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Time Difference: San Diego to Sydney

🇺🇸San DiegoUTC-8
vs
🇦🇺SydneyUTC+10
🇺🇸
San Diego, US
Thu, Oct 8
🇦🇺
Sydney, Australia
Fri, Oct 9

Click a time to convert

Time Difference
18 hours
Sydney is 18 hours ahead of San Diego
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🇺🇸
San Diego
View city page
🇦🇺
Sydney
View city page

San Diego vs Sydney timezone guide

San Diego (US) uses the America/Los_Angeles timezone at UTC-8, while Sydney (Australia) uses Australia/Sydney at UTC+10. This means Sydney is 18 hours ahead of San Diego (based on standard offsets — the live difference above accounts for daylight saving time).

Best meeting times between San Diego and Sydney

Standard 9-to-5 working hours in San Diego and Sydney do not overlap. To meet synchronously, one side will need to start early or stay late — see the hour-by-hour planner below for the least disruptive options.

Hour-by-hour planner

San DiegoSydneyStatus
6am12amSan Diego early, Sydney asleep
7am1amSan Diego early, Sydney asleep
8am2amSan Diego early, Sydney asleep
9am3amSan Diego working hours, Sydney asleep
10am4amSan Diego working hours, Sydney asleep
11am5amSan Diego working hours, Sydney asleep
12pm6amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
1pm7amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
2pm8amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
3pm9amBoth at work — ideal meeting time
4pm10amBoth at work — ideal meeting time
5pm11amOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
6pm12pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
7pm1pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
8pm2pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
9pm3pmOne side outside 9-to-5 but still awake
10pm4pmSan Diego late evening, Sydney working hours

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 San Diego and Sydney

Both cities observe daylight saving time, but on different schedules. This creates short windows each year where the usual difference of 17 hours behind temporarily shifts.

  • Dec 31 → Mar 8Difference temporarily 19 hours behind.
  • Mar 8 → Apr 4Difference temporarily 18 hours behind.
  • Oct 3 → Nov 1Difference temporarily 18 hours behind.
  • Nov 1 → Dec 31Difference temporarily 19 hours behind.

San Diego transitions on March 8, 2026 and November 1, 2026. Sydney transitions on April 5, 2026 and October 4, 2026.

Distance between San Diego and Sydney

Great-circle distance
12,090 km
Direct flight time
~15h 13m

San Diego and Sydney are 12,090 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly ~15h 13m, depending on aircraft type, winds, and routing.

More comparisons

San Diego to New YorkSan Diego to LondonSan Diego to TokyoSydney to New YorkSydney to LondonSydney to TokyoSydney to Dubai

Frequently asked questions

What is the time difference between San Diego and Sydney?
The current time difference is 18 hours. San Diego is currently 18 hours behind Sydney.
Is San Diego ahead of Sydney?
No. San Diego is currently 18 hours behind Sydney.
What time is it in Sydney when it's 9 AM in San Diego?
When it's 9 AM in San Diego, it's 3am in Sydney.
When is the best time to schedule a meeting between San Diego and Sydney?
Standard 9-to-5 working hours in San Diego and Sydney do not overlap. To meet synchronously, one side will need to start before 9 AM or work past 5 PM — see the planner above for the least disruptive options.
Do San Diego and Sydney observe daylight saving time?
San Diego and Sydney both observe daylight saving time, but on different schedules. Short windows each year (a week or two around each set of transitions) produce a temporarily different offset.
How far apart are San Diego and Sydney?
San Diego and Sydney are 12,090 km apart along the great-circle route. A direct flight takes roughly 15 hours 13 minutes.