AST to AKST
-5hAST
ASTSOURCEAKST
AKSTGreen rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)
AST and AKST on the World Map
The map below highlights the AST (Atlantic Standard Time) and AKST (Alaska Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.
AST – Atlantic Standard Time
UTC-04:00Atlantic Standard Time (AST) is the time zone for the Canadian Atlantic provinces and the Caribbean, 4 hours behind UTC.
- •Puerto Rico uses AST year-round and does not observe DST.
- •AST is 1 hour ahead of EST.
- •Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia, is the largest city in AST Canada.
AKST – Alaska Standard Time
UTC-09:00Alaska Standard Time (AKST) is the time zone for the state of Alaska, 9 hours behind UTC.
- •Alaska is the largest US state by area but has only about 730,000 residents.
- •Anchorage is the most populous city in AKST with about 290,000 people.
- •The Aleutian Islands use HAST instead of AKST.
Comparing Time Zones: AST and AKST
AST runs on Atlantic Standard Time (AST) at UTC-04:00. AKST runs on Alaska Standard Time (AKST) at UTC-09:00. That puts AST 5 hours behind AKST — a difference of -5h at the current offsets.
In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in AST it is 4:00 AM in AKST. Midnight in AST is 7:00 PM in AKST. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.
AST to AKST time conversion table
| AST (AST) | AKST (AKST) | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 7:00 PM | previous day |
| 6:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day |
| 7:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day |
| 8:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day |
| 9:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day |
| 12:00 PM | 7:00 AM | same day |
| 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | same day |
| 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM | same day |
| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day |
| 9:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day |
Why people convert AST to AKST time
- Scheduling a call from AST to AKST: a 10:00 AM start in AST lands at 5:00 AM in AKST, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
- Finding shared working hours: both AST and AKST are inside the 9-to-5 working day between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM AST time (9:00 AM–12:00 PM AKST). That is roughly 3 hours of usable overlap.
- Coordinating a AST-based team with AKST contacts: quoting times in the other side's local clock — not your own — removes the single biggest source of missed meetings.
- Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM AST" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a -5h gap is not.
- Block 2:00 PM–5:00 PM AST as the recurring meeting window if you work primarily from AST and need AKST colleagues present.
About AST (Atlantic Standard Time)
Atlantic Standard Time (AST) covers Canada's Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and most of Labrador), as well as several Caribbean nations. Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands use AST year-round without daylight saving time. The Canadian provinces switch to Atlantic Daylight Time (ADT) in summer.
About AKST (Alaska Standard Time)
Alaska Standard Time (AKST) is used in nearly all of Alaska. Due to Alaska's vast geographic size, the Aleutian Islands use Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time instead. During summer months, Alaska switches to Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT, UTC-08:00).
Best time to call between AST and AKST
Both AST and AKST sit inside the 9 AM – 5 PM working day between 2:00 PM–5:00 PM AST, which is 9:00 AM–12:00 PM AKST. That gives roughly 3 hours of shared time — the safest window for a live call or meeting.
Business hours overlap
AST and AKST overlap for about 3 hours during the working day — enough for meetings if you avoid the edges of the window.
AST is 5 hours behind AKST (AST UTC-04:00 → AKST UTC-09:00). The shared working window is 2:00 PM–5:00 PM AST. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.
🕐 Daylight Saving Time Info
AST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-04:00 · DST: UTC-03:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
AKST
☀ Currently in DST
Standard: UTC-09:00 · DST: UTC-08:00
Clocks fall back on Sun, Nov 1, 2026
Learn More About Time
Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between AST and AKST?
AST (AST, UTC-04:00) is 5 hours behind AKST (AKST, UTC-09:00). The gap is currently -5h.
How do I convert AST time to AKST time?
Add -5h to AST local time. For example, 9:00 AM in AST is 4:00 AM in AKST.
What time is it in AKST right now?
AKST uses AKST at UTC-09:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the -5h offset from AST.
What is the best time to call AKST from AST?
Call between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM AST — that maps to 9:00 AM–12:00 PM AKST and keeps both parties inside the working day.
Which is behind, AST or AKST?
AST is 5 hours behind AKST. When it is 12:00 PM in AST it is 7:00 AM in AKST.
Does daylight saving time affect the AST–AKST difference?
Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the -5h offset between AST and AKST is fixed all year.
Which other cities share AST's time zone?
AST also covers Halifax, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Caracas, La Paz, Fredericton, Charlottetown.
Which countries use AST, AST's zone?
AST is used in Canada (Atlantic provinces), Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Bolivia, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago.
Is there a day difference between AST and AKST?
Not normally. The -5h gap only pushes the date over the previous day.
What is the time difference between AST and AKST?
AKST is -5h from AST.
What timezone is AST in?
AST operates on its local timezone.
What timezone is AKST in?
AKST operates on its local timezone.
Which countries use AST (Atlantic Standard Time)?
AST is used in Canada (Atlantic provinces), Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Bolivia, and 2 more countries.
Does AST observe daylight saving time?
Yes, AST switches to ADT during summer months.
What are some interesting facts about AST?
Puerto Rico uses AST year-round and does not observe DST. AST is 1 hour ahead of EST.
Which cities are in the AKST timezone?
Major cities in the AKST timezone include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Wasilla.
What is the UTC offset for AKST?
Alaska Standard Time (AKST) is at UTC-09:00. During daylight saving time, it shifts to AKDT.
What should I know about the AKST timezone?
Alaska is the largest US state by area but has only about 730,000 residents. Anchorage is the most populous city in AKST with about 290,000 people.
When is it midnight in AST, what time is it in AKST?
When it is 12:00 AM (midnight) in AST (AST), it is -5h later in AKST (AKST).
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See every conversion from AST →·See every conversion from AKST →