Jordan to remain in summer time throughout the coming winter

On Thursday, Jordanians were asking whether the government's decision to stay on daylight saving time (GMT+3) through the winter months was a good idea.

Some liked the decision, because winter afternoons will have more daylight. Others complained that the sun will rise an hour later, so their children will walk to school while it is still dark.

An energy expert said the decision will reduce energy use, but it confused many people, especially those whose flight tickets show the departure time in winter time.

Samih Maaytah, the Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications, said that the government had coordinated with Royal Jordanian and other airlines before the decision was issued.

Royal Jordanian asked its passengers traveling between 26 October 2012 and 30 March 2013 to add one hour to the departure times from Jordan on their tickets.

On 14 October, the cabinet had said that clocks would go back one hour to standard time on Friday 26 October 2012. But on Wednesday 24 October, the decision was changed: Jordan will stay on daylight saving time through the winter instead of switching to winter time.^[1]

Update, 26 October 2026: Jordan stayed on UTC+3 until it went back to winter time (UTC+2) at midnight between 19 and 20 December 2013.^[1] Since 28 October 2022, Jordan keeps UTC+3 all year and no longer changes its clocks.^[2] See also: Jordan will remain in summer time a second year in a row (2013) and Jordan canceled all year round DST (2013).