AKDT to MST Converter
Convert time between Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) and Mountain Standard Time (MST)
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
Mountain Standard Time (MST)
Time Difference
Mountain Standard Time (MST) is 0 hours ahead of Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| AKDT | MST |
|---|---|
| 18:00 | 20:00 |
| 20:00 | 22:00 |
| 22:00 | 00:00 |
| 00:00 | 02:00 |
| 02:00 | 04:00 |
| 04:00 | 06:00 |
| 06:00 | 08:00 |
| 08:00 | 10:00 |
| 10:00 | 12:00 |
| 12:00 | 14:00 |
| 14:00 | 16:00 |
| 16:00 | 18:00 |
Top 10 Most Common Time Zones
| Abbreviation | Full Name | UTC Offset | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Coordinated Universal Time | UTC ±0 | Global reference standard (servers, logs, APIs) |
| EST / EDT | Eastern (US) Time | UTC −5 / −4 | New York, Toronto — North American business hub |
| CST / CDT | Central (US) Time | UTC −6 / −5 | Chicago, Dallas — US central business region |
| PST / PDT | Pacific (US) Time | UTC −8 / −7 | San Francisco, Los Angeles — tech industry standard |
| GMT / BST | Greenwich Mean / British Summer Time | UTC 0 / +1 | UK, used globally as a reference with UTC |
| CET / CEST | Central European (Summer) Time | UTC +1 / +2 | Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam — EU business core |
| IST | India Standard Time | UTC +5:30 | India — major IT & outsourcing region |
| CST | China Standard Time | UTC +8 | Beijing, Shanghai — East Asia business hub |
| JST | Japan Standard Time | UTC +9 | Tokyo — finance & tech hub |
| AEST / AEDT | Australian Eastern (Daylight) Time | UTC +10 / +11 | Sydney, Melbourne — APAC regional business |
Why Time Zone Abbreviations Are Ambiguous
Unlike standardized identifiers (like America/New_York or Europe/London from the IANA tz database), abbreviations such as "CST" or "IST" are not globally unique. They can refer to different time zones depending on context — country, region, or even time of year (due to daylight saving time).
Common Ambiguous Time Zone Abbreviations
| Abbrev. | Common Meaning(s) | UTC Offset | Region(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CST | Central Standard Time / China Standard Time / Cuba Standard Time | UTC−6 / UTC+8 / UTC−5 | North America, China, Cuba |
| IST | Indian Standard Time / Irish Standard Time / Israel Standard Time | UTC+5:30 / UTC+1 / UTC+2 | India, Ireland, Israel |
| AST | Atlantic Standard Time / Arabia Standard Time | UTC−4 / UTC+3 | Caribbean, Canada, Middle East |
| PST | Pacific Standard Time / Philippine Standard Time | UTC−8 / UTC+8 | North America, Philippines |
| EST | Eastern Standard Time (North America / Australia) | UTC−5 / UTC+10 | North America, Australia |
✅ Best Practice
To avoid ambiguity, always:
- Use IANA tz identifiers — e.g.,
America/New_Yorkinstead of "EST" - Specify UTC offset explicitly — e.g.,
UTC−5when abbreviations must be used - Include the full timezone name — e.g., "Eastern Standard Time (EST)" with UTC offset
About AKDT to MST Time Conversion
Converting time between Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) and Mountain Standard Time (MST) bridges Anchorage and Fairbanks with Phoenix and the Mountain US in winter standard time. AKDT is UTC-8 while MST is UTC-7, placing MST 1 hour ahead of AKDT.
Most of the Mountain US follows the US daylight saving schedule and uses MDT in summer. AKDT-MST overlap is most relevant for Arizona — which stays on MST year-round (apart from the Navajo Nation) — and during the brief DST-transition windows for the rest of the region.
Common Use Cases for AKDT to MST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling meetings between Alaska-based teams and Arizona partners year-round
- Coordinating with the Mountain US during DST-transition windows
- Planning conference calls between Anchorage and Phoenix
Personal & Travel
- Planning travel itineraries between Alaska and Arizona
- Coordinating with family and friends in Phoenix, Tucson, or other Arizona cities
- Understanding Arizona's no-DST policy in cross-region scheduling
Time Zone Information
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
- UTC Offset: UTC-8
- IANA Timezone: America/Anchorage
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka
- Coverage: Most of Alaska during daylight saving period
Mountain Standard Time (MST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-7 (UTC-6 during MDT)
- IANA Timezone: America/Denver
- Daylight Saving: Most of the Mountain US uses MDT in summer; Arizona stays on MST year-round
- Major Cities: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale
- Coverage: Arizona year-round; Mountain US in winter standard time
Quick Reference: AKDT to MST
Remember: MST is 1 hour ahead of AKDT. For Arizona this applies year-round; for the rest of the Mountain US, see the AKDT-MDT page during summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between AKDT and MST?
Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) is UTC-8, while Mountain Standard Time (MST) is UTC-7. MST is 1 hour ahead of AKDT. When it is 12:00 PM in Anchorage, it is 1:00 PM in Phoenix.
When does this AKDT to MST conversion apply?
AKDT runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November. Most of the Mountain US uses MDT in summer, but Arizona stays on MST year-round. The AKDT-MST 1-hour offset is most relevant for Arizona during Alaska's DST window.
How does the time difference change throughout the year?
When Alaska reverts to AKST (UTC-9) in November, the offset to Arizona MST becomes 2 hours. For the rest of the Mountain US, the active timezone shifts between MDT and MST on US-wide DST dates.
What are the best times for AKDT-MST business calls?
The 1-hour gap is small, so most working hours overlap. 9:00 AM–4:00 PM AKDT corresponds to 10:00 AM–5:00 PM MST — both regions are awake and at work for most of that span.
Which countries/regions use MST timezone?
MST is observed year-round in Arizona (apart from the Navajo Nation). Major MST cities in Arizona include Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Chandler, and Scottsdale. The rest of the Mountain US uses MST only during winter.
Which countries/regions use AKDT timezone?
AKDT covers most of Alaska during daylight saving, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and Sitka. The Aleutian Islands use Hawaii-Aleutian Time and follow a different rule set.
Pro Tips
- • MST is 1 hour ahead of AKDT — add 1 hour to an Anchorage time to get the Phoenix time.
- • Arizona is the main MST region during AKDT — the rest of the Mountain US uses MDT in summer.
- • Best meeting window: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM AKDT overlaps with 9:00 AM–5:00 PM MST — most of the working day.
- • Arizona never observes DST. Only the AKDT side shifts; MST is constant year-round in Arizona.
- • Use IANA identifiers (America/Anchorage and America/Phoenix for Arizona, America/Denver for the rest) in calendar tools.
- • When Alaska reverts to AKST in November, the offset to Arizona MST grows to 2 hours.