Atlanta, Georgia Time Zone: What You Need to Know

If you live in Atlanta, are planning a trip, or are coordinating a call with someone in the city, it helps to know exactly what time zone Atlanta, Georgia is in and how it works throughout the year.

In simple terms: Atlanta, Georgia is in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States. But there are a few key details that matter for flights, meetings, TV schedules, and daily life.

Atlanta’s Official Time Zone

Atlanta follows:

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

Here’s the basic breakdown:

So when someone asks, “What is the time zone for Atlanta, Georgia?”, the most accurate answer is:

How Daylight Saving Time Works in Atlanta

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

When the clocks change

• Spring (“spring forward”)

  • Clocks move forward 1 hour
  • Happens around March, usually the second Sunday
  • Time jumps from 2:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
  • Atlanta switches from EST to EDT

• Fall (“fall back”)

  • Clocks move back 1 hour
  • Happens around November, usually the first Sunday
  • Time repeats the hour after 1:59 a.m., going back to 1:00 a.m.
  • Atlanta switches from EDT to EST

🕒 Tip: Around time-change weekends, double-check flight times, train departures at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and early-morning events. Airlines and transit systems usually list everything in local time, but overnight trips can feel confusing.

How Atlanta Time Compares to Other Places

If you’re scheduling calls, booking trips, or hosting virtual meetings, it helps to know how Atlanta time lines up with other U.S. time zones.

Within the United States

Relative to Atlanta (Eastern Time):

• Central Time (CT) – 1 hour behind
  • Example: Dallas, Chicago, Nashville
  • When it’s 3:00 p.m. in Atlanta, it’s 2:00 p.m. in CT
• Mountain Time (MT) – 2 hours behind
  • Example: Denver, Phoenix*
• Pacific Time (PT) – 3 hours behind
  • Example: Los Angeles, Seattle

*Note: Arizona is a special case; most of the state does not observe Daylight Saving Time. That means Atlanta’s time relationship with Arizona can shift seasonally.

Atlanta vs. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

If you work with international teams or use global platforms, you may see time listed in UTC.

• In Standard Time (roughly Nov–Mar):
  • Atlanta is UTC −5
  • 12:00 noon in Atlanta = 5:00 p.m. UTC
• In Daylight Saving Time (roughly Mar–Nov):
  • Atlanta is UTC −4
  • 12:00 noon in Atlanta = 4:00 p.m. UTC

Time Zone Tips for Atlanta Residents

Even if you’ve lived in Atlanta for years, time zone issues can still cause mix-ups, especially with travel and remote work.

For local appointments and services

Most local services in the Atlanta area—such as:

• City of Atlanta government offices
• Fulton County and DeKalb County offices
• Atlanta Municipal Court and other courts
• Local clinics, schools, and universities (like Georgia State University and Georgia Tech)

…all schedule everything according to local Eastern Time. That includes office hours, court dates, school start times, and utility service appointments.

✅ Good habit: If you’re coming from another U.S. time zone (or returning from a trip), check your phone and calendar settings to confirm everything is updating to Eastern Time as soon as you land at Hartsfield–Jackson.

For remote work and virtual meetings

Many people in Atlanta work with colleagues across the country or worldwide. When setting meetings:

• Always specify “ET” or “Eastern Time”, especially in emails and invites.
• Use 24-hour time (for example, 15:00 instead of 3:00 p.m.) when coordinating internationally to avoid “a.m./p.m.” confusion.
• Watch for Daylight Saving Time differences—some countries and a few U.S. regions do not change clocks on the same dates, or at all.

Time Zone and Travel in and out of Atlanta

Atlanta is a major travel hub, so understanding its time zone helps avoid missed flights and connections.

Flying through Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

• All published departure and arrival times at ATL are in local Atlanta time (Eastern Time).
• If you have a layover in Atlanta between other time zones, keep track of both your origin time zone and Atlanta’s Eastern Time so you don’t misjudge your connection window.

✈️ Example:
You fly from Los Angeles (Pacific Time) to Atlanta (Eastern Time). If your ticket says:

• Depart LAX: 9:00 a.m. PT
• Arrive ATL: 4:30 p.m. ET

Remember there is a 3-hour time difference, plus the actual flight duration. The airline has already adjusted everything to the local time at each airport.

Driving between time zones

If you’re driving between Atlanta and locations to the west, you may cross from Eastern Time into Central Time.

• West of parts of Georgia and Alabama, you eventually move into Central Time.
• Car navigation systems and smartphones usually update automatically, but vehicle dashboards sometimes don’t.

🚗 Tip: When driving to or from Atlanta for events with set start times (concerts, games, appointments), confirm whether the destination city is in Eastern or Central Time and plan your departure accordingly.

How Devices in Atlanta Handle Time Zone Settings

Most modern devices make it easy to stay on the correct time in Atlanta.

Smartphones and computers

• If “Set automatically” or “Use network-provided time” is turned on:

  • Your phone or laptop should switch between EST and EDT on its own.
  • When you travel away from Atlanta, it should change to the local time zone automatically.

• If you set your time manually:

  • Choose “Eastern Time (US & Canada)” or similar wording in your device settings.
  • You may need to adjust for Daylight Saving Time changes yourself.

Smart home devices and clocks

Products like smart speakers, thermostats, and digital clocks often ask for:

• Your city or ZIP code (for example, 30303 for downtown Atlanta)
• Or your time zone, which you would set to Eastern Time

If a device seems off by an hour, it may be:

• Set to the wrong time zone (such as Central Time), or
• Not set to adjust automatically for Daylight Saving Time

Updating the settings to Eastern Time (Atlanta, Georgia) usually fixes the problem.

Local Time Considerations for Events in Atlanta

Atlanta is known for sports, festivals, and performances, and time zone awareness helps avoid missed moments.

Sports games and concerts

Major venues in Atlanta—such as:

• Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• State Farm Arena
• Truist Park

…list event start times in local Eastern Time. If you’re visiting from another time zone:

• Check whether you are arriving on a time-change weekend in March or November.
• Confirm your ticket time is in local Atlanta time, not your home time zone.

TV, streaming, and radio

Local channels in Atlanta schedule programming based on Eastern Time, which often serves as the “base” schedule for nationwide broadcasts. If you’re watching or listening from Atlanta:

• National live events (like award shows or major sports) usually air at their stated Eastern Time with no adjustment needed.
• If you’re calling or texting friends in other time zones during these events, remember they might be seeing things an hour or more earlier or later.

Quick Reference: Atlanta, Georgia Time Zone Facts

• Official time zone: Eastern Time (ET)
• Standard time name: Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Standard time offset:UTC −5 hours
• Daylight Saving time name: Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
• Daylight Saving offset:UTC −4 hours
• DST observed? Yes, Atlanta does observe Daylight Saving Time
• Clock changes:
  • March: Clocks move forward 1 hour
  • November: Clocks move back 1 hour

If you keep in mind that Atlanta is always on Eastern Time, switching between EST in winter and EDT in summer, you’ll stay on schedule whether you’re living, visiting, or coordinating with someone in the city.