Current Time in AKDT (Alaska Daylight Time)
About AKDT
The daylight saving time for most of Alaska, USA. It is one hour ahead of Alaska Standard Time (AKST). Observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, aligning with most of the United States.
UTC Offset: -08:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: America/Anchorage
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) is the daylight saving time (DST) zone used by most of the U.S. state of Alaska from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. During the rest of the year, Alaska observes Alaska Standard Time (AKST, UTC-09:00). AKDT is 8 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-08:00).
What Does AKDT Stand For?
AKDT stands for Alaska Daylight Time. It is the summer time designation for Alaska, replacing Alaska Standard Time (AKST) when clocks are set forward by one hour. The abbreviation reflects the region's unique position as the northernmost U.S. state, where daylight hours vary dramatically between seasons.
Standard Offset and DST Counterpart
Alaska Daylight Time is UTC-08:00. Its standard time counterpart, Alaska Standard Time (AKST), is UTC-09:00. The switch to AKDT occurs on the second Sunday of March at 2:00 AM AKST, when clocks spring forward to 3:00 AM AKDT. The return to AKST happens on the first Sunday of November at 2:00 AM AKDT, when clocks fall back to 1:00 AM AKST.
Regions and Cities Covered
AKDT is observed in nearly all of Alaska, except the western Aleutian Islands west of 169.30° West longitude, which use Hawaii-Aleutian Time. Major cities on AKDT include Anchorage (the largest city), Juneau (the state capital), Fairbanks, Sitka, Nome, and Yakutat. The IANA time zone database lists several zones under AKDT: America/Anchorage, America/Juneau, America/Metlakatla, America/Nome, America/Sitka, America/Yakutat, and US/Alaska. These zones all share the same UTC offset and DST rules but have different historical records.
How It Differs from Neighboring Zones
To the east, AKDT borders the Yukon Territory (Canada), which observes Yukon Time (MST year-round, UTC-07:00) – one hour ahead of AKDT. To the southeast, the British Columbia panhandle uses Pacific Time (PDT in summer, UTC-07:00), also one hour ahead. To the west, the Aleutian Islands west of 169.30°W use Hawaii-Aleutian Daylight Time (HDT, UTC-09:00) – one hour behind AKDT. The rest of Alaska's maritime border with Russia's Chukotka and Kamchatka regions sees a large time difference: Kamchatka Time (UTC+12:00) is 20 hours ahead of AKDT.
Practical Business Hours Guidance
When scheduling calls or meetings with AKDT locations, note that the zone is 4 hours behind Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and 1 hour behind Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). For example, 9:00 AM in New York (EDT) is 5:00 AM in Anchorage (AKDT). Standard business hours in Alaska (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM AKDT) overlap with East Coast hours from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT. For international calls, AKDT is 16 hours behind Japan Standard Time (JST) and 17 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST). Be aware that Alaska observes DST, so offsets change in March and November.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current time in Anchorage, Alaska?
You can check a world clock for the current time in Anchorage. During daylight saving time (mid-March to early November), Anchorage is on Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT, UTC-08:00). The rest of the year it is on Alaska Standard Time (AKST, UTC-09:00).
Does all of Alaska use AKDT?
No. Most of Alaska uses AKDT during DST, but the western Aleutian Islands west of 169.30° West longitude (including Adak and Atka) use Hawaii-Aleutian Time (HADT during DST, UTC-09:00; HAST otherwise, UTC-10:00). Also, the St. Lawrence Island and the Diomede Islands use Alaska Time.
When does Alaska switch to AKDT?
Alaska switches to AKDT on the second Sunday of March at 2:00 AM AKST, when clocks spring forward to 3:00 AM AKDT. It returns to AKST on the first Sunday of November at 2:00 AM AKDT, when clocks fall back to 1:00 AM AKST.
What is the time difference between AKDT and Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)?
AKDT is one hour behind PDT. For example, when it is 12:00 PM PDT in Los Angeles, it is 11:00 AM AKDT in Anchorage.
Why does Alaska have its own time zone?
Alaska's time zone was created to better align daylight hours with business and social activities. Prior to 1983, Alaska had multiple time zones. The current system places most of the state in a single time zone (Alaska Time), with the western Aleutians using Hawaii-Aleutian Time.
What IANA time zones are associated with AKDT?
The IANA time zones that observe AKDT during DST are: America/Anchorage, America/Juneau, America/Metlakatla, America/Nome, America/Sitka, America/Yakutat, and US/Alaska. These zones all have the same UTC offset and DST rules.