HST to EST Converter
Convert time between Hawaii Standard Time (HST) and Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Time Difference
Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 0 hours ahead of Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
Select Date
Select Time
Quick Reference
| HST | EST |
|---|---|
| 16:00 | 21:00 |
| 18:00 | 23:00 |
| 20:00 | 01:00 |
| 22:00 | 03:00 |
| 00:00 | 05:00 |
| 02:00 | 07:00 |
| 04:00 | 09:00 |
| 06:00 | 11:00 |
| 08:00 | 13:00 |
| 10:00 | 15:00 |
| 12:00 | 17:00 |
| 14:00 | 19:00 |
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
Related Time Zone Conversions
About HST to EST Time Conversion
Converting time between Hawaii Standard Time (HST) and Eastern Standard Time (EST) is important for coordinating between Hawaii and the US East Coast. HST is UTC-10, while EST is UTC-5, making EST 10 hours ahead of HST (15 hours behind for Hawaii). Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, making this conversion straightforward.
This conversion is vital for business operations, tourism coordination, and personal communications between Hawaii and the East Coast. Understanding this significant time difference is crucial for scheduling meetings, managing customer service, and coordinating travel between these distant regions.
Common Use Cases for HST to EST Conversion
Business & Work
- Scheduling calls with East Coast offices from Hawaii headquarters
- Coordinating customer service operations across US time zones
- Managing tourism and hospitality reservations from East Coast
Personal & Travel
- Scheduling video calls with family and friends on the East Coast
- Planning travel from Hawaii to the East Coast
- Coordinating vacation and holiday time across time zones
Time Zone Information
Hawaii Standard Time (HST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-10
- IANA Timezone: Pacific/Honolulu
- Daylight Saving: No daylight saving time observed
- Major Cities: Honolulu, Hilo, Maui, Kauai, Big Island
- Coverage: State of Hawaii
Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- UTC Offset: UTC-5 (UTC-4 during EDT)
- IANA Timezone: America/New_York
- Daylight Saving: Second Sunday in March to First Sunday in November
- Major Cities: New York, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington DC
- Coverage: Eastern United States and Canada
Quick Reference: HST to EST
Remember: EST is always 10 hours ahead of HST (Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between HST and EST?
Hawaii Standard Time (HST) is UTC-10, while Eastern Standard Time (EST) is UTC-5. EST is 10 hours ahead of HST. This means when it's 8:00 AM in HST, it's 6:00 PM the same day in EST.
Does Hawaii observe daylight saving time?
No, Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time. Hawaii Standard Time (HST) remains UTC-10 year-round. However, the Eastern US does observe daylight saving time, transitioning between EST (UTC-5) and EDT (UTC-4). This means the time difference varies between 10 hours (when EST is active) and 11 hours (when EDT is active).
When is the best time to schedule calls between Hawaii and the East Coast?
The best times are typically early morning EST (8-9 AM) which corresponds to late evening HST (10-11 PM), or late evening EST (9-11 PM) which corresponds to early morning HST (11 AM-1 PM next day). Morning is generally better since Hawaii evenings align with East Coast business hours.
What major cities are in HST and EST timezones?
HST covers Hawaii cities including Honolulu, Hilo, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. EST covers major East Coast cities like New York, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. These regions are on opposite ends of the continental US.
How do I convert HST to EST manually?
To convert from HST to EST, add 10 hours to the HST time. For example, if it's 9:00 AM HST, it would be 7:00 PM EST the same day. Remember that the difference becomes 11 hours when the Eastern US is observing EDT (daylight saving time).
What should I know about scheduling across HST and EST?
Hawaii is 10-11 hours behind the East Coast, making real-time coordination challenging. The only practical overlap is early morning East Coast time (8-9 AM EST) = late evening Hawaii time (10-11 PM HST). Most Hawaii-East Coast businesses operate asynchronously or have specific coordination windows.
Pro Tips
- • EST is always 10 hours ahead of HST - but remember this becomes 11 hours when EDT is active.
- • Hawaii does not observe daylight saving time, so HST is consistent year-round while EST/EDT changes twice annually.
- • Early morning East Coast times (8-9 AM EST) are the sweet spot for Hawaii coordination, equating to late evenings (10-11 PM HST).
- • With a 10-hour difference, there's minimal overlap - most Hawaii-East Coast teams work asynchronously or have dedicated coordination windows.
- • Use 24-hour time format when communicating across HST-EST to eliminate AM/PM confusion, especially when discussing evening/morning times.
- • Tourism and hospitality businesses serving both Hawaii and East Coast clients should plan customer service coverage for the entire 24-hour cycle.