Alaska / Anchorage Time
Live local time in Anchorage and most of Alaska (America/Anchorage). See AKST UTC−9, AKDT UTC−8, DST dates, and how Alaska Time compares to other U.S.
Trust summary Engine tested · Specification checked · v1.0.1
- Input interpretation
- Enter values to calculate.
- Result
- —
- Model
- Current local date and time in the America/Anchorage time zone (Alaska / Anchorage Time).
- Scope
- Device clock and OS timezone database are reasonably correct.
- Verification
- Engine tested · Specification checked · v1.0.1
- Named expert review
- Optional · Not performed
- Specification basis
- IANA time zone database — America/Anchorage
- U.S. Energy Policy Act DST schedule (second Sunday in March / first Sunday in November)
- Alaska Time Zone offsets UTC−9 / UTC−8
Formulas
Core equations used by this calculator.
How to use
Open the live clock
The page shows current date and time for America/Anchorage from your browser.
Refresh if needed
Use Refresh to re-read the clock; the display also updates about once per second.
Check the season
In winter expect AKST (UTC−9); from mid-March to early November expect AKDT (UTC−8).
Example calculations
Common configurations with formula and result.
Noon UTC in winter
AKST = UTC−9
Noon UTC in summer
AKDT = UTC−8
vs Pacific Time
Same DST rules as Los Angeles
vs Eastern Time
Same DST rules as New York
DST schedule (Anchorage local time)
Common values at a glance.
| Year | Spring forward (AKST → AKDT) | Fall back (AKDT → AKST) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sun Mar 9, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 2, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2026 | Sun Mar 8, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 1, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2027 | Sun Mar 14, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 7, 02:00 → 01:00 |
| 2028 | Sun Mar 12, 02:00 → 03:00 | Sun Nov 5, 02:00 → 01:00 |
Alaska / Anchorage Time specification
Version 1.0.1 · Engine tested
- Engine tested 3 published cases
- Named expert review Not performed
- Calculation version 1.0.1
- Definition
- Alaska Time (AKT) is the civil time used in Anchorage and most of Alaska. On the IANA zone America/Anchorage it is Alaska Standard Time (AKST, UTC−09:00) in winter and Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT, UTC−08:00) in summer when Daylight Saving Time is in effect.
- What it calculates
- Current local date and time in the America/Anchorage time zone (Alaska / Anchorage Time).
- Inputs
- None — uses the device clock and the IANA zone America/Anchorage
- Outputs
- Local time (24-hour style from the browser formatter)
- Local calendar date
- Formula
Display = Intl.DateTimeFormat with timeZone America/Anchorage- Assumptions
- Device clock and OS timezone database are reasonably correct.
- Covers Anchorage and most of Alaska; not Aleutian Hawaii–Aleutian zones.
- Runs locally in the browser; no server round-trip for the clock.
- Units
- Civil local time (hours, minutes, seconds)
- UTC offset AKST −9 / AKDT −8
- Boundary conditions
- On DST spring-forward, 02:00–02:59 AKST does not occur
- On DST fall-back, 01:00–01:59 AKST occurs twice
- Example
- 12:00 UTC in AKST → 03:00; in AKDT → 04:00
- Validation cases
3 published on this page
- UTC 12:00 during AKST → 03:00 America/Anchorage
- UTC 12:00 during AKDT → 04:00 America/Anchorage
- Same instant as America/Los_Angeles → Anchorage is 1 hour earlier
- Specification basis
- IANA time zone database — America/Anchorage
- U.S. Energy Policy Act DST schedule (second Sunday in March / first Sunday in November)
- Alaska Time Zone offsets UTC−9 / UTC−8
- Calculation version
- 1.0.1
Background
Interpretation and common distinctions.
Current time in Anchorage, Alaska
This page shows a live local clock for Anchorage and most of Alaska, using the IANA zone America/Anchorage. Time is read from your browser with that zone applied — the same civil time you would see on clocks across the Anchorage metro area.
Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city and the largest city in the Alaska Time Zone. The state capital, Juneau, and Fairbanks use the same Alaska Time offsets for everyday purposes.
Alaska Time (AKST / AKDT)
| Season | Name | Abbreviation | UTC offset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter (standard) | Alaska Standard Time | AKST | UTC−9 |
| Summer (daylight) | Alaska Daylight Time | AKDT | UTC−8 |
Together these are often labeled Alaska Time (AKT). Prefer UTC offsets or the IANA id when accuracy matters: abbreviations like “CST” are reused in unrelated regions and are easy to misread.
Daylight Saving Time
Alaska observes U.S. Daylight Saving Time (same calendar rule as most of the Lower 48):
- Spring forward — second Sunday in March at 02:00 AKST → clocks jump to 03:00 AKDT (UTC−9 → UTC−8).
- Fall back — first Sunday in November at 02:00 AKDT → clocks return to 01:00 AKST (UTC−8 → UTC−9).
For 2026, Anchorage moved to AKDT on 8 March and returns to AKST on 1 November (see the schedule table in the specification). Not every U.S. place observes DST — Hawaii and most of Arizona (Phoenix) stay on one offset all year.
How Alaska Time compares
When both sides share the same DST status:
- Pacific Time (Los Angeles): Anchorage is 1 hour behind.
- Mountain Time (Denver): Anchorage is 2 hours behind.
- Eastern Time (New York): Anchorage is 4 hours behind.
- UTC: Anchorage is 9 hours behind in winter, 8 hours behind in summer.
Versus year-round zones:
- Hawaii (HST, UTC−10): Anchorage is 1 hour ahead in winter, 2 hours ahead in summer.
- Phoenix (MST, UTC−7): Anchorage is 2 hours behind in winter, 1 hour behind in summer.
Does all of Alaska share one zone?
Most of the state — Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and other major communities — uses Alaska Time. Some western Aleutian islands instead use Hawaii–Aleutian Time. If you are coordinating with a remote community, confirm the IANA zone rather than assuming statewide uniformity.
UTC vs GMT
For everyday scheduling, UTC and GMT both mean offset +0. UTC is the modern atomic-clock standard; zone pages (and this clock) are defined relative to UTC. Alaska is UTC−9 in winter and UTC−8 in summer.
Related tools
Other calculators in this family: Los Angeles Time, Honolulu / Hawaii Time, New York Time, Denver Time, Phoenix Time, UTC Time .
Frequently asked questions
Key distinctions behind the calculation.
What time zone is Anchorage in?
Anchorage uses Alaska Time. The IANA identifier is America/Anchorage. Winter is AKST (UTC−9); summer daylight time is AKDT (UTC−8).
What is the difference between AKST and AKDT?
AKST (Alaska Standard Time) is UTC−9 and is used in winter. AKDT (Alaska Daylight Time) is UTC−8 and is used when Daylight Saving Time is in effect. Together they are often called Alaska Time (AKT).
Does Alaska observe Daylight Saving Time?
Yes, for Anchorage and most of the state. Clocks spring forward on the second Sunday in March (02:00 AKST → 03:00 AKDT) and fall back on the first Sunday in November (02:00 AKDT → 01:00 AKST). Hawaii and most of Arizona do not observe DST.
Is all of Alaska on the same time?
Most populated areas — including Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau — share Alaska Time (America/Anchorage or equivalent). Parts of the western Aleutian Islands use Hawaii–Aleutian Time instead. If you need a specific village, confirm its IANA zone.
How does Anchorage time compare to Los Angeles or New York?
Alaska Time is one hour behind Pacific Time and four hours behind Eastern Time whenever both regions are on standard time or both are on daylight time (they share the same U.S. DST change dates).
How does Anchorage compare to Hawaii or Phoenix?
Hawaii stays on HST (UTC−10) year-round, so Anchorage is 1 hour ahead in winter and 2 hours ahead in summer. Phoenix stays on MST (UTC−7) year-round, so Anchorage is 2 hours behind in winter and 1 hour behind in summer.
Why use America/Anchorage instead of “AKT”?
IANA zone IDs encode the correct UTC offset and DST rules for computers. Abbreviations like EST, CST, or AKT can be ambiguous across regions. This clock uses America/Anchorage so the browser applies the official transition table.
What is UTC?
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the global time standard. Zone offsets are written as hours ahead of (+) or behind (−) UTC. Alaska is UTC−9 in winter and UTC−8 in summer.