The Best Time to Schedule Meetings: A Cheat Sheet for 10 Major Cities

The Best Time to Schedule Meetings: A Cheat Sheet for 10 Major Cities

You are in New York. Your team is in London. Your client is in Dubai. Your developer is in Bangalore. And your boss is in Tokyo.

Someone says, "Let's do a quick 30-minute sync."

You open your calendar. You stare at it. You have no idea what time works for everyone.

This cheat sheet solves that problem. Here is a quick reference for scheduling meetings across 10 major global cities — no more guessing, no more 3 AM calls.

Use the free time zone converter here →

The Short Answer: Meeting Overlap Windows

Here is the best time to schedule meetings between any two major cities:

Note: These windows assume standard time (winter). During DST, the windows may shift by 1 hour. Always verify with a time zone tool.

The 10 Major Cities: Time Zone Reference

Quick Reference: UTC Conversion Table

Convert your local time to UTC to find overlap windows:

✅ = Working hours (9 AM - 6 PM local) ❌ = Outside working hours

Detailed Meeting Windows: City by City

New York (ET) with Other Cities

London (GMT/BST) with Other Cities

Dubai (GST) with Other Cities

Mumbai (IST) with Other Cities

Los Angeles (PT) with Other Cities

Quick Decision Matrix

When You Need to Schedule...

DST Impact: When the Windows Shift

The Problem

DST changes affect different countries at different times.

What This Means

The meeting windows in this guide assume standard time (winter). During DST:

• Some cities shift 1 hour ahead
• The overlap windows narrow or widen by 1 hour
• Sydney's DST is opposite to the US and Europe

Always verify with a time zone tool before sending the invite.

The Golden Rules of Global Scheduling

Rule 1: Use UTC in Calendar Invites

Instead of "9 AM EST," use "14:00 UTC." Everyone converts from UTC to their local time.

Rule 2: Rotate the Burden

If Team A always stays late, they will burn out. Rotate meeting times.

Rule 3: Keep Meetings Short

30 minutes is better than 60 when someone is outside their normal hours.

Rule 4: Record Everything

Someone will always miss the meeting. Share the recording within 2 hours.

Rule 5: Ask Before Scheduling

"What times work best for you?" is always a good question to ask.

Rule 6: Check Holidays

Monday in the US might be Diwali in India. Always check.

Printable Cheat Sheet

Cut out this quick reference for your wall:

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              MEETING OVERLAP CHEAT SHEET
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NEW YORK with:
  London      → 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  Dubai       → 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Mumbai      → 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  Singapore   → 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  Tokyo       → 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
  Sydney      → 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  Los Angeles → 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  Sao Paulo   → 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  Cape Town   → 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

LONDON with:
  Dubai       → 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  Mumbai      → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Singapore   → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Tokyo       → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Sydney      → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Los Angeles → 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  Sao Paulo   → 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  Cape Town   → 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

DUBAI with:
  Mumbai      → 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  Singapore   → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Tokyo       → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Sydney      → 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  Cape Town   → 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

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              Check current time zones at:
              /timezone-converter
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best time to schedule a meeting between New York and London?

9:00 AM - 11:00 AM NYC time (2:00 PM - 4:00 PM London time). This is the most common business route.

What is the best time to schedule a meeting between New York and Mumbai?

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM NYC time (6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Mumbai time). The window is tight — only 1 hour.

What is the best time to schedule a meeting between London and Singapore?

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM London time (5:00 PM - 6:00 PM Singapore time). Tight but doable.

What is the best time to schedule a meeting between Los Angeles and Sydney?

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM LA time (3:00 AM - 4:00 AM Sydney time next day). This is very challenging. Consider async communication.

How do I handle DST changes?

Schedule in UTC and use a time zone tool to verify. The windows in this guide are for standard time (winter).

What if there is no overlap?

Rotate the burden. One week, one team stays late. Next week, the other team starts early. Or use async communication.

Should I schedule recurring meetings at the same UTC time?

Yes. Always use UTC for recurring meetings. Local times will shift with DST, but UTC stays constant.

What tools help with global meeting scheduling?

Our time zone converter, Calendly, Clockwise, and Doodle all handle time zone differences automatically.

Final Thoughts

Global meeting scheduling doesn't have to be a nightmare. With this cheat sheet, you can quickly find the best overlap window between any two major cities.

Three things to remember:

1. Use UTC in calendar invites — It eliminates ambiguity
2. Rotate the burden — Don't always ask the same team to compromise
3. Verify with a tool — DST changes the windows twice a year

And when you are scheduling your next global meeting, keep our time zone converter open. It will show you the overlap, handle the DST math, and save you from sending that "oops, I got the time wrong" email.

Find the perfect meeting time instantly → /timezone-converter

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