DSM - SAN

$88 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to San Diego

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 San Diego departing on 7/18. 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 San Diego

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to San Diego, 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 San Diego, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flights from Des Moines to San Diego (DSM-SAN)

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

Fri, Aug 1 - Mon, Aug 4
Allegiant Air Logo
2:42 pm - 4:13 pmDSM-SAN
3h 31mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
5:03 pm - 10:38 pmSAN-DSM
3h 35mnonstop
$123Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 1 - Fri, Aug 15
Allegiant Air Logo
2:42 pm - 4:13 pmDSM-SAN
3h 31mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
5:20 pm - 10:44 pmSAN-DSM
3h 24mnonstop
$135Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 8 - Mon, Aug 11
Allegiant Air Logo
2:42 pm - 4:13 pmDSM-SAN
3h 31mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
5:03 pm - 10:38 pmSAN-DSM
3h 35mnonstop
$140Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 28 - Mon, Sep 1
Frontier Logo
3:23 pm - 11:52 pmDSM-SAN
10h 29m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:25 am - 2:23 pmSAN-DSM
5h 58m1 stop
$161Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, Jul 18 - Wed, Jul 23
 Logo
2:39 pm - 4:10 pmDSM-SAN
3h 31mnonstop
 Logo
6:15 am - 2:26 pmSAN-DSM
6h 11m1 stop
Wed, Jul 23 - Mon, Jul 28
 Logo
7:30 am - 5:55 pmDSM-SAN
12h 25m1 stop
 Logo
5:00 pm - 10:35 pmSAN-DSM
3h 35mnonstop
Fri, Aug 29 - Thu, Sep 4
Frontier Logo
6:20 pm - 11:52 pmDSM-SAN
7h 32m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:35 am - 1:40 pmSAN-DSM
5h 05m1 stop
$187Frontier
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 14 - Thu, Aug 21
American Airlines Logo
7:20 pm - 10:52 pmDSM-SAN
5h 32m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
10:45 pm - 8:37 amSAN-DSM
7h 52m1 stop
$286American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 13 - Wed, Aug 20
Delta Logo
5:44 am - 12:28 pmDSM-SAN
8h 44m1 stop
Delta Logo
10:30 pm - 10:38 amSAN-DSM
10h 08m1 stop
$287Delta
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 1 - Fri, Aug 15
American Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 9:28 amDSM-SAN
6h 28m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:19 am - 2:51 pmSAN-DSM
6h 32m1 stop
$288American Airlines
Find Deal
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KAYAK's insights & trends for Des Moines to San Diego flights

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

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

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

What is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to San Diego?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to San Diego, 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 San Diego is June, where tickets cost $241 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $496 and $481 respectively.

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

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 $248, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

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 San Diego, 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 San Diego, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 15 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
High seasonJune
Cheapest flight$88
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 1% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 38% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to San Diego

When to book flights from Des Moines to San Diego

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

  • Where can I park at DSM before my flight to San Diego?

    The Long-Term Premium and Long-Term Parking Lots are close enough that you can walk to the terminal. However, the more affordable options, the Blue Lot Economy 2, the Green Lot Economy 3, and the Gray Lot Economy 4, are not within walking distance. But you can take a free shuttle from the Economy Lots to the terminals. At DSM, you cannot reserve parking in advance, but the homepage on the DSM website keeps track of how much space is available in each lot and the Live Shuttle Tracker tells you when the next shuttle is coming.

  • Does DSM provide facilities for nursing moms?

    Yes. There is a Mamava lactation suite located just after the TSA checkpoint near the DSM police desk. Regardless of which concourse you're going to, everyone passes through the same security checkpoint in the main terminal. Each freestanding Mamava unit contains a fold-down table, bench seating on either side, a USB port, an electrical outlet, a coat hook, and a mirror.

  • Does SAN have a military lounge?

    Yes. The USO at SAN is in Terminal 2, landslide. If you are traveling soldier or a member of a military family who wants to relax, regroup, or refresh after your flight from Des Moines, you can visit the USO and enjoy its benefits and facilities free of charge. Amenities include showers, comfortable seating, refreshments, TV, unlimited domestic calls, and much more.

  • Where can I pick up my rental car at SAN?

    All car rental companies are located in a separate building outside the SAN airport. At the Arrivals curb, you can catch a free shuttle to whichever car rental agency you need to go to. Some car rental agencies at San Diego Airport include Avis, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, Hertz, Firefly, National, and more.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Des Moines to San Diego?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to San Diego was $88 for a one-way ticket and $123 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Des Moines to San Diego.

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

    When flying out of Des Moines you will be using Des Moines. You will be landing at San Diego, also known as San Diego.

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

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

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

    You can catch a nonstop flight from Des Moines to San Diego on on Monday, and Friday.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to San Diego are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $475 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 $375 and an overall rating of 8.0.

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

    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 San Diego.

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

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

    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 San Diego with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline. Booking your flights between Des Moines and SAN 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 San Diego?

    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 San Diego 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 San Diego

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $63 or less one-way and $127 or less round-trip.
  • Located virtually in the center of the state of Iowa, the Des Moines International Airport (DSM) serves as a focus city for Allegiant Air. The San Diego International Airport (SAN), located on the Pacific coast in California just north of the Mexican border, is a hub for Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and other smaller airlines.
  • Though is unlikely you will find a direct flight from Des Moines to San Diego, you can find one-stop flights on several airlines, such as United, often with a stop in Denver. Southwest, American, and Delta also have one-stop flights with layovers in cities such as Dallas, Phoenix, Minneapolis, in Atlanta. United, American, and Delta are among the airlines offering two-stop flights as well.
  • There is one animal relief area at DSM located outside the terminal. So, remember to make sure that your service animal or your pet goes to the bathroom before you enter the airport and go through security. This animal relief area is north of the Skywalk next to the parking garage.
  • A baggage claim at SAN, you can find the service Traveler’s Aid. Open every day from 8 am to 11 pm, Travelers Aid helps passengers who are stranded or distressed. For example, if your accommodation plans have fallen through, if your money has been lost or stolen, or if you need transportation assistance, Travelers Aid is there to help.
  • If you feel stiff and sore after your flight from Des Moines, consider getting a massage at one of the two Be Relax Spa locations at the San Diego Airport. There is one spa location at Gate 26 in Terminal 2 and another location atG ate 36 in Terminal 2. These spas are open daily from 7 am to 8 pm.

Prefer to fly direct from Des Moines to San Diego?

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

Direct departures

Des Moines to San Diego

Monday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Friday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Diego to Des Moines

Monday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Friday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Des Moines to San Diego

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to San Diego. 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 San Diego? 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 4278 reviews
7.0Food
8.6Crew
7.6Entertainment
8.2Boarding
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

First time traveling on Southwest since bag fees were implemented. Usual good service. Just more expensive now.

8.0 ExcellentMichael, Jun 2025PHX - SAN
Read more Southwest reviews

First time traveling on Southwest since bag fees were implemented. Usual good service. Just more expensive now.

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.

Horrific. They missed my connecting flight to San Diego. I didn’t get there until Monday at 9am when I had a mandatory court settlement conference scheduled at 6am since we had parties on the east coast. This caused many issues. All because United apparently forgot to hold the doors open until my flight landed that only had a 10 minute delay. This was the last flight to Southern California. So I couldn’t even rent a car to finish the trip. United cannot be trusted when traveling on specific days and times since weather didn’t have anything to do with the delays.

My flight was delayed a very short period of time but they did not hold my connecting flight to San Diego, also through United. So they closed the doors before we got off our plane. They would only have to help the door open for another five to ten minutes. So I missed a court deadline for a manditory mediation settlement conference for my client. I had to get an associate to be there in person and be on the phone with him relaying what he needs to do the entire time. The court was very upset with me and so was my client. United cannot be trusted.

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

We were given vouchers we couldn’t use with a 5.5 hour delay

Really good 😊 the woman at the gate entrance was a little rude checking in our carry-on but i dont think she worked for the airline, she worked for the airport at sacramento, other than that amazing.

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

The gate was too far away for the connecting flight

This was a horrible experience. For a first class experience, my chair was held together by 3M tape - and I have a photo. The crew weren’t very attentive, somewhat dismissive and forgot my drink and snack, the chair reclined about 3 inches on a 6-hour cross country flight. I was also not informed that there was no lounge available in Newark airport because of renovations, so all around this was one of the worst experiences and I would actively avoid both American and Alaska Air going forward.

Boarding was very efficient. Everyone got on board and we got on our way very quickly. It was frustrating that the entertainment app was not functioning properly. I was not able to activate some of the movies offered. The crew on this flight appears to be pretty grumpy. They had no smile on their faces. I felt like they were doing us a favor for being there.

Loved the staff, boarding and drink options! Wish the comfort of the seat could have been better nevertheless

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.

Long 5 hour and 45 min flight and only one drink service and cookie snack

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

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!

Extraordinary service in business class, and very good breakfast and snacks. A really lovely flight.

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.

Very bad! No good service delayed my second connection flight

The confirmation # CK8GNW and my name was not recognized/in Frontier system. I was able to check in on Frintier app so i went to the Frontier ticket agent, at time they told me that my name/ confirmation did not show up as a purchased ticket. I had to purchase a new ticket that cost $289.00 one way.

Flight was late. Missed connecting in Denver. My new flight is more than 24 hours later and I have no room, vouchers, or compensation, and might also be bumped from the one tomorrow.

Frontier is terrible. Paid for exit row, not given exit row, refused to refund fee.

2 hour delay due to late plane, wrong size plane causing overbooking, and people getting off and on the plane after boarding was completed.

We had to wait in line over an hour just to check our bags. It's a good thing we were so early to the airport. Only one clerk was working and the line was around the corner and down the hall. No good. I felt bad for her. Not sure how she kept her sanity with all the upset people. Then we get to our gate and there is no seating. Everyone was standing. Then I realize it is not a gate at all, we still have to be shuttled to our airplane. Ugh. Then we were late taking off and missed a window of opportunity before the airport runways were shut down for some reason. (not frontier's fault the runway shut down.) The seats on the airline are crammed and there is no cushion. Never had a tighter seating arrangement while flying. My 6' 4" husband was absolutely miserable the whole time with knees digging in to the seat in front of him. You think you are getting a good deal on a ticket, and then wham! I had to pay 75 dollars for our checked bags and 75 dollars for a carry on. No other airline does that!!! And also, there is a 40 pound weight limit on checked bags... Would have been cheaper flying with another airline, and I would have at least gotten a snack and drink. Was thankful for the tiny cup of water at least.

This was one of the first frontier airline flights this spring that wasn't delayed. It actually left on time. Some of the flight crew did not look happy, they didn't smile when the passengers were boarding or getting off the plane, and the passengers initiated greetings, not the staff. To me this was an odd experience to have with any flight/airline. I had a bad experience booking this flight. The price didn't solidify until late hours into the night. Ever time I purchased the ticket, I either received a denial email or an error because the price has changed, but it was never reflected on the flyfrontier or kayak websites until way after midnight on the date of travel. This caused me anxiety and irritation with the websites. Then I noticed a mishap with my name on my voucher as I went to check in, it was incorrect. When I proceeded to correct it, Frontier had no easy, let alone free, way to remedy it. I couldn't correct my name without a $75 charge, I couldn't cancel my voucher to repurchase it with the correct name without a $100 charge, because it was too close to departure. Then calling frontier was nearly impossible to remedy the situation with a human. It's already difficult to want to choose frontier because of all the upcharges, but you feel kinda trapped into doing so because it's the more affordable airline.

They canceled flight. Hard to believe there was even a plane incoming for us to get on

The worst. We never made our connection and they did absolutely nothing to help us at the airport.

Our flight was cancelled. They could do nothing to help us get another flight that was timely. Because the first leg was cancelled we were unable to get to our connection. We had to book on an entirely different airline for today. So we spent more money, lost a day of vacation and will never fly Frontier again, so the 'we are sorry, here is $100 credit' is a joke since we won't be flying on Frontier.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Des Moines to San Diego

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