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Time Difference: Chicago to Los Angeles

🇺🇸ChicagoUTC-6
vs
🇺🇸Los AngelesUTC-8
🇺🇸
Chicago, US
Fri, Jun 5
🇺🇸
Los Angeles, US
Fri, Jun 5

Click a time to convert

Time Difference
2 hours
Los Angeles is 2 hours behind Chicago
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🇺🇸
Chicago
View city page
🇺🇸
Los Angeles
View city page

Chicago vs Los Angeles timezone guide

Chicago (US) uses the America/Chicago timezone at UTC-6, while Los Angeles (US) uses America/Los_Angeles at UTC-8. This means Los Angeles is 2 hours behind Chicago (based on standard offsets — the live difference above accounts for daylight saving time).

Best meeting times between Chicago and Los Angeles

Standard 9-to-5 working hours overlap by 6 hours per day. The shared window is 11am–5pm in Chicago, which is 9am–3pm in Los Angeles. Schedule recurring meetings inside that window and both teams stay inside standard working hours.

Hour-by-hour planner

ChicagoLos AngelesStatus
6am4amChicago early, Los Angeles asleep
7am5amChicago early, Los Angeles asleep
8am6amChicago early, Los Angeles early
9am7amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
10am8amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
11am9amBoth at work — ideal meeting time
12pm10amBoth at work — ideal meeting time
1pm11amBoth at work — ideal meeting time
2pm12pmBoth at work — ideal meeting time
3pm1pmBoth at work — ideal meeting time
4pm2pmBoth at work — ideal meeting time
5pm3pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
6pm4pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
7pm5pmChicago evening, Los Angeles evening
8pm6pmChicago evening, Los Angeles evening
9pm7pmChicago evening, Los Angeles evening
10pm8pmChicago late evening, Los Angeles evening

Green = standard working hours (9 AM – 5 PM). Amber = early (6–9 AM). Orange = evening (5–10 PM). Grey = asleep or late.

Daylight saving time between Chicago and Los Angeles

Both Chicago and Los Angeles observe daylight saving time on the same dates in 2026, so they spring forward and fall back together. The difference between them stays at 2 hours ahead year-round.

Distance between Chicago and Los Angeles

Great-circle distance
2,804 km
Direct flight time
~4h 18m

Chicago and Los Angeles are 2,804 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly ~4h 18m, depending on aircraft type, winds, and routing.

More comparisons

Chicago to New YorkChicago to LondonChicago to TokyoChicago to SydneyLos Angeles to New YorkLos Angeles to LondonLos Angeles to TokyoLos Angeles to Sydney

Frequently asked questions

What is the time difference between Chicago and Los Angeles?
The current time difference is 2 hours. Chicago is currently 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Is Chicago ahead of Los Angeles?
Yes. Chicago is currently 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
What time is it in Los Angeles when it's 9 AM in Chicago?
When it's 9 AM in Chicago, it's 7am in Los Angeles.
When is the best time to schedule a meeting between Chicago and Los Angeles?
The best window is 11am–5pm in Chicago, which is 9am–3pm in Los Angeles. That's 6 hours where both teams are inside standard 9-to-5 working hours.
Do Chicago and Los Angeles observe daylight saving time?
Both Chicago and Los Angeles observe daylight saving time on the same dates, so their time difference does not change during the year.
How far apart are Chicago and Los Angeles?
Chicago and Los Angeles are 2,804 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly 4 hours 18 minutes.