CHI - DSM

$65 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Des Moines

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to Des Moines departing on 2/10. 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
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Des Moines

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Des Moines, 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 Chicago to Des Moines, as well as popular online travel agencies
Travelers love KAYAK
41.299.237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$157
Overall average: $236
Delta
Wed 1/14Wed 1/21
ORD - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$189
Typical prices: $249-$308
American Airlines
Tue 12/23Tue 12/30
ORD - DSM • Non-stop
Our travelers' advice
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
American's Main Cabin Extra includes early boarding.
United's Economy Plus adds up to six inches of legroom.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Delta
Cheapest • from $157 (round-trip)
United Airlines
Best reviews • 7.4 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
ORD-DSM
Cheapest
ORD-DSM
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
March
Cheapest • 29% price drop
November
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Des Moines!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Des Moines (CHI-DSM)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to Des Moines 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 for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Des Moines

Wed, Jan 14 - Wed, Jan 21
Delta Logo
6:15 am - 10:19 amORD-DSM
4h 04m1 stop
Delta Logo
12:25 pm - 4:57 pmDSM-ORD
4h 32m1 stop
$157Delta
Find Deal
Wed, Jan 14 - Wed, Jan 21
Delta Logo
9:50 am - 3:41 pmMDW-DSM
5h 51m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:24 am - 12:49 pmDSM-MDW
6h 25m1 stop
$157Delta
Find Deal
Tue, Jan 6 - Sat, Jan 10
Delta Logo
6:15 am - 10:19 amORD-DSM
4h 04m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:24 am - 1:08 pmDSM-ORD
6h 44m1 stop
$159Delta
Find Deal
Tue, Dec 23 - Tue, Dec 30
American Airlines Logo
6:40 am - 8:15 amORD-DSM
1h 35mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
6:40 am - 8:20 amDSM-ORD
1h 40mnonstop
$189American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Dec 11 - Sun, Dec 14
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 10:21 pmORD-DSM
16h 06m1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:30 am - 11:42 amDSM-ORD
27h 12m1 stop
$192Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jan 14 - Thu, Jan 15
American Airlines Logo
2:50 pm - 4:24 pmORD-DSM
1h 34mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
5:01 pm - 6:48 pmDSM-ORD
1h 47mnonstop
$197American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 24 - Sun, Dec 28
United Airlines Logo
6:05 pm - 7:29 pmORD-DSM
1h 24mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 9:38 amDSM-ORD
1h 38mnonstop
$201United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Jan 25 - Mon, Jan 26
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 10:09 pmORD-DSM
15h 09m1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:08 pm - 10:04 pmDSM-ORD
7h 56m1 stop
$210Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, Jan 9 - Sat, Jan 10
Southwest Logo
6:10 am - 11:25 amMDW-DSM
5h 15m1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:45 am - 11:35 amDSM-MDW
4h 50m1 stop
$232Southwest
Find Deal
Fri, Jan 9 - Sat, Jan 10
Southwest Logo
2:20 pm - 9:10 pmMDW-DSM
6h 50m2 stops
Southwest Logo
6:45 am - 11:35 amDSM-MDW
4h 50m1 stop
$237Southwest
Find Deal
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Des Moines flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Chicago to Des Moines?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Chicago to Des Moines departing in January.

What is the cheapest Chicago to Des Moines flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest return flight from Chicago to Des Moines costs $189 on the route between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Des Moines (DSM). It is also the most popular route.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Chicago to Des Moines clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

When flying from Chicago to Des Moines, you should consider leaving on a Thursday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Chicago, you’ll find the best rates on Thursdays and the most expensive ones on Tuesdays.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Des Moines, 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 Chicago to Des Moines is March, where tickets cost $208 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are February and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $466 and $366 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Chicago to Des Moines?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $249, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Des Moines

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
United Airlines

United offers Priority Boarding to avoid overhead bin space issues, placing you in Zone 2.


United's Economy Plus seats offer up to six inches more legroom than standard economy seats.

American Airlines

American Airlines' Main Cabin Extra offers early boarding and complimentary alcoholic drinks.


American Airlines provides 20 minutes of free Wi-Fi by watching a short advertisement.

Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Read more

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$65
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 5% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 13% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago Midway Airport to Des Moines

When to book flights from Chicago to Des Moines

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Des Moines 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 Chicago to Des Moines

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Des Moines was $65 for a one-way ticket and $157 for a round-trip.

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

    No

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to Des Moines?

    When flying out of Chicago you will be using one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. You will be landing at Des Moines.

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

    Only American Airlines offers inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to Des Moines flight route.

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

    The Airbus A319 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to Des Moines flight route.

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Des Moines are United Airlines and American Airlines. With an average price for the route of $285 and an overall rating of 7.4, United Airlines is the most popular choice. American Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $249 and an overall rating of 7.2.

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

    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 Chicago to Des Moines.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Des Moines from Chicago 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 Chicago to Des Moines?

    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 Des Moines with an airline and back to Chicago with another airline.

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

    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 Des Moines from Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago to Des Moines

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $253 or less one-way and $189 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Des Moines?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago to Des Moines.
Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to Des Moines Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to Des Moines

Monday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Des Moines to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top airlines flying from Chicago to Des Moines

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Des Moines. 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 Chicago to Des Moines? 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.
7.4
United AirlinesOverall score based on 9063 reviews
7.3Comfort
6.6Food
7.1Entertainment
7.7Boarding
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

After a delay at the gate, C3, at Ohare on Sunday, I left my Blk ski coat on the bench at the gate, lost! Please review my lob claim, thx.

8.0 Excellentt, Dec 2025ORD - RSW
Read more United Airlines reviews

After a delay at the gate, C3, at Ohare on Sunday, I left my Blk ski coat on the bench at the gate, lost! Please review my lob claim, thx.

Very thoughtful flight attendant offered me water immediately since I had run to make my connection.

Always wish for more healthy, gluten free options. We have to bring our own.

Having a long layover, I was very appreciative of the ability to stand by for an earlier flight. Other airlines like Delta have refused this to me in the past, just to be mean (because my ticket class wasn't high enough). United went out of their way to help me get to my destination early, which I really appreciated given that it was the third leg of a 24+ hour journey for me.

Other than a way way too cold cabinets for the entire flight, all was great

One bag is incorrect and not acceptable for an international flight. The food was not just good. I won't fly with them again.

Excellent flight. Smooth, efficient boarding. Quick flight. Arrived early at STL.

I will never book a flight through Cheap fare. They booked me from Portland Main . And would not give me a refund, so I bought 2 tickets one for 299. From Portland Main to ORD. Then I had to buy a ticket from Oregon PDX to ORD that was another 440. So Just so you know they even told me it was there fault but no refund. Bad bussniess. I did inform United but they said they couldn't help me due to the fact I booked through Cheap Tickets. Never again. And I'm spreding the word. I let everyone know at my 50th class reunion

Crew and customer service were excellent. This flight also had plenty of leg room and seat mounted screens for entertainment. A very pleasant flight all around!

It would have been better if the crew has supported my husband's reasons for needing to keep the space clear around his feet, rather than insisting that he put his knapsack in that space.

We loved the steward on the plane. He made the night enjoyable

The plane was late, when we did board the plane was as cold as a freezer. I was freezing the entire flight, no blankets. Lost miserable flight I’ve ever had.

3 hour weather delay followed by 1 hour (and counting) maintenance delay. UGH!

After we'd boarded , they canceled the flight. The crew didn't even know , we just all received text messages. Then after they deplaned us , AA was just like "too bad, go F your self, we sure ain't gonna help you"

After a two hour delay, my flight was CANCELLED! No pilot available. Such BS.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

I wish American Airlines would change the airline industry by loading the plane back to front instead of front to back. Planes would board so much more smoothly and quickly.

I have long legs, my foot was out in the aisle and when a flight attendant came walking by and I didn't notice, instead of saying "excuse me" or anything like that, she kicked my foot. Extremely rude

Excellent! The gate agents were kind enough to rebook me on an earlier flight saving me from a 6 hour layover. Even my luggage made it despite the fact that the connection was technically too narrow. The flight itself was very comfortable, roomy, and clean. Plenty of space for my carryon items with plugs to charge my phone. After a long international flight of 14 hours, this was an excellent way to end my travels!

Great experience. Flight boarded easily. Departed early. Smooth flight. Great arrival in DC--almost no taxing! Almost direct to gate from runway. Crew was terrific. Same cookies and beverages in main cabin. I did not use the entertainment system on this flight.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Des Moines

Information on your arrival and departure airports