CDT to PT Converter

Category: Time Zone Converters

- July 07, 2025

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Central Daylight Time (CDT)

UTC-5 • Chicago, Dallas, Houston

Conversion Settings

Configure your timezone conversion preferences

Auto Convert

Daylight Saving Aware

Show UTC Offset

Show Seconds

Pacific Time (PT)

UTC-8/-7 • Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver

--:--:--

Select a time to convert

Time Difference: --

UTC Offset (CDT): -5

UTC Offset (PT): -8

DST Status: --

CDT Time: --

PT Time: --

Time Format:

Current CDT: --:--:--

Current PT: --:--:--

🇺🇸 CDT is UTC-5 during daylight time. PT switches between PDT (UTC-7) and PST (UTC-8) with daylight saving changes.

CDT to PT Conversion Guide

What is CDT to PT Conversion?

CDT to PT conversion helps you translate time between Central Daylight Time and Pacific Time. CDT is UTC-5 during daylight saving time (March-November), while PT alternates between PDT (UTC-7) and PST (UTC-8). The time difference is typically 2 hours, with CDT being ahead of PT.

Time Zone Information

Central Daylight Time (CDT): Used in central United States during daylight saving time. UTC-5 from March to November, switches to CST (UTC-6) in winter.

Pacific Time (PT): Used on the US West Coast. PDT (UTC-7) during daylight time, PST (UTC-8) during standard time.

Time Difference: CDT is typically 2 hours ahead of PT throughout the year.

Daylight Saving Time Impact

Synchronized Changes: Both zones change for daylight saving time on the same dates (second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November)

Consistent Difference: The 2-hour difference remains constant because both zones observe the same DST schedule

Winter vs Summer: CDT/CST is always 2 hours ahead of PDT/PST respectively

Common Conversion Examples

Business Hours

CDT 9:00 AM → PT 7:00 AM

CDT 5:00 PM → PT 3:00 PM

Standard business day conversion

Conference Calls

CDT 10:00 AM → PT 8:00 AM

CDT 2:00 PM → PT 12:00 PM

Cross-timezone meeting times

TV Show Times

CDT 8:00 PM → PT 6:00 PM

CDT 10:00 PM → PT 8:00 PM

Prime time television scheduling

Travel & Events

CDT 6:00 AM → PT 4:00 AM

CDT 11:59 PM → PT 9:59 PM

Flight and event coordination

Conversion Tips & Best Practices

• Both zones observe daylight saving time with the same schedule, maintaining a consistent 2-hour difference

• Always subtract 2 hours from CDT to get PT time

• CDT covers major cities like Chicago, Dallas, and Houston

• PT covers major cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco

• Both zones switch between standard and daylight time on the same dates

• Consider PT as PDT or PST depending on the season when scheduling across time zones

Convert Time Between Central and Pacific

Trying to juggle schedules between Central and Pacific time zones? Whether you’re planning meetings, catching flights, or watching a livestream, this time converter helps you get it right every time. Before you dive into the tool, here's a quick look at where these time zones are used:

Central Daylight Time (UTC-5)	Pacific Time (UTC-7 or UTC-8)
🇺🇸 United States 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇨🇦 Canada 🇸🇻 El Salvador 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇭🇳 Honduras 🇳🇮 Nicaragua 🇨🇷 Costa Rica	🇺🇸 United States 🇨🇦 Canada 🇲🇽 Mexico 🇸🇻 El Salvador 🇬🇹 Guatemala 🇭🇳 Honduras 🇳🇮 Nicaragua

Why this tool matters when the clock counts

If you’ve ever shown up early to a meeting or missed an event completely because of a timezone mix-up, you know the hassle. This converter helps you avoid that. Whether you’re in Houston scheduling with someone in Los Angeles, or setting up a video call from Chicago to Seattle, the tool shows you the exact corresponding time in either zone.

Start with your time and location

The converter begins by asking for two things: a date and time, and your current timezone, which can be either Central or Pacific. You’ll find a dropdown menu for choosing your timezone and simple input fields to set the date and time.

Buttons for control

Convert Time: Runs the conversion based on your inputs.
Swap: Flips the direction of conversion between Central and Pacific.
Now: Instantly inputs the current time for quick conversions.
Reset: Clears everything and reloads defaults.

Live updates that adjust with real-world time

Right below the main controls, you’ll see live clocks showing the current time in both Central and Pacific zones. These clocks update every second and adapt to your time format preference, whether that’s 12-hour or 24-hour.

Time format toggle

Click the “12 Hour” button and it’ll switch to “24 Hour”. This lets you view your converted times in the format you’re most comfortable with, and it refreshes instantly without reloading the page.

Make use of built-in conversion options

Four checkboxes let you customize how the conversion behaves:

Auto Convert: Turns on real-time updates as you type or change the time.
Daylight Saving Aware: Keeps conversions accurate by detecting whether daylight time is active.
Show UTC Offset: Adds or removes the UTC offset from the result display.
Show Seconds: Controls whether seconds are shown in the output clocks and conversions.

Example: Planning from San Salvador to San Francisco

Suppose you're working in 🇸🇻 El Salvador, which runs on Central Time during daylight months. You’ve got a 10 AM meeting scheduled with someone in 🇺🇸 San Francisco. Use the converter to enter 10:00 AM CDT, and it’ll return 8:00 AM PT automatically. This ensures you don’t miss your start time and avoids any confusion around whether daylight saving time is active.

Details that matter when accuracy counts

The tool doesn’t just show the converted hour. It also provides:

The exact time difference in hours
Whether daylight saving is active in either timezone
The current UTC offset for both zones
Formatted date and time display for clarity

All these values adjust automatically based on your settings. If you’re wondering whether it’s currently PDT or PST, or if a switch is coming soon, the DST indicator keeps you informed.

If you’re switching zones regularly, this will save your sanity

This tool was built for anyone trying to keep track of schedules across Central and Pacific time. With features like auto-conversion, format switching, and daylight saving tracking, it’s a practical assistant that just does the job. Whether you're scheduling interviews, coordinating deliveries, or timing an online broadcast, everything adjusts in real-time so you can stop guessing and start planning accurately.