Time Difference Between Central Time and Alaska Time
As of 31 August 2026, Alaska Time is 3 hours behind Central Time. This difference is fixed: neither zone shifts its clocks against the other, so it holds all year.
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Central Time, United States
17:34
Mon, Aug 31, 2026
UTC-5 · CDT · America/Chicago
Alaska Time, United States
-3h14:34
Mon, Aug 31, 2026
UTC-8 · AKDT · America/Anchorage
Alaska Time is 3 hours behind Central Time.
Time zone details
| Place | Local date | Time zone | UTC offset | Summer time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Time | Monday, August 31, 2026 | CDTAmerica/Chicago | UTC-5 | Active now |
| Alaska Time | Monday, August 31, 2026 | AKDTAmerica/Anchorage | UTC-8 | Active now |
Central Time: Covers Chicago, Dallas, Houston and most of the middle of the country. Switches between CST (UTC-6) and CDT (UTC-5) with daylight saving.
Alaska Time: Covers all of Alaska. Switches between AKST (UTC-9) and AKDT (UTC-8) with daylight saving.
Hour by hour: Central Time to Alaska Time
Every hour of today in Central Time and what it is in Alaska Time. Highlighted rows fall inside Alaska Time working hours (09:00–18:00).
| Central Time | Alaska Time |
|---|---|
| 00:00 | 21:00prev day |
| 01:00 | 22:00prev day |
| 02:00 | 23:00prev day |
| 03:00 | 00:00 |
| 04:00 | 01:00 |
| 05:00 | 02:00 |
| 06:00 | 03:00 |
| 07:00 | 04:00 |
| 08:00 | 05:00 |
| 09:00 | 06:00 |
| 10:00 | 07:00 |
| 11:00 | 08:00 |
| Central Time | Alaska Time |
|---|---|
| 12:00 | 09:00 |
| 13:00 | 10:00 |
| 14:00 | 11:00 |
| 15:00 | 12:00 |
| 16:00 | 13:00 |
| 17:00 | 14:00 |
| 18:00 | 15:00 |
| 19:00 | 16:00 |
| 20:00 | 17:00 |
| 21:00 | 18:00 |
| 22:00 | 19:00 |
| 23:00 | 20:00 |
Best time to call or meet
Overlapping working hours
12:00–18:00 in Central Time (09:00–15:00 in Alaska Time)
Both places are inside 09:00–18:00 for 6 hours a day. Anything in this window works without asking anyone to stay late.
Reasonable calling hours
11:00–21:00 in Central Time (08:00–18:00 in Alaska Time)
Both people are awake and available between 08:00 and 21:00 local time during this window.
When this difference changes
Central Time puts its clocks back on Sunday, November 1, 2026
The local offset moves from UTC-5 to UTC-6. After that date, Alaska Time is 2 hours behind Central Time — instead of 3 hours behind, as it is today.
Alaska Time puts its clocks back on Sunday, November 1, 2026
The local offset moves from UTC-8 to UTC-9. The gap between Central Time and Alaska Time stays at 3 hours because both places change at the same time.
Planning something with more than two places?
Adding a third city usually kills the obvious answer. The Meeting Time Finder takes up to five cities at once and shows only the hours that work for everybody.
Central Time and Alaska Time: common questions
What is the time difference between Central Time and Alaska Time?
Alaska Time is 3 hours behind Central Time, and this does not change during the year because the difference between these two zones is fixed.
When it is 9:00 AM in Central Time, what time is it in Alaska Time?
It is 06:00 AM in Alaska Time, United States. Use the time field in the calculator above to check any other hour.
Is Alaska Time ahead of or behind Central Time?
Alaska Time is behind Central Time by 3 hours at the moment. In practical terms, the working day in Alaska Time starts and ends later in Central Time terms.
Do Central Time and Alaska Time observe daylight saving time?
Both Central Time and Alaska Time change their clocks, but not on the same dates. That is why the gap is not fixed: across the year, Alaska Time ranges from 3 hours behind to 3 hours behind relative to Central Time.
What is the best time to call Alaska Time from Central Time?
Working hours overlap between 12:00 and 18:00 Central Time time, which is 09:00 to 15:00 in Alaska Time. Calls inside that window reach both sides during the normal working day.
Related comparisons
Local dates shown for Central Time, United States (UTC-5) and Alaska Time, United States (UTC-8) were generated on Monday, August 31, 2026 UTC and refresh in your browser.