DSM - PDX

$104 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Portland

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 Portland departing on 11/10. 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 Portland

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Portland.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Portland.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$245
Overall average: $466
Frontier
Fri 12/5Sun 12/7
DSM - PDX • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way
$118
Typical prices: $155-$195
Frontier
Mon 11/10
DSM - PDX • 1 stop
Top airlines
Frontier
Cheapest • from $245 (round-trip)
Southwest
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to travel
August
Cheapest • 41% price drop
July
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Portland (DSM-PDX)

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

Fri, Dec 5 - Sun, Dec 7
Frontier Logo
7:58 pm - 8:53 amDSM-PDX
14h 55m2 stops
Frontier Logo
12:51 pm - 7:03 pmPDX-DSM
28h 12m1 stop
$245Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 3 - Sun, Dec 7
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 11:56 amDSM-PDX
29h 56m2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:51 pm - 7:03 pmPDX-DSM
28h 12m1 stop
$249Multiple Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 10 - Fri, Dec 12
Delta Logo
2:16 pm - 10:19 pmDSM-PDX
10h 03m1 stop
Delta Logo
12:32 am - 10:21 amPDX-DSM
7h 49m1 stop
$261Delta
Find Deal
Sat, Jan 17 - Tue, Jan 20
United Airlines Logo
1:35 pm - 6:10 pmDSM-PDX
6h 35m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
1:24 pm - 8:34 pmPDX-DSM
5h 10m1 stop
$291United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jan 17 - Tue, Jan 20
United Airlines Logo
3:35 pm - 12:39 amDSM-PDX
11h 04m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
3:45 pm - 11:44 pmPDX-DSM
5h 59m1 stop
$296United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 3 - Mon, Dec 8
Delta Logo
2:16 pm - 10:19 pmDSM-PDX
10h 03m1 stop
Delta Logo
10:10 pm - 10:38 amPDX-DSM
10h 28m1 stop
$302Delta
Find Deal
Wed, Dec 10 - Sat, Dec 13
Southwest Logo
12:05 pm - 7:55 pmDSM-PDX
9h 50m2 stops
Southwest Logo
8:20 am - 9:20 pmPDX-DSM
11h 00m1 stop
$313Southwest
Find Deal
Mon, Dec 22 - Mon, Dec 29
American Airlines Logo
5:39 pm - 12:54 amDSM-PDX
9h 15m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
12:49 am - 10:47 amPDX-DSM
7h 58m1 stop
$343American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Dec 13 - Sat, Dec 20
American Airlines Logo
2:33 pm - 8:50 pmDSM-PDX
8h 17m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
11:59 pm - 10:47 amPDX-DSM
8h 48m1 stop
$345American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 26 - Wed, Dec 3
Southwest Logo
1:05 pm - 7:20 pmDSM-PDX
8h 15m1 stop
Southwest Logo
10:50 am - 7:55 pmPDX-DSM
7h 05m1 stop
$350Southwest
Find Deal
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Des Moines to Portland 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 Portland?

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

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Portland on a Saturday and more expensive on a Tuesday. On your return trip to Des Moines, you should consider flying back on a Thursday, and avoid Sundays for better deals.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Portland, 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 Portland is August, where tickets cost $217 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $478 and $466 respectively.

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

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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop layover the cheapest option at $240 on average.

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

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 Portland, 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 Portland, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 16 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$118
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 17% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 23% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to Portland

When to book flights from Des Moines to Portland

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

  • How can I travel from Portland International Airport (PDX) to Downtown Portland?

    To travel to Downtown Portland from Portland International Airport (PDX), take the light rail, which is a quick and inexpensive option. You can rent a car from one of the airport's rental car providers if you prefer the privacy of having your own vehicle. Outside the baggage claim area, taxis and ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft are available.

  • What are the most common layover destinations between Des Moines and Portland?

    The most popular layovers from Des Moines to Portland are at Denver International Airport (DEN), Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), Dallas/Fort worth International Airport (DFW), and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). If you fly with United Airlines or Southwest Airlines, you will have layovers in DEN or ORD. If you fly with Delta, MSP will be your stopover before arriving in Portland. American Airlines has a layover in DFW.

  • Which cities can I connect from Portland International Airport?

    Portland International Airport (PDX) is the primary airport servicing Portland, Oregon, and its surrounding areas. There are various cities and places accessible from the airport, including Portland, which has a bustling urban culture, Vancouver, which is located over the Columbia River from Portland, and Beaverton, which is located west of Portland.

  • Is there an airport hotels at Des Moines International Airport?

    Yes, there are a number of hotels near or around Des Moines International Airport (DSM), including the Holiday Inn Des Moines Airport Conference Center, which is 3 minutes’ walk from the airport, the Hampton Inn Des Moines-Airport, which is a mile from the airport, and the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Des Moines Airport, which is approximately two miles from the airport. These airport hotels are great for travelers with early or late-night flights, layovers, or who simply want to stay close to the airport.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to Portland was $118 for a one-way ticket and $245 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Des Moines to Portland.

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

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

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

    The Airbus A320-100/200 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Des Moines to Portland flight route.

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to Portland are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $488 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 $416 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

    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 Portland.

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

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

    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 Portland with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline. Booking your flights between Des Moines and PDX 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 Portland?

    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 Portland 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 Portland

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $231 or less round-trip.
  • Booking a ticket with Allegiant Air, which serves as a focal city for Des Moines International Airport (DSM), has various advantages, including expanded flight options and nonstop service, which saves time and eliminates the stress of layovers to make for a pleasant travel experience.
  • Southwest Airlines provides low-cost flights. They have a friendly baggage policy that includes two free checked bags per passenger, which could save you money. Additionally, Southwest Airline does not assign seats and instead employs a boarding group system, which can be advantageous for people who prefer flexibility and do not want to pay extra for seat allocation.
  • United Airlines accommodates travelers with disabilities, especially those with limited mobility. They provide wheelchair assistance, priority boarding, and trained people to assist passengers throughout their journey. Aside from United Airlines, Delta Air Lines is well-known for providing accessible seating options.
  • If you're flying from Des Moines to Portland with children, Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines offer special children's meals and activity kits. They also offer in-flight entertainment, such as movies and TV series appropriate for various age groups. Southwest Airlines gives families with children under the age of two priority boarding.
  • Small dogs and cats are allowed in the cabin along with their owners on American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Southwest Airlines subject to size restrictions and an additional fee. United Airlines can transport your birds in the cabin. They also offer options for bigger pets to be transported in the cargo hold.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Des Moines to Portland

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to Portland. 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 Portland? 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 4243 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

8.0 ExcellentGreg, Oct 2025OAK - BUR
Read more Southwest reviews

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

Full cans of soda would be nice. A choice between two snacks would be appreciated.

Tried watching free movie and it kept freezing so I couldn’t finish.

All was good. I just had a hard time getting connected to the WiFi/internet during the flight

Sacrament staff are always polite and helpful. Airport is easy to maneuver and boarding is straightforward.

Great flight. Outstanding Service. Southwest was able to put us on a direct flight to Denver when the connection could have been affected by a later arrival to Baltimore. The direct flight was less expensive that the flight with the connection in Baltimore.

Delays delays delays. Late taking off, late landing, wait for a gate, etc.

Boarded on time but once we were ready for take off, the crew determined that, although every seat was taken, somehow someone was on the wrong flight. Delay, delay delay, announcements and ended up with one person checking EVERY ID against their passenger Manifest only to figure out it was a "clerical error." We departed 54 minutes late causing me to run in the St. Louis Airport to make my connection and lose the priority boarding spot I had paid for. Unnecessary delay.

I was re-booked onto another flight because my original flight was delayed and I would have missed my connector. I ended up in the “C” group after paying extra to be in the “A “ group on the original flight. At least if you’re going to re-book people, re-book them into the same group.

Flight was delayed due to plane not passing inspection And one of the crew had to time out and we had to wait for another one A 3 hour delay

Flight was delayed only slightly before takeoff due to traffic control. However, the flight arrived early to ORD. Good flight. United has been very reliable for me.

The person I bought the ticket for didn’t make the flight.

Lately I like the planes have been exceptionally filthy. There’s lines of dust and dirt all across the ceiling in the vents, and the cracks in between the seats are literally full of food. It’s definitely not the quality of service that I was used to with United. I’m also very disappointed with the Wi-Fi! All I wanna do is knock out a few work jobs while I’m trapped in my seat And it spools so bad. They did provide me with a refund, but the process of getting that refund is so complicated. It’s unfortunate.

Another delayed flight. When the delays exceed the duration of the flight, it’s a problem.

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

After boarding the plane in Chicago, the passengers were told that there was a technical problem with the plane. Passengers remained on the plane as they tried to fix the problem. After what was probably an hour passengers were told that there was a need to change planes as the problem was not solved. Passengers disembarked and boarded another plane. After taxing to the runway and waiting for takeoff, passengers were told that owing to the thunderstorm the flight was unable to take off but would try and reroute. After some time passengers were told there wasn't enough fuel for the new route and the plane had to return to the gate for additional fuel. after another log delay the flight got underway. On the plane there was food, drinks, ice or entertainment. We were a glass of water, which appeared rationed. Flight arrived about 5 hours late. The pilot was fantastic and communicated with the passengers throughout the ordeal.

The flight attendants were great, I joked with one I can’t remember her name, a blond, really sweet. I thought it was run well very professional. This was great i survived Spirit, I know for which I speak.

During booking, I kept trying submitting my payment from the Mexican website and it didn't work. After I had the idea to change it to the Canadian website, it worked but I had to be charged the equivalent of 50 CAD more. I received the clear instruction that I would only be able to check-in at the airport and that it was impossible to select a seat 24 hours before departure, that I had to pay 144 CAD to do so, although not only was I able to check-in 24 hours before departure, but I could have selected my seats for free then. All in all, I almost threw $200 out the window due to misleading information. Besides, the app kept crashing, the information to get to the gate on the app was inaccurate, my gate was switched and I was only informed once in the air (luckily I had noticed the departure pannel), I was not addressed in my language beforehand and even if I tried I was immediately answered in English (which meant the crew understood but didn't want to answer accordingly), there was only one snack & beverage service on my medium haul flight and no beverage service on my short haul flight. To be fair, the planes were comfortable, the crew apart from the language issue was helpful, dynamic and engaging, the plane was clean and the directions were clear and direct. United has a lot of potential to be one of my favourite airlines, but the devil is in the details and a lot of them missed the target.

Flight was timely, relatively comfortable, with decent entertainment and food served. Only problem encountered was with the free messaging which I highly appreciate, but it did not work from iphone to non-iphones.

Better WiFi. I cannot understand that in 2025, United is so behind on a technology that is now a necessity and still painfully unreliable, slow and keeps disconnecting.

Wish some foods provided rather than just biscuit/cookie for flight more than 2 hours

Wish a flight with more than 2 hours with some snack rather than just cookie/biscuit.

The flight attendant, a black woman with curly hair who sat near Row 21, was wonderful and kind.

It was good..clean, comfy seat. Friendly warm welcoming crew. Was able to check my cabin luggage at the gate which I was able to pickup in a decent time from baggage claim. The app gave all updates from delays to baggage claim info. Overall smooth flight.

Flight was delayed leaving Dallas. Arrived about 2 hours later than scheduled.

Flight delayed and missed connection. Rescheduled flight cancelled after 6 hrs wait. Rerouted thru ORD, flight cancelled, overnight stay in ORD. Still in the air on new flight!

We are too tired and frustrated to comment politely at this point

Terrible. Our luggage was delayed and couldn’t be delivered for several days. We got bad information from the airline agents at baggage claim. We had to pick up our car so we wouldn’t be charged for an extra day. We got lost in the maze of airport parking. The baggage claim agents didn’t offer us any compensation for our extra time and expense. We are tired, hungry and very frustrated.

The flight was flawless and we even arrived between 20 and 25 minutes early!

The only thing to like was that we eventually got to our destination

I liked how when I got on board how fast we ended up taking off but what I truly disliked was how uncomfortable the seats were. There was truly never a time that I could ever get comfortable during both of my flights. The seats could get away during shorter flights but flights 3 hour plus makes it hard to enjoy.

The crew was great and the flight was very smooth. Can’t really judge food since I did not get any because it costs money. The seat was comfortable for what we bought. Thanks!

Crew was great. No entertainment and food and beverage was for purchase only, even water

It was canceled. The flight wasn’t rescheduled, everyone had to figure out their own new arrangements. They said we would get refunded our original fare and receive an additional $150. We received links for $100 only and they expired before we could activate them.

The plane had originated in Las Vegas at 6:30 in the morning and flew to Moline where we boarded. The flight left around 12:30 PM and there were no boxed snacks available and many of the alcoholic beverages were unavailable. I would find it hard to believe that that many of the passengers coming from Las Vegas at 6:30 in the morning, drank and ate that much of the items. I can only come to the conclusion that someone failed to stock the plane for the round-trip. This is a huge revenue failure for the airline and disappointment for the passengers. The flight crew did not seem happy to be there and did not engage with passengers. Allegiant you can do better.

They did not let my husband on the plane with our service animal at the last minute. Do NOT fly this airline with a service animal!

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.

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

Boarding was on time and plane departed as scheduled. There are obviously no amenities (food, drink, entertainment) on Frontier, but there also didn't seem to be any issues with luggage space either.

Inbound plane was on time and flight departed on time with no issues while boarding.

I knew going into this that Frontier, being a low cost carrier, would be pretty bare bones and charge for most extras but this was made up for by the fact that the airplane was a reasonably new Airbus, every employee was great and best of all, Everett Washington is an amazing airport - thanks Frontier for flying there!!!

i was unable to check in the flight. refund requested

It was well done. It was my first time flying with them and I was nervous b/c I have heard of many cancelled and/or delray flights. Everything went smoothly.

Just know that everything, and I mean everything is “ala cart”. 60$ just to put something in the overhead bin. I will never fly Frontier again nor do I recommend them to anyone else.

The single worst check in experience I could imagine. I’ll never do any business with Frontier or any affiliated company

Too many extra fees, uncomfortable, little leg room. Will not recommend this airline.

Everyone seemed to be in zone 1 for boarding. Maybe break it up a little. Otherwise, smooth flight.

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