However, the price of gasoline in New Mexico remains 16 cents above thenational average which today fell below $2.00 to $1.989. That price ismore than $1.09 less than this time last year.

The most expensive gas in New Mexico is in the Las Cruces area where pricesare averaging $2.249 -- a decline of 21 cents since last week. The state'scheapest gas is in Albuquerque at $1.948 a gallon, which also fell 21 centssince last week. Santa Fe saw the most dramatic drop in the price of gassince last week, reporting a price of $2.154 which is a 23 cent difference.

"As gas prices continue to drop more residents may decide at the lastminute to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend," said AAA New MexicoCorporate Communications Manager Dan Ronan.

New Mexico residents traveling to neighboring states this weekend canexpect to see gas in Flagstaff for $2.424 and in Tucson for $2.048 agallon. Those traveling to Denver will see gas averaging $1.836, andtravelers in Amarillo this weekend will find gas at $1.787.

Approximately 41 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or morefrom home for the Thanksgiving holiday, which is a decrease of 1.4 percentfrom last year's total of 41.6 million. Eighty-one percent of holidaytravelers are expected to travel by automobile, 11 percent by airplane, and8 percent by train.

Area        11/21/08 11/14/08 Difference 11/21/07 Difference  Date    Price            -------- -------- --------- --------- --------- -------- ------National    $  1.989    2.152   - 0.163  $  3.087   - 1.098 07/17/08 $4.114New Mexico  $  2.155    2.341   - 0.186  $  3.094   - 0.939 07/17/08 $4.078Texas       $  1.858    1.984   - 0.126  $  2.957   - 1.099 07/17/08 $3.985Albuquerque $  1.948    2.160   - 0.212  $  3.020   - 1.072 07/17/08 $3.987Las Cruces  $  2.249    2.460   - 0.211  $  3.046   - 0.797 07/15/08 $4.012Santa Fe Area       $  2.154    2.393   - 0.239  $  3.073   - 0.919 07/07/08 $4.044Flagstaff   $  2.424    2.640   - 0.216  $  3.150   - 0.726 07/14/08 $4.250Tucson      $  2.048    2.258   - 0.210  $  2.913   - 0.865 07/20/08 $3.847Denver      $  1.836    1.978   - 0.142  $  3.013   - 1.177 07/17/08 $4.006Durango     $  2.220    2.480   - 0.260  $  3.179   - 0.959 07/18/08 $4.221Las Vegas   $  2.176    2.329   - 0.153  $  3.144   - 0.968 07/21/08 $4.279Amarillo    $  1.787    1.989   - 0.202  $  3.046   - 1.259 07/16/08 $3.983El Paso     $  2.094    2.348   - 0.254  $  2.969   - 0.875 07/17/08 $3.967