The best time to schedule a call between the US and the UK is between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM Eastern Time (EST/EDT), which corresponds to 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM in London (GMT/BST). This window captures the late morning in New York and the early afternoon in London, allowing both teams to participate during standard business hours without either side having to wake up unusually early or stay up late. For teams further west, such as in the Pacific Time Zone (PST/PDT), the window shifts slightly earlier to 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM local time, which aligns with 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM in London.

Coordinating meetings across the Atlantic can be challenging due to the time difference and the differing schedules for Daylight Saving Time (DST). Understanding these nuances is crucial for seamless collaboration between US and UK teams.

Image: World map showing time difference between US and UK

Alt: Teams in the US and UK coordinating a meeting

US Time Zones vs UK GMT/BST

The United Kingdom operates on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during the winter months and British Summer Time (BST), which is GMT+1, during the summer. The United States spans multiple time zones, each with its own offset from GMT/BST.

Here is a breakdown of the time differences between major US time zones and London throughout the year:

How DST Gaps Change the Offset

Daylight Saving Time (DST) adds a layer of complexity to scheduling calls between the US and the UK. While both regions observe DST, they change their clocks on different dates.

In 2026, the US will observe DST from March 8 to November 1. The UK and the rest of Europe will change their clocks on the last Sundays of March and October. This discrepancy creates a gap of about three weeks in both the spring and autumn where the time difference between the US and the UK is not the standard offset.

For example, during the spring gap (mid-March to late March), the US has already moved forward an hour, but the UK has not. This temporarily reduces the time difference between Eastern Time and London to four hours instead of the usual five. Similarly, in the autumn gap (late October to early November), the UK has moved back an hour while the US remains on DST, temporarily increasing the time difference to six hours.

💡 Pro Tip: Always double-check the current time difference during the transition periods in March and October to avoid scheduling meetings at inconvenient times.

Practical Scheduling Tips

To ensure smooth communication between US and UK teams, consider the following practical tips:

• Identify the golden window: Aim for the 9 AM to 12 PM ET window, which is 2 PM to 5 PM in London.
• Be mindful of DST transitions: Adjust your meeting times during the three-week gaps in March and October when the time difference changes.
• Use timezone converter tools: Utilize tools like TZSync to easily visualize overlapping working hours and find the best time for all participants.
• Consider the West Coast: If you have team members on the US West Coast, schedule meetings earlier in the day (8 AM to 11 AM PT) to accommodate their time zone.
• Rotate meeting times: If possible, rotate meeting times to share the inconvenience of early or late meetings fairly among team members.

For quick conversions between specific cities, you can use the New York to London time converter to instantly see the current time difference and find the best overlap hours.

Sources

• Time and Date: World Clock and Time Zone
• GOV.UK: When do the clocks change?
• Time and Date: Daylight Saving Time

Simplify Your International Meetings

Stop guessing the time difference. Use TZSync to instantly convert times and find the perfect meeting slot for your global team.