AKST — Alaska Standard Time
Alaska standard time (UTC-9), AKDT in summer.
AKST stands for Alaska Standard Time. Alaska standard time (UTC-9), AKDT in summer.
AKST is UTC-09:00 from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The primary IANA zone is America/Anchorage.
AKST is the standard-time abbreviation; it shifts to AKDT (UTC-08:00) during daylight saving time.
Standard / daylight pair
AKDT · UTC−8 — March–November in the United States
Countries using this zone
- United States
Principal cities
- Anchorage
- Fairbanks
- Juneau
- Sitka
- Ketchikan
- Wasilla
- Kenai
- Kodiak
History
Historically, Alaska was divided into 4 different time zones until 30 October 1983. To simplify statewide communication and business, the majority of the state consolidated into a single zone originally known as Yukon Time, which was later renamed Alaska Time. The westernmost Aleutian Islands were the only regions excluded from this massive consolidation to remain in a zone better suited to their longitudinal position.
Frequently Asked Questions
AKST — Alaska Standard Time. Alaska standard time (UTC-9), AKDT in summer.
AKST is UTC-09:00. It is paired with AKDT (UTC-08:00).
Countries and territories primarily using AKST include: US.
Yes. Zones using AKST shift to AKDT (UTC-08:00) during daylight saving time and return to AKST when DST ends.
AKST is the winter (standard) abbreviation and AKDT is the summer (daylight-saving) abbreviation. AKDT is one hour ahead of AKST.
The primary IANA time zone representing AKST is America/Anchorage. Operating systems and programming libraries use this identifier to resolve local time.
AKST stands for Alaska Standard Time, which is UTC−9, while AKDT is Alaska Daylight Time, operating at UTC−8. The region switches to AKDT on the second Sunday of March to gain an extra hour of daylight in the evening. It reverts to AKST on the first Sunday of November.
Most of Alaska uses Alaska Standard Time, but the western Aleutian Islands are the exception. Specifically, islands located west of 169° 30′ W, such as Adak and Attu, utilize Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST). This keeps those remote islands 1 hour behind the rest of the mainland state.
Alaska Standard Time is 1 hour behind Pacific Standard Time (PST). When it is 12 PM in Seattle or Los Angeles, it is 11 AM in Anchorage. This 1-hour difference remains consistent throughout the year because both zones follow the same daylight saving time transition schedule.
No, Alaska Standard Time is used exclusively within the United States. While neighboring regions in Canada, such as the Yukon, share a similar longitudinal space, they utilize different time zone designations. The Yukon currently observes Mountain Standard Time year-round, which is 2 hours ahead of AKST during winter.
Because Alaska spans nearly 58 degrees of longitude, solar noon can vary by several hours from the eastern border to the western coast. While the entire mainland uses AKST for convenience, the actual sun position in Nome is much later than in Juneau. This creates extremely long summer evenings.