Eastern (ET)
--:--
New York, Washington DC, Miami
EST to HST — Eastern to Hawaii Time
Hawaii is 5 hours behind Eastern in winter and 6 hours behind from March to November.
Hawaii (HST)
--:--
Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua-Kona
The conversion rule
In winter (early November to early March), subtract 5 hours from Eastern Time to get Hawaii Time: 12:00 PM EST is 7:00 AM HST. Hawaii never changes its clocks, so when the East Coast springs forward to EDT the gap widens to 6 hours — noon EDT is 6:00 AM HST.
The workday overlap is minimal: 2:00–5:00 PM EST / 9:00 AM–12:00 PM HST in winter, shrinking to 3:00–5:00 PM EDT / 9:00–11:00 AM HST in summer. Late Eastern afternoon is the only realistic slot for a Honolulu business call.
EST to HST conversion chart
| Eastern (EST) | Hawaii (HST) |
|---|---|
| 12:00 AM (midnight) | 7:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 1:00 AM | 8:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 2:00 AM | 9:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 3:00 AM | 10:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 4:00 AM | 11:00 PM (prev. day) |
| 5:00 AM | 12:00 AM (midnight) |
| 6:00 AM | 1:00 AM |
| 7:00 AM | 2:00 AM |
| 8:00 AM | 3:00 AM |
| 9:00 AM | 4:00 AM |
| 10:00 AM | 5:00 AM |
| 11:00 AM | 6:00 AM |
| 12:00 PM (noon) | 7:00 AM |
| 1:00 PM | 8:00 AM |
| 2:00 PM | 9:00 AM |
| 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM |
| 4:00 PM | 11:00 AM |
| 5:00 PM | 12:00 PM (noon) |
| 6:00 PM | 1:00 PM |
| 7:00 PM | 2:00 PM |
| 8:00 PM | 3:00 PM |
| 9:00 PM | 4:00 PM |
| 10:00 PM | 5:00 PM |
| 11:00 PM | 6:00 PM |
The chart above uses the standard-time gap of 5 hours, valid from the first Sunday of November to the second Sunday of March (in 2026: Nov 1 and Mar 8). During the rest of the year, while the East Coast is on EDT, subtract 6 hours instead.
Reverse direction: HST to EST (add 5 hours in winter, 6 in summer). Related: EST to CST, EST to MST, EST to PST.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Hawaii sometimes 5 and sometimes 6 hours behind New York?
Hawaii stays on HST (UTC−10) all year, while Eastern Time moves between EST (UTC−5) and EDT (UTC−4). The difference is 5 hours from early November to early March and 6 hours the rest of the year.
What is 7:00 PM EST in Hawaii?
2:00 PM HST in winter. In summer, 7:00 PM EDT is 1:00 PM HST.
What time do East Coast markets open in Honolulu?
The 9:30 AM Eastern opening bell is 4:30 AM HST in winter and 3:30 AM HST during daylight saving — Hawaii traders start before dawn.