Chicago uses Central Time (CT) — UTC−6 in winter (CST) and UTC−5 in summer (CDT). It is the third most populous city in the United States, a global hub for finance, commerce, architecture and blues music, sitting on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan.
Everything you need to know about Chicago's time zone, UTC offset, and Daylight Saving Time schedule.
From the first Sunday of November to the second Sunday of March, Chicago observes CST (UTC−6). This is the standard winter time shared by the entire US Central timezone corridor from Canada down to Mexico.
From the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, Chicago advances to CDT (UTC−5) — clocks move forward 1 hour, giving longer summer evenings on the lakeshore.
The official IANA time zone name for Chicago is America/Chicago. This identifier is used in programming, operating systems, and all modern calendar applications worldwide.
Spring forward: 9 March 2025 at 02:00 → 03:00
Fall back: 2 November 2025 at 02:00 → 01:00
Spring forward: 8 March 2026 at 02:00 → 03:00
Fall back: 1 November 2026 at 02:00 → 01:00
Chicago shares its time zone with Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian province of Manitoba. Major cities include Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Minneapolis and Kansas City.
The CME Group (Chicago Mercantile Exchange), the world's largest derivatives marketplace, operates on Central Time. Futures trading opens at 05:00 CT Sunday through Friday. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) is also headquartered here.
Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, with nearly 2.7 million residents within city limits and over 9.5 million in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in the state of Illinois, the city serves as the economic and cultural capital of the American Midwest, and one of the most important business hubs in the world.
The city is a powerhouse of global finance and commerce. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) are among the world's largest financial exchanges, making Chicago a critical node in international derivatives and futures markets. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago serves the Seventh Federal Reserve District, overseeing banking across five Midwestern states.
Chicago is globally celebrated for its architecture. It is widely regarded as the birthplace of the modern skyscraper — after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 razed much of the city, it was rebuilt with unprecedented architectural ambition. Landmarks such as the Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower), the John Hancock Center, the Chicago Tribune Tower and the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park draw millions of visitors each year.
The city has an extraordinarily rich cultural and musical heritage. Chicago blues, developed by artists like Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy, fundamentally shaped rock and roll. Chicago is also home to the second-largest theatre scene in the United States, world-class institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum, and one of the most acclaimed restaurant scenes in the world, including multiple Michelin-starred establishments.
Chicago is served by two major airports: O'Hare International Airport (ORD), one of the world's busiest air hubs, and Midway Airport (MDW). O'Hare is a primary transatlantic and transpacific hub, offering non-stop flights to London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai and dozens of other global destinations.
2.7 million city / ~9.5 million metro area. The 3rd most populous city in the United States.
Home to CME Group, CBOE, the Chicago Fed, and hundreds of Fortune 500 companies including Boeing, McDonald's and Morningstar.
~8h from London, ~9h from Paris, ~13h from Tokyo, ~2h from New York, ~1h from Los Angeles.
Humid continental. Hot summers (avg. 29°C / 84°F in July), cold winters (avg. −5°C / 23°F in January) with heavy lake-effect snow and famously strong winds.
English is the primary language. Spanish widely spoken. Also Polish, Chinese, Tagalog, Arabic and many more across the metro area.
+1 (US country code). Area codes: 312, 773, 872 (Chicago city). Currency: US Dollar (USD, $).
Current time in major cities compared to Chicago. Times update live every second.
Note on DST transitions: The offsets shown above reflect the current live offset, which changes twice a year due to Daylight Saving Time. The US, EU, and other regions change their clocks on different dates, which means the difference between Chicago and a European city can vary by 1 hour for a short period in spring and autumn. Always verify the exact time difference around DST transition dates for critical scheduling.
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Chicago's Central Time zone is the heartbeat of the American Midwest — from CME futures trading opening at dawn to evening broadcasts that reach over 100 million people across the Central Time zone in the US and Canada.
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Common questions about Chicago's time zone, UTC offset, and Daylight Saving Time.