DSM - LAX

$88 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles

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 Los Angeles departing on 6/29. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Los Angeles

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Flights Deals

Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles (DSM-LAX)

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

Wed, Jul 9 - Wed, Jul 16
 Logo
7:30 am - 10:50 pmDSM-LAX
17h 20m1 stop
 Logo
6:00 am - 2:26 pmLAX-DSM
6h 26m1 stop
Wed, Jul 9 - Wed, Jul 16
 Logo
7:30 am - 10:50 pmDSM-LAX
17h 20m1 stop
 Logo
6:00 am - 2:26 pmLAX-DSM
6h 26m1 stop
Mon, Nov 24 - Thu, Nov 27
American Airlines Logo
5:56 am - 11:10 amDSM-LAX
7h 14m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
9:05 am - 2:45 pmLAX-DSM
3h 40mnonstop
$227American Airlines
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Wed, Aug 20 - Mon, Aug 25
Southwest Logo
12:15 pm - 3:55 pmDSM-LAX
5h 40m1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:05 am - 4:45 pmLAX-DSM
8h 40m2 stops
$242Southwest
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Wed, Aug 20 - Mon, Aug 25
Southwest Logo
12:15 pm - 6:10 pmDSM-LAX
7h 55m2 stops
Southwest Logo
9:35 am - 8:20 pmLAX-DSM
8h 45m2 stops
$247Southwest
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Mon, Nov 24 - Thu, Nov 27
American Airlines Logo
3:20 pm - 5:45 pmDSM-LAX
4h 25mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
9:05 am - 2:45 pmLAX-DSM
3h 40mnonstop
$257American Airlines
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Fri, Aug 8 - Mon, Aug 11
United Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 1:23 pmDSM-LAX
7h 23m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
4:13 pm - 11:59 pmLAX-DSM
5h 46m1 stop
$259United Airlines
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Fri, Jun 27 - Sat, Jul 19
United Airlines Logo
3:38 pm - 8:47 pmDSM-LAX
7h 09m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
12:57 pm - 8:15 pmLAX-DSM
5h 18m1 stop
$278United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jul 12 - Sat, Jul 19
Allegiant Air Logo
2:21 pm - 11:20 pmDSM-LAX
34h 59m2 stops
Allegiant Air Logo
6:30 am - 10:10 pmLAX-DSM
37h 40m2 stops
$421Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Sat, Aug 9 - Sun, Aug 17
Allegiant Air Logo
2:21 pm - 11:32 pmDSM-LAX
35h 11m2 stops
Allegiant Air Logo
6:46 pm - 8:47 pmLAX-DSM
24h 01m2 stops
$429Allegiant Air
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KAYAK's insights & trends for Des Moines to Los Angeles flights

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

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

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

For Des Moines to Los Angeles, Friday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Sunday is the most expensive. Flying from Los Angeles back to Des Moines, the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Saturday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Los Angeles?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles is August, where tickets cost $276 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $456 and $451 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles, you should book around 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonJuly
Cheapest flight$88
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 16% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 20% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles

When to book flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles

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

  • How early should I get to the DSM airport?

    We recommend arriving at least 2h before your scheduled departure time, especially if you need to park your vehicle at the airport and go through the security checks in time. This will also allow you some time to grab a bite to eat and shop around for items of interest you might want to carry with you.

  • Can I travel with my pets through DSM airport?

    Pets must be in a carrier inside the passenger terminal, while assistance animals should be on a leash. The pet relief areas are located outside the terminal by the parking lot north of the Skywalk. The area is well fenced and has a fake fire hydrant for your dogs.

  • How can I get from LAX to the city center?

    There are many transfer options available to you from the airport to the city center, and they include taking the bus, a taxi, or the metro, among many other options. The most convenient and cheap option is to take the bus or metro from LAX to downtown LA. If you prefer to take a taxi, you can book one online after comparing your options.

  • Where can I find the nursing mothers' facilities at Los Angeles airport?

    There are nursing rooms within the terminals at Los Angeles International Airport where nursing mothers can nurse and pump in privacy. Some locations include terminal 1 near gate 13, terminal 2 between gates 21B and 23A, terminal 4 by the Sunglass Hut, and terminal 6 by gate 64B. You can check the airport map for their specific locations to find other nursing suites.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles was $88 for a one-way ticket and $169 for a round-trip.

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

    No

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

    Des Moines airport is called Des Moines and the only airport in Los Angeles is Los Angeles.

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

    American Airlines, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Des Moines to Los Angeles flight route.

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

    The Embraer 175 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Des Moines to Los Angeles flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles?

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

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Los Angeles from Des Moines?

    Denver is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from Des Moines to Los Angeles.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $422 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $406 and an overall rating of 8.0.

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

    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 Los Angeles.

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

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

    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 Los Angeles with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline. Booking your flights between Des Moines and LAX 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 Los Angeles?

    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 Los Angeles from Des Moines 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 Des Moines to Los Angeles

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $233 or less one-way and $411 or less round-trip.
  • If you prefer to drive to the airport while leaving for an extended visit and would like to access some long-term parking services, you can book a Des Moines Airport (DSM) parking spot online before your travel date to guarantee your spot.
  • Suppose you will need any special need assistance. In that case, you are required to make it known as you book your flight so that any services or equipment you need before, during, or after your flight may be available to you.
  • There are several unique attractions within LAX, and one such attraction is the Flight Path Museum which has an aviation library in it and is located in the LAX Imperial Terminal. It showcases Commercial Aviation History with artifacts such as the flight crew uniforms and even a retired aircraft rescue and fire-fighting truck used at LAX. It offers an educational and fun place to hang out, which you might be interested in checking out.
  • Los Angeles International Airport has a beach-like play area inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal where your kids can play while you find a transport vehicle or finish up at the airport.
  • There are several car rental companies at LAX, where you can hire a vehicle at affordable fees. One of the on-site car rental companies is Avis located at 9217 Airport Boulevard. Others are Avail, Budget, and Hertz which are located at parking lot C.

Top 5 airlines serving from Des Moines to Los Angeles

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to Los Angeles. 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 Los Angeles? 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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4287 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
7.1Food
7.6Entertainment
Airline reviews

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Apr 2025LGB - SMF
Read more Southwest reviews

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

Boarding process, crew were good. But the seats were so uncomfortable that was all I could focus on. I literally had to sit forward so that all 3 of us could fit in row. I will try to avoid Southwest in the future for any flights over 60 minutes.

Great flight, 47 passengers on a 180 seat plane. Stewardess was pleasant and cheerful.

Great experience flying Southwest. The crew was really kind and helpful, and very friendly with our toddler.

Plane late from DC to Austin 30 minutes. Crew made up much of the time enroute to San Diego.

Fine, but how to board on SW versus othrr airlines, is just lame. Goood staff though and all was solid otherwise.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a not a great airport.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a hell hole of an airport. It is the new LaGuardia. Everything Cobbled together. Security gates closed. Terri directional signage

I will be flying again Southwest Airlines. Friendly crew, comfortable and affordable.

The plane arrived 25 minutes late, and the Wi-Fi was slower than it usually is.

Boarding was mayhem. Late boarding by 15 minutes because of lack of staff (missing 1 flight attendant. We had to wait for an arrival of another plane before we could board). Flight was a little rough, but cannot blame on airlines.

Great experience…left a bit behind schedule but made up fir that in the air and landed 10 minutes early 😁

United out of SFO is having issues with catering so none of our meals were loaded on the plane and no offer of compensation for our tickets purchased was offered.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

Wonderful and fast TSA checkpoint. The line was fast and our gate was close by

The gate was too far away for the connecting flight

Generally good. The aisles have gotten narrower which can slow down boarding. Flight crew was great! Healthier complimentary snacks would be appreciated. Due to earthquake in San Francisco we had to circle in air space for a bit but then had a smooth landing. I laud the flight crew for their patience ;)

We tried to upgrade to economy premium but were told this was not possible as we had booked through United Airlines (and Air Canada was operating the flight). This seemed silly given there was ample space in economy premium. Additionally, we had to wait almost 1.5 hours upon arrival to taxi to the gate. Otherwise, the crew were very pleasant and passengers were friendly.

The agents was very rude and they charged me $50 for a carry-on bag saying that it was too big and then I saw someone going on a plane with the same size bag as me

For the most part united was a good experience, how ever when they came by with the snacks and water, they completely passed by my wife and I. As we were in separate rows. On a 5 hr flight we were not offered water

Tight! Seats are not designed for those of us who wear extra-large clothes.

The non-stop flight from Grand Rapids was excellent. I neither expected or needed a budget flight and Allegiant made the trip easy and for an affordable price, Arriving at the Mesa Airport (AZA) is a delight compared to the international airport. For our return flight, we were able to arrive 75 minutes before the flight, return the rental car, check our bag and make it to the gate in plenty of time. That would never happen at most airports.

Easiest flights I’ve ever taken. Plane was comfortable without overly crowded seating.

Terrible. Still have not received the refund from them. They sent it to some account that I don't even know. Spoke with costumer service and they are unable to help.

I didn’t like it at all. I miss my second flight because of the delay on Allegiant Air now I m stuck in MCO.

Good, but a bit late on take off after loading. Don't like charging for carry ons!

First time flying with them and will definitely fly again in the future. Crew was so nice and friendly, fought was seamless. They are simple planes, no entertainment, but it’s fine for a short flight or if you have personal devices Rates are competitive, and they did so well with keeping the flight on time after a tropical storm, where other airlines had delays and cancellations.

They boarded passengers that sat in the back of the plane first, making boarding very efficient.

I didn't even take this flight. My plans changed and I couldn't get ahold of customer service and the website kept breaking down during the attempt to change the flight. I wound up taking another airline entirely and eating the cost.

The worst flying experience ever 3 delays. No accommodations. Had to deboard the plane after being delayed.

Honestly, I haven’t flown American in years, probably due to the pandemic and my being unable to travel for certain periods in the last two years, but it was a good experience to dig out or obtain a new American Airlines account after many years of traveling for business with American in the past.

One bottle of water and a package of cookies for comfort plus. We had to literally beg a flight attendant for an extra bottle of water later in the flight due to feeling dehydrated.

Flight boarded from Gate 39 at OGG, the farthest gate in the terminal. There were no Hawaiian themed amenities for the flight. The first class service was mediocre at best; I received not special welcome or recognition as an executive platinum member of American Advantage program. The flight attendants were more concerned with their cell phones than saying "thank you" to the passengers as we disembarked. Fortunately, the flight arrived at LAX a few minutes early.

Bigger seats. Board back to front! Disembark front to back!

Plane was pretty clean, staff was friendly and helpful, flight left about on time arrived early. Took a long time to board and get off the plane - carry on items didn't have enough room so people had to move all around to find places.

Would have been good to have a meal since it was a 5.5 hour flight

Great thanks - a whole row to myself. Good food but film selection not great.

My boarding pass wouldn't pull up in the app very easily and had to really dig through my email. That caused a delay in TSA..

I liked the duration speed while in the air but that is is for positive things to say. The service was over 3 hours late, staff not very friendly (probably because they were also late to the destination), uncomfortable seats and disappointing food options

RE Food: Wish there was a choice for No Rating. Flew from Honolulu to Los Angeles on a Red-Eye flight (11:00 pm to 7:30 am). Other than a package of cookies with a beverage choice offered soon after take-off, and a beverage choice shortly before landing, no other food choices were offered. Everyone slept or rested for most of the trip. Nothing to rate. RE Entertainment: Everyone was sleeping most of the flight. Only saw one passenger watch about 30 minutes of entertainment on his iPad. I never attempted to access any entertainment options.

Cancelled flight after I arrived at airport after 75 min drive and parking. Next flight was 4 days in the future. Had to scramble and buy a much more expensive flight on another carrier.

Book with frontier airlines with the mentality that they'll cancel your flight, kick you off and lose your luggage. Anything besides that is a win. Compare prices with other airlines (to include luggage) and if frontier is still worth it, book it but know all of their policies.

You get what you pay for nothing essentially but a hard uncomfortable seat that doesn’t recline and kids screaming all around you and chaotic boarding and limited check bag weight allowance when compared to other airlines

I never got to experience the flight because they delayed my first flight and I missed this one. Then Frontier didn't want to help me rebook a flight to get me to my final destination.

The Boarding process in Denver was chaotic, and since the line was so long, we were lined up very far from the gate. If there were any announcements from the gate staff, we didn't hear them. The flight attendants were spectacular. The only negative part of the flight was sitting by a 2 1/2 year old who was unruly and unfortunately had parents that matched his behaviors. Also, the restaurants in Denver on the E concourse, they didn't have food (passengers could only order 1 item on the entire menu) or the restaurants had 12-14 people waiting for orders to be prepared and another 6 people waiting to order. If you have a layover in Denver and need to grab food, be prepared to visit the shops with pre-packaged sandwiches, or you can visit another concourse but it may take a while to transit throughout the airport.

I liked the turn-style feature at gate 209B at LAX. Very efficient process. The gate staff also made several, clearly directed announcements so I felt very informed.

Although an hour and a half early was told by staff at check in they had overbooked and could not check us in for the flight.

The crew was delayed because they came on another flight that was delayed due to weather 10pm flight left at 1.30 am The airline made no effort to align alternate crew

Plane was down graded and I lost my uncharged exit row with more leg room. No mention or offer of refund from podium. Flight attendant was nice to explain this happens often and that I could request a refund via online form submission. I did this and have heard nothing back.

Worst airline experience. They were rude and kept changing our seats and/or giving our seats away so our family didn’t get to sit with each other. Almost everyone we dealt with at both airports with this airline was rude. The app kept giving us wrong information making things take longer. Dealing with them before TSA can take close to an hour…longer than I’ve ever had to deal with before. Never using this airline again.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles

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