$526 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to New Zealand - Compare and Save

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Save 19% or more on flights. Compare deals from all over the web.

Never overpay with our price tracking tools.

Filter searches by price, airline and more to find your best flights.

Cheap Flights from Des Moines to New Zealand

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
Auckland
Auckland2 stops$886
Queenstown
Queenstown2 stops$1,371
Auckland
Auckland2 stops$886
Queenstown
Queenstown2 stops$1,371

Price, demand and travel trends for Des Moines to New Zealand flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

What are the cheapest fares from Des Moines to New Zealand right now?

Here are the cheapest round-trip fares from Des Moines to New Zealand on KAYAK in the last week:

• Auckland Intl (AKL) from $886
• Christchurch (CHC) from $996
• Queenstown Intl (ZQN) from $1,371

Which airport in New Zealand is the cheapest to fly to from Des Moines?

Based on KAYAK data from the past 12 months, the cheapest airports to fly into New Zealand are:

• Auckland Intl (AKL) from $1,210
• Christchurch (CHC) from $2,047

What’s the cheapest day to fly from Des Moines to New Zealand?

Sunday tends to be the cheapest day to fly from Des Moines to New Zealand, while Friday is the most expensive. Fares run about 48% higher that day, based on the past 12 months of KAYAK data.

What's the cheapest time of day to fly from Des Moines to New Zealand?

Data from the past 12 months shows it's cheapest to fly to New Zealand during the evening with average prices of $1,452. The morning is the most expensive time to fly, with average prices of $1,944.

Key details for Des Moines to New Zealand flights

Low season

September

Cheapest flight

$526
One-way flight from Des Moines to Auckland

Your Des Moines to New Zealand flight questions, answered

Find helpful answers about this route, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking tips.

  • Is now a good time to book a flight from Des Moines to New Zealand?

    Yes. Fares from Des Moines to New Zealand are low right now. As a rule of thumb, a round-trip under $1,073 (cheaper than most fares this year) is a good deal, so if you spot one at or below that, it's a good time to book.

  • How much should I budget for a flight from Des Moines to New Zealand?

    Over the past 12 months, round-trip fares from Des Moines to New Zealand have ranged from $1,073 to $2,047.

  • What are the main airports serving New Zealand?

    New Zealand has 3 airports. The three busiest are Auckland Intl (AKL) (80% of arrivals), Christchurch (CHC) (13%) and Queenstown Intl (ZQN) (7%).

  • What airlines fly nonstop from Des Moines to New Zealand?

    Based on the flight schedule for the next 3 months, no airline regularly operates nonstop flights from Des Moines to New Zealand. However, American Airlines offers a one-stop option.

  • Which cabin classes are available on flights from Des Moines to New Zealand?

    On flights from Des Moines to New Zealand you can book Economy Class, Premium Economy Class or Business Class.

  • What are some popular landmarks in New Zealand?

    KAYAK travelers' favorite landmarks in New Zealand include:

    • Sparks Arena
    • New Zealand Maritime Museum
    • Sky Tower
    • Skycity Auckland

Your guide to booking Des Moines to New Zealand flights

Get tips on when to book, when to fly and what to know before your trip.
  • If your travel dates are flexible, book your trip for April when flights are typically cheapest and avoid July when prices are at their highest.
  • Flying on Sunday is usually the cheapest. Flights on Friday cost about 48% more on average, so being flexible with your travel dates could help you save.
  • If you're looking to save, Auckland Intl (AKL) is the cheapest airport to fly into from Des Moines. If you have onward travel, don't forget to factor in the cost of your journey by train, bus or domestic flight.
  • Start your trip in Auckland, which is the most popular destination in New Zealand. From there, it's easy to continue on to other popular destinations such as Queenstown, Christchurch and Rotorua.

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Des Moines to New Zealand

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Des Moines to New Zealand? 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
Air New ZealandOverall score based on 671 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.5Crew
7.4Entertainment
7.9Comfort
7.5Food
Airline reviews

I like Air NZ, but rather old plane seating in Premium Economy. Not very comfortable , nor very roomy.

6.0 GoodAnonymous, Aug 2026
Read more Air New Zealand reviews

I like Air NZ, but rather old plane seating in Premium Economy. Not very comfortable , nor very roomy.

Great airline service by the staff. I highly recommend it

My experience with Underpricer was not great. The representative assigned to me did not tell me beforehand that selecting seats, which i could not do through ANZ, WOULD ADD SIGNIFICANT cost to my ticket (all flight segments were reg economy seats. The seat selections for the ticket, MCI-AKL, AKL-PER, PER-MCI, cost $284 USD. I WAS NOT TOLD AHEAD OF SELECTING SEATS chosen by the rep OF THE COSTS and never received an itemized invoice of the seat selections.). The costs of seat selection, an option solicited as a service, with no mention of costs, should have been disclosed to me prior to seat selection and certaily should have been itemized. For all I know, the $284 was not referred from the airline but made up and taken directly by Underpricer. Next, when i checked in, united couldnt find my ticket. This is probably why i didnt get a seat selection on that flight and couldnt check in online, despite Underpricer prompts to do so a week before departure, or at the kiosk at the airport. I had to wait for special help at the counter, then was told that because the flight segment, MCI-IAH, operated by United Airlines via the ANZ. ticket, had changed schedule slightly since I BOOKED MY FLIGHT, the MCI-IAH segment had been decoupled from the rest of the ticket because the IAH layover was now 12.5 hrs AND DID NOT QUALIFY AS A THROUGH FLIGHT TO AKL.. This meant my checked bag could not be checked through to AKL and id have to pick it up at IAH, THEN WAIT MOST OF the long layover WITH the large checked bag until ANZ counter in IAH OPENED for checkING just prior to the flight. Apparently, although underpricer had notified me of schedule changes, they did not update the ANZ TICKET, leading to this problem. Finallly, although I RECHECKED TH BAG IN At IAH 3.5-4 hours before the scheduled departure and the IAH-AKL segment was a direct flight, ANZ LOST MY bag and it took 4 days to find it and get it to me. Not fun.

The food was not as good as Air New Zealand. The veg pasta was pass-able but the veg cibotta sandwich was dry, hard and not up to par. The coach staff were attentive and accommodating.

Overall the plane was good and the crew great. The big disappointment was the skycouch. Maybe it would be good if you were a parent with 2 small kids travelling but as a couple it's hopeless. It's impossible for 2 adults to lie down so one ends up sitting. We split our time with one lying and the other sitting. We both got more sleep sitting upright. We will never book one again and don't recommend it to anyone.

Our original flight was cancelled from SFO to AKL on 6/16/25. So we had to stay overnight at a hotel after a 12-hour layover plus 3-hour delay before the cancellation. Then had to fly to LA and then to AKL the following day losing an entire day of our vacation in NZ, that we can never get back.

Full flight. Flight attendants were harried. Otherwise, fine for the typical cramped seating conditions in coach.

Everything very good except the sofa couch not as comfortable as expected.

New Zealand crew were attentive. We were not informed that we needed transit document to pass through New Zealand. A checkin employee helped with this for which we were thankful.

There was a snafu with confirming seats at check which left us in limbo for the second leg of our trip. I believe the ANZ app is not well integrated with the systems at the terminal resulting in this disconcerting error.

Although the flight was delayed and out of their control, we boarded and were underway in no time. The crew were great, the service A1 and the meal was superb ( I had the chicken dish). I would fly with Qantas again, anytime. Noel Swift

My flight with Qantas was excellent, the crew were exceptional, the food was very good, and the seats were surprisingly spacious and comfortable. I was extremely disappointed when my checked bag did not make it onto my connecting flight, but was pleased with the ease of filing a report of a missing bag with Qantas at the Auckland airport - there, my pleasure ended. I can see, with an apple tag on my bag, that it is still in Sydney and has not moved in more than 30 hours. I shared the tracking information with Qantas and was assured when I filed the missing bag report that my bag would be delivered first thing the next morning on the next flight from Sydney to Auckland. Qantas' missing bag tracking feature still lists its status as "searching for your bag, check back later" more than a full 24 hours after filing the report despite my having shared tracking information, a photo of the bag, and calling the customer care line and being assured that an "urgent action message" had been sent to the team in Sydney. The lack of communication from Qantas' customer service department and the lack of action after an incredibly expensive business class ticket price is outrageous and has, definitively, affected my willingness to consider flying Qantas in the future, much less on long-haul international flights with high cost airfare.

I'd like to see AA's flight safety record clearly and prominently posted online.

Enjoyed the flight with attentive flight staff. Thank you Qantas.

It was nice having space in the way back where it thinned out with passengers, most folks in the far back were able to lay down and sleep. That was a pleasant surprise. Made the 15 hr flight go by pretty smooth, watching a few movies and resting. I had previously never used an airplane toilet, but finally used one. It wasn't too bad. All workers were very helpful and friendly. Their hospitality was welcomed as well

I thought the overall standard in Premium Economy was very good indeed.

After Qantas staff asked us we have the option to book our hotel and then email per written letter. I was denied my right for a $300 voucher after the flight was delayed 24h. Wael Idriss On Nov 22

We were seated in the furthest back row of the plane. Our seats seemed to be the only ones that didn't recline, and our seat row was also closer to the seats in front of us than any other route. I'm a tall man, and this made the long overnight flight extremely uncomfortable and near impossible to sleep on. There was nothing indicated in booking that this row was tighter than the others.

We were downgraded from business class to premium economy with no advance notice. The staff at the gate were extremely rude, the crew on board not very interested in our comfort, mostly stood in the galley and talked with each other. The food was about the worst I have had and the portions were small ( and I am not a big eater). altogether sbout as disappointing an experience as is possible

Polite staff but incompetent staff. They changed my window seat to isle seat and then lied saying the seat was broken, yet I see someone else sitting there! They lost my luggage. Their standards have dropped a lot compared to pre-pandemic.

Very cold on board it was like having 16hours sitting in a fridge

The accessible bathroom should be visible to people in Economy class.

Lexus in first class was absolutely amazing! Beat flight attendant i’ve ever seen.

The plane was experiencing problems with the HVAC system, it was very cold in the front of the plane and very hot in the back.

The boarding process needs to be fixed. The zone don't work, especially when there is hardly anyone in zones 3, 4,and 5, leaving the majority of the passengers backed up in the aisle, especially because passengers seated near the front are blocking passengers who are seated in the rear of the plane. It would also help if the size of carry on bags was more strictly enforced.

In flight connectivity (via T-Mobile) was often not working.

Terrible. Internet/kiosk glitch prevented baggage checkin. Line at ticket co in Ter was under serviced and did not move. Agents did not call for flight but rather allowed time to pass. Then told each person as they reached the front if line that it was too late to check bags so they’d have to rebook flights. At least 15 people missed the flight as a result of this incompetence.

It was exactly what I expected, actually arriving sooner than scheduled.

Terrible, they canceled my flight due to an issue they had, couldn't fly me into the same place within 24 hrs so had to fly in 2.5 hrs away from my destination and spend even more money. The customer service was terrible (except at the airport in Charleston). Had to call to get my checked baggage fees reimbursed 2 wks later in which one customer service agent was very rude, wouldn't listen and then hung up on me. The second lady I spoke with was actually able to help me with that part thankfully. Would not recommend flying AA.

Delayed, missed connecting flight, ground crew double charged for international charges, were super rude and told me to just”deal with it” when I complained. Horrible airline, very frustrating.

More options for your flight from Des Moines to New Zealand

Complete your trip to New Zealand with a hotel stay or car rental