Daylight Saving Time and Maui Time

March 10, 2024 - In case you missed it, last night was the switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time, for most states in the USA, except Arizona and Hawaii, who do not switch.

SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK

The easy way to remember how to adjust your clocks is "Spring Forward, Fall back." The switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time happens in the spring, and you turn the clock forward one hour. The switch back to Standard Time happens in the fall, and you turn the clock back one hour.

Of course these days nobody has a clock anymore, they rely on their phones to give them the time, and the phones adjust automatically - so there is no need to remember to do it. But some people might be surprised that they got one hour less to sleep, because their alarm went off one hour early, or that they magically woke up one hour early, by force of habit, before their alarm went off.

HAWAII DOES NOT SWITCH TO DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Nobody in Hawaii has to worry about this, because Hawaii has its own time zone, and Hawaii stays on Standard Time year round.

WHAT TIME IS IT IN MAUI?

However, there is a time difference between Hawaii and every other state in the US. When the switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time (DST) happens, Hawaii does not spring forward or fall back, while everybody else does. So the time difference between Hawaii and every other state changes - by one hour. Here's how it shakes out, for every time zone in the US:

Time Zone.,....City......................DST.....Standard

Hawaii..............Honolulu...........6am..............6am

Alaska..............Anchorage.........8am.............7am

Pacific...............Los Angeles......9am.............8am

Mountain.........Denver.............10am.............9am

Central..............Chicago............11am...........10am

Eastern..............Philadelphia....12pm..........11am

So if you're in Los Angeles, for example, the time difference between you and Maui is three hours during Daylight Saving Time (from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November), and two hours during Standard Time (from the first Sunday of November to the second Sunday of March).

Now for the thing that a lot of people don't ever get: Is Maui time ahead of, or behind the time in the Mainland US. Think about it with the rotation of the Earth. The sun rises and sets first in the East, then, as the world turns, gradually the sunrise or sunset move from East to West. So if you're in New York City, it's 9am already by the time the sun rises in Los Angeles, at around 6am. And in Maui it's still dark - so 3am.

MAUI TIME IS A STATE OF MIND

Confused? Don't worry, you're not the only one who does not know what time it is - in Hawaii..

And what about "Maui time?" Maui time is a state of mind where there is no reason to rush, and everything happens at its own pace. Not unrelated to the concept of 'mañana.' There are even bumper stickers that explain it.

Weekly Chart of Maui Car Rental Rates - 3/10/24

WEEKLY SURVEY OF MAUI CAR RENTAL RATES

In this week's survey of Maui car rental rates, the lowest advertised rate for a one week rental from Kahului Airport (OGG) starting Monday 3/11 has blipped back upwards.

Off-airport (with shuttle) $311.18

Airport Rentacar Center $432.61

Source: rentalcars.com