What Time Zone is Chicago, Illinois?
If you’re planning a trip to the Skydeck, you might be wondering what time zone Chicago, Illinois is in. Like nearby Milwaukee, and a portion of the Midwest, Chicago is in the Central Time Zone. Find out more about how many time zones there are in the U.S., and what to expect in the Chicago time zone with the Skydeck!
What Time Zone Is Chicago?
If you’re planning a trip to the Skydeck, you might be wondering what time is it in Chicago, Illinois compared to where you live. First, you’ll need to determine the Illinois time zone. Like nearby Milwaukee and a portion of the Midwest, the Illinois time zone is the Central Time Zone. Find out more about how many time zones there are in the U.S., and what to expect in the Chicago time zone during your Windy City visit!
Is Chicago GMT Time?
Chicago is not GMT time. It’s actually located in the U.S. Central Time Zone. Greenwich Mean Time (or GMT) is a European time zone that uses the zero-degree line of longitude as its reference. The name comes from the fact that this line runs through the London suburb of Greenwich.
Not only is Illinois in the Central Time Zone, but Chicago is the largest city in the entire time zone! During Daylight Standard Time (November through April) the Chicago time zone is six hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. During Daylight Savings Time (April through November) Chicago is seven hours behind Greenwich Mean Time.
Wondering what time is it in Chicago, Illinois if you live in a place that’s on GMT? To convert the time in Chicago to GMT, simply add six hours during Central Standard Time or five hours if daylight savings time is in effect.
How Many Time Zones Are There in the U.S.?
The continental U.S. has four time zones, but when you add Alaska and Hawaii it jumps to six time zones. The location of the time zone borders are based on low population density, not state lines, so some states are in two time zones. Here’s a breakdown of the U.S. time zones and the states in them:
Eastern Time Zone
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- Maryland
- Delaware
- Ohio
- West Virginia
- Most of Michigan
- Eastern Indiana
- Eastern Kentucky
- Eastern Tennessee
- Virginia
- Washington D.C.
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Georgia
- Most of Florida
Central Time Zone
- Small portion of Michigan
- Two portions of Indiana
- Western Kentucky
- Western Tennessee
- Sliver of Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- Minnesota
- Most of Kansas
- Oklahoma
- Most of Texas
- Eastern North Dakota
- Eastern South Dakota
- Eastern Nebraska
Mountain Time Zone
- Western North Dakota
- Western South Dakota
- Western Nebraska
- Sliver of Kansas
- Sliver of Texas
- New Mexico
- Colorado
- Wyoming
- Montana
- Southern Idaho
- Utah
- Arizona
- Sliver of Oregon
Pacific Time Zone
- Washington
- Most of Oregon
- Northern Idaho
- Nevada
- California
The Alaskan Time Zone and Hawaiian Time Zone contain the states that share their names.
Make Time for a Visit to the Skydeck!
No matter which time zone is your home, you’re welcome at the Skydeck! As one of the most popular attractions in the Central Time Zone, we welcome guests from every state and around the world daily. Learn more about Chicago and find out what people are saying about the Skydeck at Willis Tower today!