Alaska Time Zone (AKT)
Alaska Time (AKT) is used across almost all of Alaska, from Ketchikan and Juneau in the southeast to Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome and Utqiaġvik. Only the far western Aleutian Islands use a different zone. Alaska observes daylight saving time on the same schedule as the rest of the country.
| General abbreviation | AKT |
|---|---|
| Standard time | AKST — Alaska Standard Time, UTC−9 |
| Daylight time | AKDT — Alaska Daylight Time, UTC−8 |
| IANA identifiers | America/Anchorage, plus America/Juneau, America/Sitka, America/Yakutat, America/Nome and America/Metlakatla for local history; America/Adak for the western Aleutians |
| Military letter | V (Victor) for AKST, U (Uniform) for AKDT |
Where Alaska Time applies
Alaska Time
All of mainland Alaska, the Alaska Panhandle (Southeast Alaska) and the Aleutian Islands east of 169°30′ W. Cities include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Sitka, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Bethel, Nome and Unalaska/Dutch Harbor.
Hawaii-Aleutian Time
The Aleutian Islands west of 169°30′ W, including Atka and Adak, use Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HST, UTC−10). Unlike Hawaii, they observe daylight saving time and switch to HDT (UTC−9) in summer, so they are always 1 hour behind Anchorage.
A short history: from four zones to two
Before 1983, Alaska was divided among four time zones. In 1983 the state consolidated nearly all of its territory onto a single zone — now called Alaska Time — leaving only the western Aleutians on what became Hawaii-Aleutian Time. That is why Juneau and Nome, more than 1,000 miles apart, now show the same time. More on the history page.
Alaska vs the Lower 48
Alaska Time is 1 hour behind Pacific, 2 behind Mountain, 3 behind Central and 4 behind Eastern Time. Because Alaska and those zones all change clocks on the same dates, these gaps never change. Portland, Oregon is always 1 hour ahead of Fairbanks. Hawaii is the exception: it is 1 hour behind Alaska in winter and 2 hours behind in summer.
Alaska time compared with other US zones
The table shows what time it is elsewhere when it is 12:00 PM in the Alaska zone (Anchorage). Differences change during daylight saving time because Arizona and Hawaii keep their clocks fixed. For any other time, use the time zone converter.
| Zone | Winter (Nov–Mar) | Difference | Summer (Mar–Nov) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | 4:00 PM | 4 h ahead | 4:00 PM | 4 h ahead |
| Central (Chicago) | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead | 3:00 PM | 3 h ahead |
| Mountain (Denver) | 2:00 PM | 2 h ahead | 2:00 PM | 2 h ahead |
| Arizona (Phoenix) | 2:00 PM | 2 h ahead | 1:00 PM | 1 h ahead |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | 1:00 PM | 1 h ahead | 1:00 PM | 1 h ahead |
| Hawaii (Honolulu) | 11:00 AM | 1 h behind | 10:00 AM | 2 h behind |
| UTC | 9:00 PM | 9 h ahead | 8:00 PM | 8 h ahead |
Right now in the other zones
Frequently asked questions
Is Alaska in the Pacific Time Zone?
No. Alaska uses Alaska Time (AKST, UTC−9 / AKDT, UTC−8), which is 1 hour behind Pacific Time all year.
Does Alaska observe daylight saving time?
Yes. Alaska switches from AKST to AKDT on the second Sunday in March and back on the first Sunday in November, like most of the US.
How many time zones does Alaska have?
Two: Alaska Time for almost the whole state, and Hawaii-Aleutian Time for the Aleutian Islands west of 169°30′ W.
What is the time difference between Alaska and New York?
Alaska is 4 hours behind New York. When it is noon in New York, it is 8:00 AM in Anchorage.
Related guides
- Hawaii Time Zone and Pacific Time Zone.
- Time zone converter & chart — convert any time between US zones for any date.
- US time zones by state — every state, including the thirteen split states.
- Daylight saving time — the second-Sunday-in-March / first-Sunday-in-November rule and its exceptions.
- Time zone abbreviations — ET vs EST vs EDT, and the rest.