The region for AKST is currently observing Daylight Saving Time. The current time zone is AKDT.
Please see the correct page here: Current Time in AKDT.
Current Time in AKST (Alaska Standard Time)
About AKST
The standard time for most of Alaska, USA. During daylight saving, this zone switches to Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT). The westernmost Aleutian Islands observe Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time.
UTC Offset: -09:00
Current time shown is based on the representative IANA zone: America/Anchorage
Alaska Standard Time (AKST): The Complete Guide
Alaska Standard Time (AKST) is the standard time observed in most of the U.S. state of Alaska, excluding the western Aleutian Islands. It is 9 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-09:00). During daylight saving time, clocks advance to Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT), which is UTC-08:00. The abbreviation AKST stands for Alaska Standard Time, while AKDT is used in summer.
Coverage and Major Cities
AKST covers nearly all of Alaska, including its largest city Anchorage, the capital Juneau, and other key cities such as Fairbanks, Sitka, Nome, Yakutat, and Metlakatla. The IANA time zone identifiers under this zone include America/Anchorage, America/Juneau, America/Metlakatla, America/Nome, America/Sitka, America/Yakutat, and the alias US/Alaska. The westernmost Aleutian Islands (west of 169°30' W) observe Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) instead.
Offset and Daylight Saving Time
AKST is UTC-09:00 year-round in standard time. From the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, clocks shift to Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT), which is UTC-08:00. This means Alaska moves one hour closer to Pacific Time during summer. The switch follows U.S. federal law, and all areas using AKST participate in DST except for the Aleutian Islands west of 169°30' W, which remain on HAST.
Neighboring Time Zones
To the east, AKST borders Pacific Standard Time (PST, UTC-08:00). When Alaska is on AKST, it is one hour behind PST. During AKDT, it aligns with PST (both UTC-08:00). To the west, the Aleutian Islands observe Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST, UTC-10:00), one hour behind AKST. Across the Bering Strait, Russia's Kamchatka Time (PETT, UTC+12:00) is 21 hours ahead of AKST. In the north, the Yukon Territory of Canada uses Yukon Standard Time (MST, UTC-07:00) year-round, which is two hours ahead of AKST.
Practical Business Hours Guidance
When scheduling with AKST, note that it is 4 hours behind Eastern Time (ET) during standard time and 3 hours behind during daylight time. Typical business hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM AKST) correspond to 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM ET in winter. For international calls, London is 9 hours ahead of AKST (5:00 PM AKST is 2:00 AM GMT next day), and Tokyo is 18 hours ahead (5:00 PM AKST is 11:00 AM JST next day). During AKDT, the differences shrink by one hour. Avoid scheduling meetings between midnight and 6:00 AM AKST for U.S. mainland partners, as that falls outside typical work hours.
Daylight Saving Time Details
Alaska observes DST from the second Sunday in March (clocks spring forward at 2:00 AM AKST to 3:00 AM AKDT) to the first Sunday in November (clocks fall back at 2:00 AM AKDT to 1:00 AM AKST). This aligns with the rest of the United States. The transition can affect flight schedules and broadcast times, so always confirm whether AKST or AKDT is in effect.
History and Rationale
Alaska adopted standard time in 1900, originally using local mean time. In 1918, the U.S. introduced time zones, placing most of Alaska in Alaska Standard Time (UTC-10:00 at that time). In 1983, the state reorganized its zones, moving the majority to UTC-09:00 (AKST) to better align with economic centers. The western Aleutians remained at UTC-10:00 (HAST). This change reduced confusion and improved coordination with the contiguous U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between AKST and AKDT?
AKST (Alaska Standard Time) is UTC-09:00, observed from November to March. AKDT (Alaska Daylight Time) is UTC-08:00, observed from March to November during daylight saving time. AKDT is one hour ahead of AKST.
Does all of Alaska use AKST?
No. The western Aleutian Islands (west of 169°30' W) use Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST, UTC-10:00) and do not observe DST. The rest of Alaska uses AKST/AKDT.
What is the current time in Anchorage, Alaska?
Anchorage observes AKST/AKDT. The current time depends on the date. During standard time (early November to mid-March), it is UTC-09:00. During daylight time (mid-March to early November), it is UTC-08:00. Check a world clock for the exact time.
How many hours ahead is New York from Alaska?
New York is on Eastern Time (ET). During AKST (winter), New York is 4 hours ahead. During AKDT (summer), New York is 4 hours ahead as well because both zones shift. So New York is always 4 hours ahead of Alaska.
Does Alaska observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes, most of Alaska observes DST from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, moving from AKST (UTC-09:00) to AKDT (UTC-08:00). The exception is the western Aleutian Islands, which remain on HAST year-round.
What is the IANA time zone identifier for Anchorage?
The IANA time zone identifier for Anchorage is America/Anchorage. Other identifiers for Alaska include America/Juneau, America/Metlakatla, America/Nome, America/Sitka, America/Yakutat, and US/Alaska.