Los Angeles to London: Making Sense of the 7–8 Hour Gap
If you work between Los Angeles and London, you're dealing with one of the widest everyday business gaps in the English-speaking world: 8 hours in winter, 7 in summer. A morning call in LA lands in the evening in London, and vice versa. Here's how to keep it straight.
Time Zone Overview
Los Angeles (PST/PDT)
Los Angeles runs on Pacific Time: PST (UTC-8) in winter and PDT (UTC-7) during US Daylight Saving Time, which runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
London (GMT/BST)
London uses GMT (UTC+0) in winter and BST (UTC+1) during UK Daylight Saving Time, from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Time Difference
Winter (both standard): London is 8 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Summer (both on DST): London is 7 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Awkward weeks: Because the US and UK switch on different Sundays, for about two weeks each spring and autumn the gap is 7 or 8 hours while only one side has changed.
Conversion Formula
London time = Los Angeles time + 8h (winter) or + 7h (summer)
Quick Reference Table (LA PST → London GMT)
| Los Angeles | London |
|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| 9:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 8:00 PM |
| 3:00 PM | 11:00 PM |
| 6:00 PM | 2:00 AM (next day) |
| 9:00 PM | 5:00 AM (next day) |
Common Use Cases
- Entertainment and tech deals between Hollywood and the UK
- Remote engineers on a LA-based team with London stakeholders
- Family video calls across the Atlantic
- Catching UK show premieres or US live streams
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the time difference between LA and London?
8 hours in winter, 7 hours in summer. London is always ahead.
Why does it shift by an hour?
Both cities observe DST but switch on different dates, so the gap moves between 7 and 8 hours.
If it's 9 AM in LA, what time is it in London?
5 PM GMT (winter) or 4 PM BST (summer).
Best time for a meeting?
8-10 AM LA = 4-6 PM London (winter), or 3-5 PM (summer).
Does Los Angeles use GMT?
No. LA uses Pacific Time, which is 8/7 hours behind London.
Check live times with our world clock and plan cross-Atlantic calls with the meeting planner.