California’s jet fuel supply drops to three-year low as Middle East turmoil squeezes global oil market | California
California’s jet fuel supply has fallen to a level not seen since 2023 as turmoil in the Middle East continues to squeeze the global oil market.
As of April 17, the state’s jet fuel stockpile was just over 2.6 million barrels, compared to 3.2 million barrels two years ago. based on To the California Energy Commission (CEC), which publishes the refinery stocks data dashboard.
California received 61.1% of its oil supply from foreign sources in 2025, according to CEC, which consists mostly of Asian refiners. Foreign dependence is a shift from the early 1990s, when almost half of oil supplies came from state-owned refineries; It’s a change that some energy researchers attribute to air quality regulations.
However, this supply was interrupted by the US and Israel’s war with Iran. Asia imported More than 14 million barrels of crude Middle East oil per day in 2025. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, an important waterway for oil ships, has decreased.
Jet fuel prices have increased since the start of the war.
Prices hovered around $2.30 per gallon in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York in the first two months of 2026, according to Argus Media, a site that tracks commodity prices. As of April 24, jet fuel prices averaged $4.19 per gallon.
Jet fuel costs at Los Angeles international airport were recently near $15 per gallon, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“Jet fuel supplies are globally constrained,” CEC spokeswoman Sandy Louey said. “California prices reflect this pressure, but the US is in a better position due to domestic refining infrastructure and crude supply that Europe lacks.”
“CEC is closely monitoring fuel supply and price conditions resulting from ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and is actively coordinating with industry, other government agencies and other stakeholders to assess near-term risks and options,” Louey said.
Consumers across the country are beginning to absorb the financial shock from changes in jet fuel supply.
Many airlines, including Delta, Southwest and JetBlue, have increased baggage fees. Other carriers introduced fuel surcharges.
Points Guy’s travel expert Clint Henderson said he didn’t expect the situation to be so dire that he couldn’t refuel planes.
However, apart from geopolitical changes, he expects an increase in canceled flight routes, which will disrupt upcoming travel plans.
“Some short-haul flights that aren’t super profitable will probably be cut first,” he said. “We haven’t seen any reduction in passenger demand. So we have the same number of people wanting to travel, but we have fewer available seats.”
He added: “This causes prices to rise, and prices are already high.”
