans are expected to travel by car this holiday weekend, according to AAA. That’s 2.4% higher than last Fourth of July.

And yet gasoline prices are much lower. The national average for regular gasoline dipped to $3.55 a gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. A year ago, a gallon of regular sold for an average of $4.87 a gallon.