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DSM - CHI

Find cheap flights from Des Moines to Chicago from $126

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Des Moines to Chicago departing on 5/6. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
0 bags
Thu 5/23
Thu 5/30

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Chicago, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Chicago, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 44,632,927 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Cheap flight deals from Des Moines to Chicago (DSM-CHI)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Chicago that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
9:33 pm - 11:09 amDSM-MDW
13h 36m1 stop
2:45 pm - 3:15 pmMDW-DSM
24h 30m1 stop
$260Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, May 18 - Tue, May 21
4:22 pm - 11:09 amDSM-MDW
18h 47m1 stop
5:40 am - 8:21 pmMDW-DSM
14h 41m1 stop
$261Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 26 - Sat, Jun 29
7:05 am - 1:35 pmDSM-MDW
6h 30m1 stop
5:47 pm - 9:26 pmMDW-DSM
3h 39m1 stop
$268Delta
Find Deal
Wed, May 22 - Wed, May 29
6:30 am - 12:42 pmDSM-ORD
6h 12m1 stop
11:45 am - 5:00 pmORD-DSM
5h 15m1 stop
$268Delta
Find Deal
Wed, May 22 - Wed, May 29
6:04 am - 7:25 amDSM-ORD
1h 21mnonstop
1:31 pm - 2:53 pmORD-DSM
1h 22mnonstop
$289American Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, May 20 - Fri, May 31
6:04 am - 7:25 amDSM-ORD
1h 21mnonstop
8:39 pm - 10:04 pmORD-DSM
1h 25mnonstop
$290American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, May 30 - Tue, Jun 4
9:00 am - 9:55 amDSM-ORD
24h 55m2 stops
6:10 am - 8:35 pmORD-DSM
14h 25m1 stop
Mon, May 20 - Mon, May 27
8:00 am - 9:29 amDSM-ORD
1h 29mnonstop
8:20 pm - 9:44 pmORD-DSM
1h 24mnonstop
$349United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Jun 9 - Wed, Jun 12
11:37 am - 11:29 pmDSM-ORD
11h 52m1 stop
6:40 pm - 10:47 amORD-DSM
16h 07m1 stop
Fri, May 17 - Sun, May 19
11:32 am - 1:00 pmDSM-ORD
1h 28mnonstop
7:10 am - 11:38 pmORD-DSM
16h 28m1 stop
$367United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 18 - Tue, May 21

Flights from Des Moines to Chicago - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Des Moines to Chicago to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest Des Moines to Chicago flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for one-way flights from Des Moines to Chicago.
Our data shows that the cheapest route for a one-way flight from Des Moines to Chicago cost $125 and was between Des Moines and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $271.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Des Moines to Chicago?

The average price of all flights from Des Moines to Chicago clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If you are looking for a flight deal from Des Moines to Chicago, look for departures on Saturdays and avoid leaving on a Wednesday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Chicago, Friday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Chicago?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Des Moines to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Des Moines to Chicago is August, where tickets cost $193 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and November, where the average cost of tickets is $303 and $284 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Des Moines to Chicago?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Des Moines to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Des Moines to Chicago, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 85 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Des Moines to Chicago?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 72 hours, the best return deals on flights connecting Des Moines to Chicago were found on Frontier ($260) and Delta ($268). Delta proposed the cheapest one-way flight at $134.

Which airlines fly non-stop between Des Moines and Chicago?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Des Moines to Chicago.
There are 2 airlines that fly nonstop from Des Moines to Chicago. They are American Airlines and United Airlines. The cheapest airline for this route is United Airlines, with the best one-way deal found costing $148. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at United Airlines.

How many flights are there between Des Moines and Chicago per day?

Each day, there are between 9 and 16 nonstop flights that take off from Des Moines and land in Chicago, with an average flight time of 1h 27m. The most common departure time is 3:00 pm and most flights take off in the morning, while the most flights land at Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. Each week, there are 86 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Thursday, when 19% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Sunday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Des Moines and Chicago?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 4 cabin class options for the route. These are First, Business, Economy and Prem Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Des Moines to Chicago take?

A direct flight to Chicago will take on average 1h 21m to travel the 312 miles flying distance from Des Moines.

What’s the earliest departure time from Des Moines to Chicago?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Des Moines at 5:58 am and will be landing in Chicago at 7:24 am.

What’s the latest departure time from Des Moines to Chicago?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Des Moines to Chicago jets off at 6:41 pm and lands at 8:12 pm.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

August

Cheapest flight

$126
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 21% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to Chicago O'Hare Airport

When to book flights from Des Moines to Chicago

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Des Moines to Chicago based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Des Moines to Chicago

  • What are the transport options from Chicago Midway International Airport?

    From MDW to downtown Chicago and other nearby cities or locations, travelers can choose between trains, shuttle buses, taxis, rideshare apps, car rental services, or free hotel shuttles to their booked hotel. From MDW to downtown Chicago the CTA train charges around $3, taxis charge around $25, Uber and Lyft charge around $30, and car rental companies charge around $36 per day for their rentals.

  • Does Chicago Midway International Airport have accessible services?

    At MDW passengers and visitors who have special needs are catered for by special facilities. The elevators, restrooms, diaper changing facilities, and telephones have amenities that are accessible for wheelchair users and people with disabilities. MDW provides numerous handicap parking spaces, and wheelchair assistance, the bus stations have special elevators for wheelchair users and there are accessible taxis that operate from the airport.

  • Which is the best airline alliance to use for flights from Des Moines to Chicago?

    Both Oneworld Alliance and Star alliance operate in DSM and MDW. Oneworld Alliance serves over 14 airlines, 1000 destinations, and over 650 lounges while Star Alliance serves over 27 airlines, over 1300 destinations, and has over 1000 lounges. Star Alliance only offers two tiers of elite status and operates in America while Oneworld offers three tiers and operates in both America and Alaska, making the latter better.

  • What cities are near Chicago Midway International Airport?

    Chicago Midway International Airport in Illinois is near cities like Burbank, Cicero, Justice, Lyons, Summit, Berwyn, and Evergreen Park.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Des Moines to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to Chicago was $126 for a one-way ticket and $260 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Des Moines and Chicago?

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Des Moines to Chicago. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Des Moines to Chicago?

    American Airlines, Delta, Alaska Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Des Moines to Chicago flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Des Moines to Chicago?

    The Boeing 737-800 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Des Moines to Chicago flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Des Moines to Chicago?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Des Moines and Chicago, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Des Moines to Chicago?

    There are nonstop flights from Des Moines to Chicago on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Des Moines to Chicago, Delta or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to Chicago are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $217 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $243 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Des Moines to Chicago?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Des Moines to Chicago.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Des Moines to Chicago?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Chicago from Des Moines is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Des Moines to Chicago?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Chicago with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Des Moines to Chicago?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Chicago from Des Moines up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from Des Moines to Chicago

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $219 or less one-way and $434 or less round-trip.
  • Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is a mid-sized commercial service airport in Iowa served by six airlines that offer non-stop flights to over 20 destinations worldwide. It has one main terminal and two concourses, Concourses A and C. The DSM Airport shuttle that transports visitors of DSM between the terminal and the parking lots is free.
  • On arrival at Chicago Midway International (MDW) and in need of luggage services, worry not. MDW provides free baggage carts for rent for this very purpose. You can find them at the entrances and exits of the Baggage Claim area.
  • At DSM, travelers with infants can access a private Mamava Nursing Pod sponsored by Unity Point Health to breastfeed, pump, or for diaper changing. The pod is located immediately after the TSA Security Checkpoint across the DSM Police Desk. DSM also has family rooms that can be used as an alternative to the nursing pod within the terminal.
  • Travelers at DSM are waiting for their flight and need to catch up with their work and can access the Business Center free of charge. There you can use the workstations and the free internet access provided courtesy of DSM. It’s located at Level A2 of Concourse A.
  • DSM provides both long-term and short-term parking at affordable rates for customers and visitors. Short-term parking is free for the first 20 minutes and after that, it costs around $1 for every 20 minutes to a daily maximum of around $36. On the other hand, general long-term parking charges around $2 per hour to a daily maximum of around $15 while premium long-term parking costs around $1 per 20 minutes to a daily maximum of around $25.
See more tips

Prefer to fly non-stop from Des Moines to Chicago?

Find which airlines fly direct from Des Moines to Chicago, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

Des Moines to Chicago

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +13 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +14 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +13 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +14 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +13 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +14 more

See more direct flights

Nonstop returns

Chicago to Des Moines

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +13 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +14 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +13 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +14 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +11 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +12 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +12 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +13 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Des Moines to Chicago

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to Chicago. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Des Moines to Chicago? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 11042 reviews
7.5food
8.2boarding
8.0entertainment
8.6crew
7.9comfort
Airline reviews

On my way home I had a layover. The flight from ATL to CLT was amended 5x while I was waiting. I could have driven home sooner. Overall from Dallas, Tx to Charlotte, NC I started my trip at 4:30pm, I didn’t get home until past midnight. I know things happen, but 5x to make me run back and forth in an airport from different terminals is excessive. I also upgraded to comfort + , I didn’t feel it was worth it. There was no benefit

2.0 MediocreMarisol, Apr 2024DFW - ATL
Read more about Delta reviews

On my way home I had a layover. The flight from ATL to CLT was amended 5x while I was waiting. I could have driven home sooner. Overall from Dallas, Tx to Charlotte, NC I started my trip at 4:30pm, I didn’t get home until past midnight. I know things happen, but 5x to make me run back and forth in an airport from different terminals is excessive. I also upgraded to comfort + , I didn’t feel it was worth it. There was no benefit

On my way home I had a layover. The flight from ATL to CLT was amended 5x while I was waiting. I could have driven home sooner. Overall from Dallas, Tx to Charlotte, NC I started my trip at 4:30pm, I didn’t get home until past midnight. I know things happen, but 5x to make me run back and forth in an airport from different terminals is excessive.

They did a fine job. Can't wait to use Delta in the future.

There was a loud squeaky sound the whole time we were flying.

Had a broken tray in business class. Crew just shrugged it off.

Seat back monitors and outlets were dead and not working.

Everything was great except for the seat. The backrest would not stay in the upright position.

I usually have a positive experience with Delta. Complimentary upgrades are always nice!

Flight delayed about 2 hrs so it made it a VERY late night

It was a crowded flight. They did the best they could.

The delays (5 hrs) were a comedy of errors, and the multiple safety issues encountered were very concerning.

The flight was delayed instead of leaving at 11 it left at 12.20

United WiFi is consistently unusable (it can take 10 mins to load a single web page). If you need Wifi to do work, be prepared to lose half a day of productivity.

Good movies, iffy pay WiFi, food ok- on time though and that was great!

Awful…flight was delayed more than 12hrs, missed all connections to Fort Wayne, IN, had to get flight to another city 2 hours from my destination, flight was again delayed by 40 mins because they did not have enough fuel, again missed a connection, finally arrived in Indiana at 11pm…but before my 2 hour drive home, ay, no Five That Our Luggage Never Made On The plane and Still In Chicago

Boarding was friendly and quick. While the plane model was older with no live tv, the entertainment was full of movies and tv shows. All food was available. Pilots were very communicative with status of the flight. Flight landed on time.

The Palm Springs to Chicago O’Hare was on Time and Palm Springs airport is easier navigate. As our connection was only an approximately 50 minutes, we asked staff for insights for the Chicago airport in terms of transferring into the other terminal from which our flight left, and they were unhelpful. However, the United App was very helpful in terms of notifications and even providing directions. The Chicago to Detroit flight was significantly delayed which we all know does happen. However, there were very few updates or notifications as to why this was happening when we would actually arrive. It took nearly 30 minutes for bags to make it to baggage claim. We arrived nearly 1 hour late on a 40 minute flight.

Flight cancelled due to fog. No other flights available for 36 hours. Directed by United to book passage on another carrier, and submit receipts for reimbursement. Did that. United now states they will not reimburse. Currently out 2 grand.

The flight was delayed by 4 hours !!!!! It was very uncomfortable , and they told us only one our before departure

The flights from Ottawa to Albuquerque went smoothly enough though on on flight they didn't have how water for coffee or tea and on another there there was no ice. The return flights from Albuquerque were delayed by mechanical problems on both flights. Ottawa was a ground crew maintenance issue.

Flight was fine. It took an unusually long time to have baggage delivered to the carousel in ORD.

Average - flew with Jet Blue internal and it was far more comfortable and better food and entertainment. Notable difference

The flight got canceled due to mechanical issues, and he to be rebooked and missed my appointments for that day

The flight was scheduled to depart DCA at 12:30 pm but was delayed twice on the ground so that we were finally scheduled to depart at around 4:00 pm. Once we boarded, it was announced that takeoff would be delayed again to fix a hydraulic problem which delayed our eventual takeoff until around 5:00 pm. Once we departed, it was a smooth flight back to ORD. We did not get any explanation about what caused the original significant delay. In my experience, this happens frequently with AA.

The only problem experienced was a ground stop in Chicago due to weather. But the crew handled everything professionally. They prioritized rebooking those passengers who had connecting flights and then deplaning the other passengers. When the hold was lifted, they efficiently re-boarded all the passengers so that we could depart before our departure limit expired.

Our second leg to Jackson WY was unable to land due to weather. We were flown back to Dallas after stopping in SLC. We were given hotel rooms and vouchers. We were told that we would be back on the same plane in the morning. Instead we were given a different flight with different seats. Not a good experience. No one knew what was going on.

Turn on the heat. Flight was way too cold from Arizona to Chicago.

Perfect flight. On time departure and early arrival. Smooth flight.

Overall pleasant was delayed and caused transportation issue when landing

The arriving flight was a few minutes late, but the gate crew helped to deplane and board our outgoing flight quickly and efficiently. We were able to depart quickly and arrive at ORD almost at the posted time. Great job.

Book cheap flights from Des Moines to Chicago

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Des Moines to Chicago found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
5/6Mon
3 stops
31h 57mDSM-ORD
$126
6/4Tue
1 stopDelta
3h 46mDSM-ORD
$134
5/6Mon
2 stops
25h 23mDSM-ORD
$138
5/25Sat
1 stopFrontier
13h 21mDSM-MDW
$141
5/25Sat
1 stopFrontier
23h 27mDSM-ORD
$141
5/14Tue
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 21mDSM-ORD
$145
5/21Tue
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 31mDSM-ORD
$175
5/6Mon
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 25mDSM-ORD
$210
5/1Wed
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 26mDSM-ORD
$227
5/24Fri
1 stopAllegiant Air
10h 45mDSM-RFD
$329

Search by stops

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Last minute flights from Des Moines to Chicago

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Des Moines to Chicago that are departing in the next 10 days.
4/24Wed
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 26mDSM-ORD
4/24Wed
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 30mORD-DSM
$393
4/23Tue
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 26mDSM-ORD
5/8Wed
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 25mORD-DSM
$412
4/24Wed
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 26mDSM-ORD
5/9Thu
nonstopAmerican Airlines
1h 25mORD-DSM
$413
4/23Tue
multi-stopDelta
3h 55mDSM-ORD
5/8Wed
multi-stopDelta
5h 11mORD-DSM
$431
4/27Sat
multi-stopUnited Airlines
19h 52mDSM-ORD
4/28Sun
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 30mORD-DSM
$438
4/24Wed
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 26mDSM-ORD
5/8Wed
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 24mORD-DSM
$448
4/23Tue
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 31mDSM-ORD
5/9Thu
nonstopUnited Airlines
1h 29mORD-DSM
$456
4/23Tue
multi-stopDelta
6h 00mDSM-MDW
5/8Wed
multi-stopDelta
6h 38mMDW-DSM
$466
4/26Fri
multi-stopFrontier
23h 21mDSM-MDW
5/3Fri
multi-stopFrontier
10h 47mMDW-DSM
$957
4/26Fri
multi-stopFrontier
23h 21mDSM-MDW
4/28Sun
multi-stopFrontier
16h 49mMDW-DSM
$1,127

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Des Moines - Chicago Flights

Departure:

Des Moines (DSM)United States

Return flight deals:

Chicago - Des Moines

Cabin classes:

$885
$867
$1,453
$271