Denver zone
MDT (GMT-6)
Chicago zone
CDT (GMT-5)
Difference
1 hour ahead of Denver
Business overlap
7h (9-5 windows)
Working hours overlap
Each cell is one hour in Denver. Filled cells mark when 9 AM – 5 PM in Denver and Chicago both apply.
7 hours per day
- Denver
- GMT-6
- Chicago
- GMT-5
- Difference
- +1h
- Business overlap
- 7h
Hour-by-hour conversion
Each row shows the matching local time in Chicago for an hour in Denver.
| Denver | Chicago | Day | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 AM | 1:00 AM | same day | — |
| 1:00 AM | 2:00 AM | same day | — |
| 2:00 AM | 3:00 AM | same day | — |
| 3:00 AM | 4:00 AM | same day | — |
| 4:00 AM | 5:00 AM | same day | — |
| 5:00 AM | 6:00 AM | same day | — |
| 6:00 AM | 7:00 AM | same day | — |
| 7:00 AM | 8:00 AM | same day | — |
| 8:00 AM | 9:00 AM | same day | — |
| 9:00 AM | 10:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 11:00 AM | 12:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 12:00 PM | 1:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 1:00 PM | 2:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 2:00 PM | 3:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 3:00 PM | 4:00 PM | same day | Both 9-5 |
| 4:00 PM | 5:00 PM | same day | — |
| 5:00 PM | 6:00 PM | same day | — |
| 6:00 PM | 7:00 PM | same day | — |
| 7:00 PM | 8:00 PM | same day | — |
| 8:00 PM | 9:00 PM | same day | — |
| 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | same day | — |
| 10:00 PM | 11:00 PM | same day | — |
| 11:00 PM | 12:00 AM | next day | — |
Best meeting windows
If both teams keep standard 9 AM – 5 PM hours, the overlap window is roughly 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM in Denver time. That gives you 7 hours per workday for live meetings.
Tighter overlap is achievable by having the side with later working hours start earlier, or by treating the first and last hours of each side as flexible. The bar above marks every hour where both cities sit inside a 9 AM – 5 PM window.
About converting Denver time to Chicago time
Denver follows the America/Denver time zone (currently MDT, GMT-6), while Chicago follows America/Chicago (currently CDT, GMT-5). Chicago is 1 hour ahead of Denver right now.
Both cities observe daylight saving time. If their transition weekends differ, the offset shifts by one hour for a few weeks each spring and autumn.
Daylight saving transitions in 2026
Denver
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Chicago
- Spring forward · Sunday, March 8, 2026
- Fall back · Sunday, November 1, 2026
Reverse this conversion
Chicago to Denver
Open the converter
Plan a meeting between Denver and Chicago
More conversions from Denver
Frequently asked questions
- How many hours is Denver from Chicago?
- Chicago is 1 hour ahead of Denver right now.
- What time is 9:00 AM Denver in Chicago?
- 9:00 AM in Denver is 10:00 AM in Chicago.
- What time is 5:00 PM Denver in Chicago?
- 5:00 PM in Denver is 6:00 PM in Chicago.
- When do Denver and Chicago business hours overlap?
- Standard 9 AM - 5 PM working hours overlap for about 7 hours, roughly from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Denver time.
- Does daylight saving time change the difference between Denver and Chicago?
- Both Denver and Chicago observe daylight saving time. If their transition dates differ, the offset between them shifts by an hour for a few weeks each year.
Local time page
Time in Denver
Local time page
Time in Chicago