DSM - WAS

$80 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

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 Washington, D.C. departing on 5/8. 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 Washington, D.C.

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to Washington, D.C., 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 Washington, D.C., as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$256
Typical prices: $371-$426
Multiple Airlines
Sun 5/3Sat 5/9
DSM - BWI • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$367
Typical prices: $362-$500
American Airlines
Wed 4/22Sat 4/25
DSM - DCA • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $319 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines. Average duration is 2h 31m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $174 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 4h 24m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 18% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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We hope you love your trip to Washington, D.C.!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (DSM-WAS)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.

Sun, May 3 - Sat, May 9
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 7:11 am
DSM
-
BWI
23h 11m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:59 pm - 1:46 pm
BWI
-
DSM
16h 47m
1 stop
$256Multiple Airlines
Sun, May 3 - Wed, May 6
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 1:38 pm
DSM
-
BWI
5h 38m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:59 pm - 1:46 pm
BWI
-
DSM
16h 47m
1 stop
$261Multiple Airlines
Sun, May 17 - Wed, May 20
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 am - 9:15 am
DSM
-
BWI
24h 30m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:59 pm - 2:16 pm
BWI
-
DSM
17h 17m
1 stop
$263Multiple Airlines
Sun, May 17 - Wed, May 20
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 am - 8:43 am
DSM
-
BWI
23h 58m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:59 pm - 2:16 pm
BWI
-
DSM
17h 17m
1 stop
$267Multiple Airlines
Sun, May 3 - Thu, May 7
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 1:38 pm
DSM
-
BWI
5h 38m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:35 am - 1:46 pm
BWI
-
DSM
8h 11m
1 stop
$268Multiple Airlines
Sat, Apr 18 - Mon, Apr 20
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 11:20 am
DSM
-
DCA
4h 45m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
7:55 am - 11:45 am
DCA
-
DSM
4h 50m
1 stop
$357Southwest
Wed, Apr 22 - Sat, Apr 25
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 11:05 am
DSM
-
DCA
4h 35m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:40 am - 11:30 am
DCA
-
DSM
5h 50m
1 stop
$361Southwest
Wed, Apr 22 - Sat, Apr 25
United Airlines Logo
7:16 pm - 12:32 am
DSM
-
IAD
4h 16m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:10 am - 2:28 pm
IAD
-
DSM
5h 18m
1 stop
$367United Airlines
Wed, Jun 17 - Wed, Jun 24
Delta Logo
6:30 pm - 12:09 am
DSM
-
IAD
4h 39m
1 stop
Delta Logo
6:15 am - 10:15 am
IAD
-
DSM
5h 00m
1 stop
$387Delta
Fri, Apr 10 - Sat, Apr 11
Delta Logo
5:20 pm - 12:27 am
DSM
-
IAD
6h 07m
1 stop
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 9:47 am
IAD
-
DSM
4h 47m
1 stop
$397Delta
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flights

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

What is the cheapest Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest return flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. costs $327 on the route between Des Moines (DSM) and Washington, D.C. Reagan-National Airport (DCA). It is also the most popular route.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C., 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 Washington, D.C. is May, where tickets cost $340 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are November and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $534 and $453 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

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 $421, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$80
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 7% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 18% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to Reagan Washington National Airport

When to book flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. was $80 for a one-way ticket and $256 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Des Moines and Washington, D.C.?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    Des Moines is served by only 1 airport and there are 2 airports in Washington, D.C.. You will leave Des Moines from Des Moines and you will be arriving in Washington, D.C. at one of these airports: Washington, D.C. Reagan-National or Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta, and Hawaiian Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    The Canadair (Bombardier) Regional Jet 900 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

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

  • On which days can I fly direct from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    There are nonstop flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C., Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $366 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 $366 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    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 Washington, D.C..

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.?

    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 Washington, D.C. with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline.

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

    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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $223 or less one-way and $387 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

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

Direct departures

Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 4 airlines serving from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.. 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 Washington, D.C.? 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 4319 reviews
8.6Crew
7.0Food
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

Long layover between flights to Long Island from BWI - need better coordination between flights

4.0 OkayKenny, Mar 2026
TPA - BWI
Read more Southwest reviews

Long layover between flights to Long Island from BWI - need better coordination between flights

I elected to pay for the upgrades and found very little difference

The new seating arrangement is so over priced for what you get.

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

No food or entertainment, just a quick 40 minute flight. A little bumpy due to Santa Ana winds but pilot has no control over that. Good flight and landing!

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

I realize they are still working out kinks with the new boarding process, but by the time I boarded in group 5, most of the bins were full. All airlines should better enforce small bags and jackets going under the seats until everyone has boarded.

WiFi was not working and didn’t have a beverage service

Snacks are always pretzels. Why can't you also offer peanuts ?

Flight boarded late after announcing on time boarding. Flight arrived only a little late despite late departure. Had trouble connecting to WiFi

Another late night flight and MORE men belligerently drinking and yelling. I had to move from first to economy because they were so obnoxious and disruptive. Crazy to go from a cozy chair to cardboard when you were supposed to be in first. Delta allows was too much drinking which leads to belligerent behavior.

I was in first class and literally the men behind me were so aggressively loud I moved myself to economy. This has become so common on Delta - people using audio without headphones, and men on 12am / late night flights drinking and yelling to talk to each other which prevents anyone around them from resting. Pretty crazy to have to move from first to economy (poorer service, less comfort...). Wild wild. Looking into other airlines.

Love delta smaller commuter plane so no entertainment and paid wifi on MKE-LGA leg was extremely unreliable and slow

Stop changing gates. Stop cancelling flights Stop moving my seat.

Extremely disappointed with Delta. They canceled flight last minute and then I rebooked the other flights and with which were delayed as well

Could not get my connecting flight boarding pass until four hrs before departure! Ver annoying especially since the staff could not explain why!

The flight was flying with 30% capacity. The flight my seat from preferred seating to back of the seat. Even though i can understand that this was to balance the flight weight. The flight attendance decided to do the serving near my seat and in the middle , their noices woke me up from sleep , when i realized that the service has ended and when they were going back asked for a coffee, for which they answered they have completed teh service in my location. That really upset me as they woke me up and also rejected the coffee i asked. I ended up landing with a headache, thanks to the crew that screwed up my travel

Delayed. Hot. Passenger next to me was so large I couldn’t move.

Same experience as the flight from Norfolk to Atlanta where people are boarded in zones that don't make sense. People behind you on the plane will get on before you and they take the luggage space on your row.

The boarding process doesn't make sense since some people that will sit behind your rows are boarded before you and then they take up the luggage space above your head. I then have to wait for people to get off the plane before I can go back to get my luggage.

It was okay, the food was good, but after the landing there was not enough time for luggage and security to catch a connection. It was crowded on board.

When I went to check in at the United counter in Barcelona, Spain I had 2 different menat 2 different times in United uniforms (standing around with a couple other employees) ask me if I was traveling alone. The one man asked me 3 different ways if I was traveling alone. I am, 68 yeaers old and have all my faculties. I thought it was weird and it made me feel very uncomfortable. What difference does it make if I was traveling alone or with someone? What if I was a recent widow? That would have been horrible. They never gave me a reason why they needed to know who I was traveling with. I was hesitant to question them because I needed to be on that flight.

We were delayed for about an hour from taking off due to traffic control procedures at the destination airport. But once in the air, the flight went well. The crew members were great and provided cabin service despite moderate turbulence during much of the flight.

Crew was great. 2 1/2 hour delay was due to staff needing "rest" was avoidable and self inflicted as United not willing to hire enough crew to keep flight on time.. Ridiculous. The crew and the passengers both suffered due to this.

Fine not above and beyond as I had a connection that was delayed due to maintenance

Bad food, bad service, cold cabin with no additional blankets when asked for (they told me they don’t provide additional blankets). I’m a frequent traveler and this is one of the worst companies I traveled with (by the way I thought that I booked my ticket with Lufthansa but I didn’t see that the flights were handled by United).

Great other than a couple very drunk guys that for a while kept bumping my seat from behind. The staff did their best to control them. Even refused serving them alcohol and allowed the gal sitting next to them to move.

Good crew. Boarding delays. Almost two hours wait for the bags in DC.

Unfortunately weather delayed our flight waiting for our plane to arrive and due to a little snow time was needed to deice the plane so departure was very delayed and I missed the connecting flight

It was great. There were some issues prior to takeoff. The weather was poor so we had to go through deicing, and we were delayed a bit by the pilots' concern about one of the engines, but that's aviation. The pilots handled everything with aplomb, and kept us apprised

Poor communication ahead of time about flight delays and old planes/other equipment.

Never going to fly your airline again if it can be avoided.

Not to have gotten delayed by 2+ hours for the fourth straight American flight. They're the worst.

Other than nearly three hour delay for maintenance issues, everything went smooth

Snow delayed boarding several times, which I understand happens. Issue I had was that after we did board, pilot told us we were going to roll out to be de-iced, then on our way. We were de-iced once, taxied to the tarmac and then stopped. Sat for another 30 minutes or so, the another de-icing. Then we rolled out to a parking spot, only to sit for another hour due to a traffic stop in DCA, which I'm confident they knew would happen before we boarded. Pilot gave no updates other than we had to hold, attendants did speak to the crew, but when asked, said the pilot would be updating us. We on the ground in the plane waiting for over 2 hours. They did communicate that bathrooms would be open, but no other news until we left. Would have been better to be up front about status.

Flight was delayed. Not much information on when the flight would take off. Eventually we were told it was maintenance. App was not giving updates.

Flight was on time and there was an empty seat next to me. That makes for a good flight!

Maintenance took a very long time and then we were in a holding pattern. While a one-off maintenance issue is standard, there were delays on both of my flights for this trip based on maintenance issues with the planes, which delayed both flights over 45 minutes. Thankfully, I didn't have any connections but it wasn't an experience that would make me pick AA if I have other options.

Everything was good. Flight was very full so crew was busy. After we boarded and plane pulled away from the gate, we were delayed about 40 minutes- sitting on the runway - due to weather en route or at the destination. While weather is not the fault of the airline- it’s terrible to sit on a plane and not moving.

The flight was on time/early, attentive crew, and everything overall went smoothly. Disappointed that WIFI was not working for the flight.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Information on your arrival and departure airports