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Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines

Where can I fly from Des Moines?Prices from DSM, departing Thu 9/25 and returning Thu 10/2
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights from Des Moines

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

Which are the most popular places to fly to from Des Moines?

The domestic destinations KAYAK users have most searched for when searching for flights from Des Moines.
Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular place to fly from Des Moines is New York (9% of total searches). The next most popular destinations are Washington, D.C. (8%) and Denver Intl (6%).

What are the most popular international flights out of Des Moines?

The international destinations KAYAK users have most searched for when searching for flights from Des Moines.
There are many international destinations you can fly to from Des Moines. The most popular international destinations among KAYAK users are San Juan, Panama City and Tokyo.

Which cities can I fly to direct from Des Moines?

There are loads of places you can fly direct to from Des Moines. The most popular destinations for direct flights among KAYAK users are Chicago, Jacksonville, San Diego, Los Angeles and Orlando. On average, the cheapest of these destinations on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks for a return flight was Los Angeles at $70, while the most expensive was Chicago, at $283.

What is the longest direct flight from Des Moines?

The longest direct flight you can take from Des Moines is to Los Angeles, with a duration of 3h 50m. The next longest is Santa Ana at 3h 47m, followed by a flight to Portland at 3h 38m.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$22
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 4% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 6% increase in price.
Flight from Des Moines to Denver

FAQs for booking flights out of Des Moines

  • What are my parking options at Des Moines International Airport (DSM)?

    If you will be driving your own car to the airport and will need to leave it there for the duration of your trip, you will be happy to know that there are several parking options available. You can take advantage of any of the four economy lots: green, blue, red, or grey. If you are planning to be gone a bit longer, make use of either the long-term lot or the long-term premium lot. All parking lots and garages offer free shuttles to the terminal once you have parked your vehicle. Check the availability of each of these lots on the DSM website to avoid hiccups upon arrival.

  • Does the Des Moines International Airport offer any services for business travelers?

    Corporate travelers that need to get some work done ahead of their flight out of Des Moines will be glad to know that DSM offers meeting and conference rooms onsite. There are two conference rooms on the Airport Skywalk level, one holding up to 12 people and the other holding up to 80. For smaller meeting rooms, you need to personally contact the airport.

  • How can I get to the Des Moines airport from downtown Des Moines?

    If you need to get to DSM from downtown Des Moines without driving your own car, you have a few options. If you are looking to save money, opt for the public bus. You can either take bus 6 from Platform C or bus 7 from Platform D to reach the airport directly from downtown. These buses will take about 45 minutes and 1 hour to reach the airport, respectively. Or, you can take a taxi or rideshare like Uber or Lyft. These are more expensive but they will take just over 10 minutes to reach the terminal.

  • Does DSM offer assistance to passengers with reduced mobility?

    Yes, passengers flying from DSM with reduced mobility need not worry. Not only are all facilities within the airport accessible to those with disabilities, but there are also wheelchairs for rent, designated accessible ground transportation available, and service animal-friendly facilities. If you need to take advantage of any of these services or you have a specific need, contact your airline at least 2 days before your departure date.  

  • What is Des Moines also known as?

    Des Moines Airport’s airport code is DSM. It can also be referred to as Des Moines, Des Moines Intl.

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

    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.

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

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

    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 your destination 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?

    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 from Des Moines up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding a cheap flight out of Des Moines

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Des Moines to the following destinations at these prices or less: Atlanta $209 one-way - $354 round-trip; Denver $152 one-way - $175 round-trip; Chicago $246 one-way - $380 round-trip
  • If you're flying out of Des Moines International Airport (DSM), you'll be happy to know that this airport serves direct flights to over 30 destinations throughout the United States, so getting to your destination will be easy and convenient.
  • If you're being dropped off by a loved one before your flight, it is useful to know that the first 20 minutes in the hourly parking lot are free of charge in case your driver needs to help you with your luggage or simply wants to accompany you in to say goodbye.
  • Those traveling with pets or service animals will be delighted to know that there is a designated pet relief area outside the airport near the parking garage north of the skywalk. It is best to have your pet relieve itself here before entering the airport.
  • If you're hungry ahead of your flight out of Des Moines, head to one of the local food spots inside the airport to get a last taste of the city before you leave. The airport collaborates with several local restaurants to bring some flavor from the city and into your travel experience.
  • If you are taking an international flight from Des Moines, you should know that you need to exchange any currency before arriving at the airport, as there is no place to do so inside DSM.

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

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Des Moines to Worldwide? 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 4242 reviews
7.0Food
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

AC sub par. WiFi not working correctly. Ac sucked. Seats very narrow.

2.0 MediocreMike, Aug 2025AUS - BWI
Read more Southwest reviews

AC sub par. WiFi not working correctly. Ac sucked. Seats very narrow.

Near 4 hour flight with only 1 service. Had to use call button to request water. Internet and power not working until into flight. Internet would stop working during flight.

Southwest's seats are the least comfortable I have ever sat in.

The cabin was quiet for the redeye flight. The area was clean. The staff was great. The 787 Max was in good condition. Drawbacks were that the seat widths were tight for some passengers. The seat padding was at best average and for a long flight uncomfortable.

Southwest like most American domestic airlines, is a mediocre airline. But it is among the cheapest. Oh well.

My flight was delayed 50 minutes and we were rushed to board to then sit for 15 minutes until the pilot arrived. Unacceptable since we could have waited to board. Also the delayed flight was updated AFTER we boarded to more than the 10 minutes as originally stated.

Other than a bit of a delay, everything was good. Again, the boarding process and picking seats is the only thing I don't enjoy.

If we are going to have to pay for luggage, make it easier to do. Put something on the app during check-in so I don't need to do it at the kiosk. I've done it twice recently and I ended up having to pay at the desk because something went wrong at the kiosk in Tampa.

Better and more food and drinks. Put msnbc and free speech tv on the news channel selection list.

southwest just starting charging for luggage. hadnt realized it until it was too late. now out $70 when i couldve bought a carry on if i wouldve known. free bags was one of the only reasons i chose southwest over another airline (the other being no assigned seats, which is apparently also being changed). stupid business decision. wont be flying southwest anymore.

This route with Delta always has delays or is cancelled. Aircrafts seem smaller and older. I fly Delta quite a bit - haven’t had issues with the international flights. But this route has always been the troublesome one

Nothing special. The crew never went out of their way for anything.

Three seats in first class were broken and while they were able to still acommodate us it was looking very touch and go and they had others they could not acommodate

Mechanic delay in addition to a 2 hour change in takeoff time was frustrating.

Delayed due to thunderstorms and no in-flight service due to rough weather — both of which are out of Delta’s control. Flight was good overall.

The flight attendants in SLC were rude. I arrived 40 minutes early to gate. Ticket said I needed check in for seat assignments and tried check in and attendants said they weren’t doing it. And proceeded to never call me to give me a ticket so when time to board I received the very last seat. Please relay to employees to do their job better..,

On this flight I felt the food offering was not as complete as on previous flights. The tomato salad was a bit off and there was nothing additional such a bread or butter. The breakfast was only one option, so you either ate what they had or ate nothing. The crew was efficient, but most seemed frustrated throughout the flight. The flight arrived early and was obstacle-free, so I’m overall quite happy, but the shine in the rest of the experience just wasn’t there.

The seats got pretty uncomfortable pretty fast. The armrests are bigger than on other planes, so I had less room in the actual seat. My butt hurt by the end of the flight. :/ comfort was the primary issue. The crew were fantastic!

I believe that a four-hour trip should have a meal. Delta had none.

Great flight with Delta! Boarding was quick and easy, the amenities were solid, and the plane was in great shape. The flight attendants had a fun, lively energy while staying professional. All in all, a smooth trip — even managed to catch up on some rest. Thanks, Delta!

I had no checked baggage but was required to hand over carry on baggage at the door of the plane. There was a lot of overboard space in the plane and I was one of the last ones. I ran to get my carry on but it was gone. I was given back at the plane door in Toronto, so the wait was not as long as it would have been at the carousel.

Armrest controller on my seat 35D and nextbooennseat 35E did not work right. Hard to press buttons to recognize and 35D had constantnpressure either upmost down somit was nearly impossible to make selections. .

I flew with my dog and had already purchased my dog’s ticket. Even that morning I had called costumer service to insure that my husband and I had seats together since the website was giving me an error when choosing our seats and the representative mentioned our dog. I showed up early to the airport and when I got to the gate and we started boarding I was help back and told that I was supposed to have a yellow tag and that I should have checked in at the counter for them to give me that tag. I was not aware of this, the representative on the phone did not say anything. Nor did I see it anywhere in the checking process online, so if you travel with a pet and are not checking in luggage, just know that you still have to go to the check in counter when arriving at the airport unless you want to be the last one to board and not have room for your carry on in the overhead bins. Other than that, I had a great experience.

Once we got in the air the pilot made up some of the time of the delay. So that was really nice.

We had a layover from YVR to Denver. We bought 4 bottles of Absolut Vodka at the YVR Duty Free for $116.20, after going through security and American Customs Pre Clearance at YVR, Vancouver. When we landed in Denver, United put us behind the American Customs as well as TSA again for some reason. We were forced to go through American Customs and TSA again. TSA confiscated our rightfully owned Duty Free Absolut Vodka bottles. Because United incorrectly forced our flight behind American border and TSA again, we missed the connecting flight. After United put us on a later flight, we eventually arrived in Chicago very late, with hardly any sleep. I am looking for compensation from United for our incorrectly confiscated Absolut Vodka bottles worth $116.20, as well as compensation for incorrectly putting us behind American Customs and TSA again, causing us to miss our connecting flight, making us arrive extremely late in Chicago.

From the first moment you interact with United Airlines, you can expect nothing less but extreme frustration. The baggage handler at the bag drop seems completely unbothered by the presence of customers waiting in line. No help was extended to load the baggage whatsoever. And if any of your bags is overweight by 0.01 pound they will make you re-distribute everything in your suitcase just to play power trip. When it was time to board no help was extended to customers to locate their seats. Moreover. It was a chaotic mess at the gate when it was unclear who should board first and everyone just bunched up, trying to get on the plane. I am sure the crew was doing their best to perform their jobs while being paid their wages however it shouldn’t be that hard to smile once or twice when you’re in the business if serving customers. It is a shame for the United States of America to have a flagship carrier of such low caliber. Our flight was also delayed by about an hour and a half due to further delays prior to our inbound flight. Being someone who has travelled for both business and leisure in Asia, Europe, and South America I have never experienced such poor quality of service.

Very small cramped plane for an international flight. Everything else was good, but it was maybe the smallest comfort-wise I've ever been on for longer than 3-4 hours and the trip was 7.5

I understand stuff happens, but plane failures are likely due to lack of maintenance. Additionally, air conditioning wasn't working, no snack/drink service, no WiFi. Fortunately, the crew was communicative and light-hearted. United grabbed another plane and we were able to get to our destination.

There was no food available for this red eye... one little waffle cookie for a 6+ hour flight... thank God I was able to sleep some

It is clear that someone knew, and competent, is in charge of food at United Airlines at least for the international flights. I was flying in coach, but the choices of the dinner were excellent. Tasty, and appropriate size. I had the beef, which was a little bit like a shepherds pie, and it was good. Nothing comparable has been served on a United flight in years. It will not be confused with three star food, but it is very good for airline food. Even better was the breakfast choice between a cinnamon roll and a breakfast sandwich. I chose the breakfast sandwich which was absolutely delicious and which I would happily order again at my local Starbucks or Panera. It is clear that someone knew indifferent is in charge of the food and it’s about time.

Internet was a bit expensive and did not work ask that week otherwise a good flight

Ring in first class for an overnight flight, there was no blankets nor pillows for first class customers.

My Internet did not work for Outlook email or basically anything. I paid for one hour of in-flight usage and it was terrible. I spent a lot of time on different sites and browsers with no luck and a lot of frustration. Other than that, the flight was on time, crew was nice, service was fine. Seat was OK even though I paid for the extra 6 inches. I cannot imagine how tight the seats in the back must be.

Delayed flight that lead to a missed connection and a 5-hour trip became a 12-hour flight 🙄

Any flight to ORD after about 2pm this summer has been challenging. Flight was delayed getting in (coming from ORD) and that led to it not leaving before a ground stop due to lightening before they could fuel the plane, and so forth. They made up some time but we were still late in arriving at ORD, and that led to missed connections.

Food was ok, but not as good as I have had before on AA.

No issues. They did change our gate FOUR times in about 30 minutes which was mildly annoying but the flight was fine.

Great flight. No issues at all. I still think boarding could be more efficient but otherwise, a good experience.

Pretty good. The food was just mediocre, the boarding and crew were good.

The comfort of the seats was great, the crew eased my child’s anxieties and the fact that I had full cans of my beverage choice was great.

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.

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.

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