Is Atlanta in EST or CST? Understanding Atlanta’s Time Zone

If you live in Atlanta, are planning a trip here, or need to schedule a call with someone in the city, it helps to know exactly what time zone Atlanta uses and how it changes throughout the year.

The short answer: Atlanta, Georgia is in the Eastern Time Zone and follows Eastern Standard Time (EST) in the fall and winter and Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) in the spring and summer. It is not in Central Standard Time (CST).

Atlanta’s Official Time Zone

Atlanta is officially in the Eastern Time Zone (ET), the same as:

• New York, NY
• Washington, DC
• Miami, FL
• Charlotte, NC

EST vs. EDT: What Atlanta Actually Uses

You’ll often see Eastern time written two different ways:

• EST (Eastern Standard Time) – used in fall and winter
• EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) – used in spring and summer

Atlanta uses both, depending on the time of year, but it is always Eastern, never Central.

Rough guide:

So if someone asks, “Is Atlanta EST or CST?” you can confidently say:

How Atlanta’s Time Compares to Other U.S. Cities

If you’re coordinating meetings, travel, or TV schedules, it helps to visualize how Atlanta time lines up with other major zones.

• Central Time (CST/CDT) – one hour behind Atlanta
  • Example: When it’s 3:00 PM in Atlanta, it’s 2:00 PM in Chicago, Dallas, or New Orleans.
• Mountain Time (MST/MDT) – two hours behind Atlanta
• Pacific Time (PST/PDT) – three hours behind Atlanta

Quick comparison

This matters if you’re, for example:

• Joining a remote meeting with teammates in other states
• Watching a national live broadcast or sports event
• Booking flights into or out of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Daylight Saving Time in Atlanta

Like most of Georgia, Atlanta observes Daylight Saving Time (DST).

When the clock changes

While the exact dates shift slightly each year, the pattern is consistent nationwide:

• ⏰ Spring – Clocks “spring forward” one hour
  • Atlanta switches from EST (UTC−5) to EDT (UTC−4).
• ⏰ Fall – Clocks “fall back” one hour
  • Atlanta switches from EDT (UTC−4) back to EST (UTC−5).

Because of this:

• In winter, Atlanta time is usually written as EST.
• In summer, it’s more accurate to call it EDT, though many people casually say “EST” year-round.

If you’re flying, attending an event, or joining a virtual meeting, the safest option is to confirm the exact time relative to “Eastern Time” or local Atlanta time.

Why People Get Confused About Atlanta’s Time Zone

It’s common for people to mix up Eastern and Central when talking about Atlanta’s time. Here’s why:

1. Georgia borders Central Time states.
   Alabama (to the west) and parts of Tennessee use Central Time, so travelers driving in and out of Atlanta may cross time zones.

2. Some TV and radio schedules list two times.
   National programming sometimes shows both Eastern/Central (“8/7c”), which can make it easy to forget which one Atlanta uses.

3. Business operations across multiple zones.
   Many Atlanta-based companies work with teams in Nashville, Houston, or Chicago (all Central), which leads to constant EST/CST comparisons.

To avoid mistakes, especially for meetings or travel, it’s helpful to remember:

What Time Zone Is the Atlanta Metro Area In?

The Atlanta metropolitan area—including Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton counties, along with surrounding suburbs—is all on Eastern Time.

This includes places like:

• Sandy Springs
• Roswell
• Marietta
• Decatur
• Dunwoody
• College Park
• East Point
• Stone Mountain

Whether you’re commuting from Marietta to Downtown or flying out of Hartsfield–Jackson, you’re using Eastern Time.

Atlanta Airports and Eastern Time

If you are flying in or out of Atlanta, all official schedules are based on local Eastern Time.

• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
  • Located at 6000 N Terminal Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30320
  • Flight departures and arrivals are always listed in local Atlanta time (Eastern).

If you’re connecting from a Central Time city (like Dallas or New Orleans):

• Your departure time will be shown in local time for that airport.
• Your connection/arrival time in Atlanta will be shown in Eastern Time.

Always check whether apps or airline confirmations are automatically converting to your phone’s local time if you’re traveling across zones.

Everyday Situations Where Atlanta’s Time Zone Matters

1. Remote work and virtual meetings

If you work remotely from Atlanta with people in other states, clarifying time zones prevents missed calls.

Common phrases you might use:

• “Let’s meet at 10:00 AM Eastern (Atlanta time).”
• “That’s 3:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Central.”

Tip: When sending invites from Atlanta, most calendar apps will set the meeting in Eastern Time by default and adjust for others.

2. TV, sports, and events

National broadcasts usually list times in Eastern and Central. For example:

• A game that airs at 8 PM ET / 7 PM CT will be 8 PM in Atlanta.
• A show listed as “8/7c” means 8 PM in Atlanta, 7 PM in many Central cities.

Local events in Atlanta—concerts, festivals, games at Mercedes-Benz Stadium or State Farm Arena—will all use Eastern Time on tickets and promotions.

3. Driving to and from nearby states

If you’re driving from Atlanta:

• West into Alabama

  • You move from Eastern to Central Time and gain one hour.
  • Example: Leave Atlanta at 2:00 PM; you might arrive in Birmingham at what the clock shows as 2:00 PM local time, even though you’ve been driving an hour.

• Northwest into parts of Tennessee

  • You may cross into Central Time depending on your route.

It’s wise to keep this in mind for:

• Doctor’s appointments or meetings near the state line
• Out-of-state job interviews or exams
• Time-sensitive deliveries or pickups

Simple Rules to Remember for Atlanta’s Time Zone

Here’s a quick cheat sheet you can rely on:

• Is Atlanta EST or CST?
  → Atlanta is always in the Eastern Time Zone. Never Central.

• What about daylight saving time?
  → Atlanta switches between EST (winter) and EDT (summer), but still stays within Eastern Time.

• How does Atlanta compare to Central Time cities?
  → Atlanta is one hour ahead of cities in Central Time.

• Do the Atlanta suburbs use the same time zone?
  → Yes. The entire metro Atlanta area uses Eastern Time.

When to Double-Check the Time in Atlanta

It’s a good idea to confirm time details when you:

• Have a meeting or interview with someone out of state
• Are traveling across time zones to or from Atlanta
• Are attending a virtual event with a national audience
• Are scheduling something around the start or end of daylight saving time

Most smartphones and computers automatically adjust for Atlanta’s Eastern Time as long as your location settings or time zone are set correctly.

In summary, if you’re in or dealing with Atlanta, Georgia, you can treat the city as firmly on Eastern Time. It uses EST in the colder months and EDT in the warmer months, but never CST.