How to Keep Outlook Flight Times in Their Correct Time Zones
Question details
The user needs to ensure flight departure and arrival times in the Outlook calendar remain in their respective local time zones when traveling internationally.
- Product
- Microsoft Outlook
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating travel appointments in the calendar for international flights across different time zones.
- Observed behavior
- Outlook defaults to displaying appointments based on the current system time zone, causing flight times to appear incorrect when crossing into new time zones.
Verify that your computer or mobile device's system clock is set to automatically update time zones when you travel, as Outlook synchronizes its display based on the device's system time.
Set Specific Departure and Arrival Time Zones in Calendar Events
Manually specifying the exact time zone for the start (departure) and end (arrival) times prevents Outlook from incorrectly shifting the hours when your device changes locations.
Outlook displays calendar events based on your device's current time zone by default. For flights, you must explicitly tell Outlook the time zone of the departure and arrival airports so the times remain locked regardless of your physical location.
Open your Outlook Calendar and click 'New Appointment' or 'New Meeting' from the Home ribbon.
In the event window, go to the 'Appointment' or 'Meeting' tab. Click the 'Time zones' button in the Options group to display time zone drop-down menus next to the start and end times.
Select the local time zone of your departure airport for the Start time and enter your flight's scheduled departure time.
Select the local time zone of your arrival airport for the End time and enter your flight's scheduled arrival time.
Add your flight details to the body of the appointment, then click 'Save & Close' to lock in the correct local times.
Enable Automatic Travel and Delivery Event Extraction
Outlook can automatically extract travel itineraries from your emails and create calendar events with the correct time zones applied.
Need a Reliable Suite for Travel Documents? Try WPS Office
While you manage your Outlook calendar settings, consider WPS Office for your document, spreadsheet, and presentation needs. It is a completely free, highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office that makes editing travel itineraries and expense reports seamless.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installation package for your operating system.
- 2. Install the software: Run the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to set up WPS Office on your device.
- 3. Open and edit your files: Launch WPS Office to easily open, edit, and save your Microsoft Office documents and PDF itineraries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Outlook calendar appointments shift when I travel?
Outlook synchronizes with your device's system time. When your computer or phone automatically updates to a new time zone, Outlook adjusts all calendar events to display in that new local time, which causes fixed-location events like flights to appear shifted.
Can I lock an Outlook calendar event to a specific time zone?
Yes. By enabling the 'Time zones' option in the appointment creation window, you can assign specific, permanent time zones to both the start and end times of an event. This ensures the event is anchored to those locations regardless of where your device is.
How do I turn on the time zone feature in the Outlook desktop app?
Open a new Appointment or Meeting. Go to the 'Meeting' or 'Appointment' tab on the ribbon, locate the 'Options' group, and click the 'Time zones' button. This will reveal the time zone drop-down menus next to your start and end times.
Does Outlook automatically adjust for daylight saving time during flights?
Yes, as long as you select the correct time zone from the drop-down list (which includes the region/city name), Outlook's internal time zone rules will automatically account for daylight saving time transitions for that specific location.
