Time Difference Between Madrid and Chicago

The time difference between Madrid and Chicago is 6 hours. When it is 12:00 noon in Madrid, it is 06:00 in Chicago. Madrid uses the Europe/Madrid time zone (UTC+1), while Chicago uses America/Chicago (UTC-5).

Chicago is 6 hours behind Madrid — 6 hours
Madrid, Spain
23:19:40
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC+1 · CET
Chicago, United States
17:19:40
Thursday, March 26, 2026
UTC-5 · CDT (DST)

Time Zone Details: Madrid vs Chicago

Detail Madrid Chicago
Time Zone IDEurope/MadridAmerica/Chicago
UTC OffsetUTC+1UTC-5
AbbreviationCETCDT
DST ActiveNoYes — currently observing
CountrySpainUnited States
RegionEuropeNorth America

Best Time to Schedule a Call

There are 2 overlapping business hours between Madrid and Chicago (assuming 9:00–17:00 in each city). The ideal window for calls and meetings is:

15:00–17:00 in Madrid  =  09:00–11:00 in Chicago

Hour-by-Hour Time Conversion

Use this table to quickly convert any hour from Madrid time to Chicago time. Rows highlighted in green indicate overlapping business hours in both cities.

Madrid Chicago
00:00 18:00 (-1 day) Night
01:00 19:00 (-1 day) Night
02:00 20:00 (-1 day) Night
03:00 21:00 (-1 day) Night
04:00 22:00 (-1 day) Night
05:00 23:00 (-1 day) Night
06:00 00:00
07:00 01:00
08:00 02:00
09:00 03:00
10:00 04:00
11:00 05:00
12:00 06:00
13:00 07:00
14:00 08:00
15:00 09:00 Overlap
16:00 10:00 Overlap
17:00 11:00
18:00 12:00
19:00 13:00
20:00 14:00
21:00 15:00
22:00 16:00 Night
23:00 17:00 Night

Daylight Saving Time (DST) Impact

Chicago is currently observing daylight saving time, while Madrid is on standard time. When Chicago switches back to standard time, the difference between these two cities will shift by 1 hour.

Practical Tips for Madrid–Chicago Scheduling

Compare Madrid and Chicago with Other Cities

From Madrid

From Chicago

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between Madrid and Chicago?

The time difference is 6 hours. Chicago is 6 hours behind Madrid.

Does the time difference change during the year?

Yes. One of these cities observes DST while the other does not, so the difference shifts by 1 hour when DST begins or ends.

When is the best time to call from Madrid to Chicago?

The best window is between 15:00 and 17:00 Madrid time, which corresponds to 09:00–11:00 in Chicago. Both sides fall within normal business hours.

How do I convert Madrid time to Chicago time?

Subtract 6 hours from Madrid time to get Chicago time. Use the hour-by-hour table above for a quick reference.

Related Pages

For sunrise and sunset data, visit TheSunsetTimes.com. For detailed DST schedules, see DaylightSavingTime.info.