DSM - IND

$137 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis - Compare and Save

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 Indianapolis departing on 9/9. 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

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$249
Typical prices: $216-$512
Frontier
Fri 9/11Thu 9/17
DSM - IND • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$137
Typical prices: $218-$253
Delta
Wed 9/9
DSM - IND • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $249 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Des Moines and Indianapolis. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
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Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $291 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 3h 38m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 26% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis (DSM-IND)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis 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 Des Moines to Indianapolis

Fri, Sep 11 - Thu, Sep 17
Frontier Logo
2:51 pm - 7:21 pm
DSM
-
IND
27h 30m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:16 pm - 1:56 pm
IND
-
DSM
18h 40m
1 stop
$249Frontier
Sun, Nov 1 - Wed, Nov 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 11:44 am
DSM
-
IND
26h 44m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:46 pm - 3:25 pm
IND
-
DSM
25h 39m
1 stop
$264Multiple Airlines
Thu, Sep 3 - Thu, Sep 10
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 12:10 pm
DSM
-
IND
5h 30m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
7:30 am - 1:45 pm
IND
-
DSM
7h 15m
1 stop
$273Southwest
Thu, Sep 3 - Thu, Sep 10
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 12:40 pm
DSM
-
IND
6h 00m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
7:30 am - 1:45 pm
IND
-
DSM
7h 15m
1 stop
$278Southwest
Tue, Aug 11 - Wed, Aug 12
Southwest Logo
7:15 am - 3:40 pm
DSM
-
IND
7h 25m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:00 pm - 9:55 pm
IND
-
DSM
5h 55m
1 stop
$281Southwest
Thu, Sep 3 - Thu, Sep 10
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 2:50 pm
DSM
-
IND
8h 10m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:20 pm - 10:10 pm
IND
-
DSM
5h 50m
2 stops
$283Southwest
Tue, Aug 11 - Wed, Aug 12
Southwest Logo
6:10 am - 4:55 pm
DSM
-
IND
9h 45m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:00 pm - 9:55 pm
IND
-
DSM
5h 55m
1 stop
$286Southwest
Mon, Aug 10 - Thu, Aug 13
United Airlines Logo
7:35 am - 3:03 pm
DSM
-
IND
6h 28m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 12:20 pm
IND
-
DSM
5h 20m
1 stop
$289United Airlines
Fri, Sep 11 - Thu, Sep 17
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 2:50 pm
DSM
-
IND
8h 10m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:20 pm - 10:10 pm
IND
-
DSM
5h 50m
2 stops
$291Southwest
Tue, Aug 18 - Mon, Aug 24
Southwest Logo
6:10 am - 12:20 pm
DSM
-
IND
5h 10m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
1:15 pm - 10:10 pm
IND
-
DSM
9h 55m
2 stops
$294Southwest
Booking Insights

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

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

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis, 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 Indianapolis is September, where tickets cost $288 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are May and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $606 and $586 respectively.

Good to know

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

$137
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 21% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 18% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to Indianapolis

When to book flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis

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

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

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to Indianapolis was $137 for a one-way ticket and $249 for a round-trip.

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

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

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

    Des Moines and Indianapolis are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Des Moines from Des Moines and will be arriving at Indianapolis.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to Indianapolis are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $346 and an overall rating of 7.8, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $360 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Indianapolis.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis?

    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 Indianapolis with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline. Booking your flights between Des Moines and IND can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

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

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

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Des Moines to Indianapolis

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to Indianapolis. 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 Indianapolis? 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.
7.8
DeltaOverall score based on 8479 reviews
7.8Entertainment
7.2Food
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

Weather in Atlanta necessitated an hour's hold on the tarmac before we could leave Detroit. The plane was packed, and I expected some surliness. But no! The crew was fantastic (jovial even!), responsive to people's needs, and kept us informed. Consequently, the passengers took the delay in stride, and what could have been an ugly situation turned out to be no more than a minor inconvenience. The crew were the stars here.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jul 2026
DTW - ATL
Read more Delta reviews

Weather in Atlanta necessitated an hour's hold on the tarmac before we could leave Detroit. The plane was packed, and I expected some surliness. But no! The crew was fantastic (jovial even!), responsive to people's needs, and kept us informed. Consequently, the passengers took the delay in stride, and what could have been an ugly situation turned out to be no more than a minor inconvenience. The crew were the stars here.

We were skipped when the snack cart passed and then the attendant said we weren’t . I am disabled and was in a row toward the back of the plane which was very difficult for me to navigate. Disabled people should not be forced to walk the plank.

My flight was delayed and I got back around 3.5 hours later than expected. I had to get a new connecting flight

Seat was too small for someone as tall as I am. I was behind an exit row making my leg room even less. There flights were delayed by multiple hours. Some weather related and others staff related. The plane was hot. Horrible experience.

The Atlanta airport had thunderstorms, which caused our flight to be delayed by multiple hours. Once we were able to board.the gate agent was rude and was trying to rush us onto the plane because the team in the plane was about to run out of hours once we were all aboard the plane they ran into an issue where the catering truck was filling up the back of the plane and they left and had to come back because they didn’t fill it up all the way, causing even more of a delay. My seat was very tight. I didn’t have a lot of legroom overall this was a miserable experience.

Flight delayed due to ground hold. Republic airways did a great job.

I missed the flight because the Minneapolis flight was 49 minutes LATE, and the Boise flight LEFT 24 minutes EARLY!

Two delays on two separate planes with parts they could not easily find and replace.

No entertainment. Plane was so small had to pink tag a carry on ive used for 20 years easily on board. The fact the flight got in at midnight, had to wait for crew in fort wayne to allow the plane to approach the gate, THEN had to wait for bag on jet bridge made experience irritating at best.

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the poor service and unprofessional staff we encountered when traveling with an infant. Our flight was delayed, and the gate staff failed to manage the boarding process appropriately. Due to incorrect, unavailable, or missing 'pink tag' stroller and car seat check-in procedures at the gate, we were forced to board last. Furthermore, the gate staff was rude and dismissive, causing significant distress to our infant. To make matters worse, one of our checked items—an infant sleeper/lounger—was returned to us broken. Given the unsafe handling of essential equipment and unprofessional treatment, I expect a prompt resolution regarding compensation for the damaged items.

Our flight gor canceled and there was no one to help us but told us to scan the qr code and fill the forms on-line. Very poor service especially we are tourists traveling to Washington DC for the 1st time.

Onboard staff was courteous, helpful, responsive and friendly. The boarding process was disorganized, poorly communicated, and disheveled. Gate agents were yelling instead of using the PA system, didn’t communicate the timing delay of our flight, and created an atmosphere of chaos rather than order and communication. As far as I know, there was no reason for their. I would hate to see how it operated under extreme conditions. I’ve never seen United Airlines operations in such a state.

Baggage claim signs were not updated with my flight information, so I had to guess. The app wasn't updated either.

It was extremely hot in the cabin the entire flight, vent air was worn

1 flight cancelled Had to fly out of different city Flight at new departure city was delayed 3 hours causing us to miss connecting flights. By the time we did make it to Prague our luggage did not. Had to wait day and a half for luggage to be delivered. Customer service was not good. Agents did not arrive at gate until 5-10 minutes before boarding

It was better than excellent. The staff in Mason City were great. The young woman that pushed my wheelchair did more than could be expected of her. She came from India 17 years ago. I don't remember her name.

Very rough getting into denver. my kid threw up it was so rough.

Liked that we left on time for each flight. Snacks not the best, but we're okay.

Flight was on time. Staff were friendly. I paid for Economy Plus but was required to check my standard carry-on luggage due to lack of space on the aircraft. This cost me 30 minutes, unexpectedly, in waiting at the baggage claim. This experience did not meet my expectations.

I had requested wheelchair assistance prior to flight. The airport staff had no record of it. It was not provided at Cedar Rapids which was a small airport, so I managed on my own. At O'Hare airport the same thing happened. The staff told me they had no record of my request for a wheel chair. But they finally provided it after a delay when I insisted that I needed it.

How is it that every American flight from DFW to IND is significantly delayed? This is the third time in two months I have been delayed flying out of DFW - ALWAYS for a maintenance issue. Makes me want to drop flying American altogether…or maybe flying through Dallas. Miserable experience.

Pilots were fantastic - super smooth. First Class flight attendant was very attentive. Main Cabin flight attendant should try to smooth the rough edges of her voice - very shrill / punitive. Hurt my ears just to listen to her. Recognize they have a (tough) job to do - but tone over speakers needs to be less like scolding a 5 year old.

Delayed and horrible communication and sat on flight for an hour before taking off

Two hours delay, probably one hour because they didn’t bring catering and they had to bring water in board. There a change of aircraft. But delays galore at CLT so it must be a CLT and/or AA operation issue. The 1 hr additional delays because nobody could bring 2 packs of water sooner is probably the best example of this airline operates

It wa sort of on time; the cab was left with some trash

The flight was delayed about an hour for a maintenance specialist to approve the maintenance repair

A very good flight. All personnel were gracious and pleasant. Good flight. No complaints.

American Airlines should be ashamed of their performance on AA1506 on August 14th from DFW to IND. First of all, after we got to the originally assigned gate C7, we were notified with too little notice for a first-flight out situation that the flight would depart from gate A25 in an entirely different terminal -- not just a gate or two away from the original gate. That was the first hiccup that started our day off poorly. It just got worse. Let it be known that the flight crew and gate agents were all as helpful as they could be during all that followed. However, the flight was a horrible mess of an ordeal. The plane was warm and uncomfortable on a hot Dallas morning when we boarded. And apparently we had to get underway for the a/c to be powered up. There was no other explanation for why we had to sit there in the heat. But before we could power up, some paperwork had to be completed, if we heard the announcement clearly enough. Then a "minor" maintenance issue had to be fixed -- but it was enough of an issue that we all had to deplane while it was being fixed, apparently because it was "too warm" on the plane for us to sit there in case the "minor" issue took too long to fix. And after we all finally deplaned and were hanging around the counter for news about when we could reboard, then a flight attendant came up and notified the gate agent that there a passenger at the rear of the plane had caused a major spill of some sort getting up and out of the plane. Turns out that was a bigger and longer delay than whatever the initial mechanical issue caused. According the gate announcements, the mechanical issue had been fixed relatively quickly in due course. But a seat was soaked and had to be cleaned up by a spill. A subsequent announcement then said that the seat belts were affected by the spill and had to cleaned. Then, either the seats or seat belts or both had to be replaced. At each of these announcements, the phrase "we're trying to get maintenance here as soon as we can" kept coming up. Clearly the gate agents were as frustrated as the passengers. After all was said and done, a minor mechanical issue and a major cabin spill issue caused a 3+ hour delay in our flight. American Airlines should be ashamed of its performance on this flight.

Gate check in of luggage was smooth at DCA and luggage came out fast in IND.

only issue is i feel we pulled off from the gate ontime, we sat on the runway longer than i felt made sense.

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

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