Time in Chile is kind of a mess. Honestly, if you're trying to figure out what's the time in Chile right now, you might get three different answers depending on which part of the country you're looking at. It's not just a "one size fits all" situation.
Right now, as of Tuesday, January 13, 2026, most of the country is soaking up the summer sun. This means they are on Chile Summer Time (CLST).
The Current Time Breakdown
If you are in Santiago, it is currently early morning. To be precise, it’s about two hours ahead of New York and three hours behind London.
But wait.
Chile is a skinny, incredibly long country. It stretches from the bone-dry Atacama Desert down to the icy fjords of the south. Because of that geography—and some quirky political history—the time changes depending on where your feet are planted.
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- Continental Chile & Juan Fernández: Most of the mainland (including Santiago, Valparaíso, and San Pedro de Atacama) is currently at UTC-3.
- Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica: Down in the deep south, in places like Punta Arenas, they don't play the "spring forward, fall back" game anymore. They stay on UTC-3 all year round. In the summer, they match Santiago. In the winter, they are an hour ahead.
- Easter Island (Rapa Nui): This is where it gets tricky for travelers. Out in the middle of the Pacific, the island is currently at UTC-5. That’s a two-hour delay from the mainland.
Why the clocks keep moving
Chileans have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Daylight Saving Time (DST). Basically, the government uses it to stretch out the evening light, which helps with energy savings.
In 2026, the schedule is already set. On Sunday, April 5, 2026, at the stroke of midnight, the clocks in most of the country will jump back one hour. This marks the start of "winter time" or Chile Standard Time (CLT), moving the mainland to UTC-4.
Easter Island follows suit but does it on Saturday, April 4, at 10:00 PM local time. They move back to UTC-6.
The "Permanent DST" Experiment
You might wonder why they don't just pick a time and stick to it. Well, they tried that.
Back in 2015, the Chilean Ministry of Energy decided to stay on summer time forever. They thought it would be great for productivity and safety. It wasn't. People hated waking up in pitch-black darkness at 9:00 AM in the middle of winter. Kids were going to school in the dark, and the "energy savings" weren't as impressive as predicted.
By 2016, they pulled the plug on the experiment and went back to the seasonal shifts.
Traveling and Tech Glitches
If you're flying into Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) soon, your phone should update automatically. Key word: should.
Because the Chilean government sometimes changes the DST dates with very little notice—like they did in 2022 to accommodate a national plebiscite—digital calendars often freak out. I've seen travelers show up to tours an hour early because their iPhone didn't get the memo that the government moved the "clock change day" by a week.
It’s always a good idea to check the official government site at horaoficial.cl if you have a tight connection or an early morning flight.
Actionable Steps for Your Trip
If you're planning to visit this year, keep these tips in your back pocket.
- Check the Magallanes Exception: If you’re heading to Torres del Paine in the winter (June-August), remember that Punta Arenas will be one hour ahead of Santiago. Don't miss your flight back north.
- Easter Island Buffer: When booking flights to Rapa Nui, always double-check the "arrival local time" on your ticket. The two-hour difference from the mainland is easy to forget when you’re in a rush.
- Manual Sync: If you notice your phone and the airport clock don't match, go into your settings and toggle "Set Automatically" off and back on. Sometimes the carrier needs a nudge to ping the right tower data.
Chile is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, whether you're stargazing in Elqui or hiking in Patagonia. Just make sure you're looking at your watch correctly so you don't miss the sunset. It's worth every second.
Next Steps: Verify your flight itinerary against the April 5th time change if you are traveling during that window. For those heading to the Magallanes region, set a secondary clock on your phone for "Punta Arenas" specifically to avoid confusion with Santiago's schedule.