LAX - DSM

$100 Find Cheap Flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines departing on 4/4. 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 Des Moines

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

Cheapest round-trip
$189
Overall average: $375
American Airlines
Thu 4/2Mon 4/6
LAX - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$249
Typical prices: $168-$374
American Airlines
Thu 4/2Mon 4/6
LAX - DSM • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $179 (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 3h 33m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $316 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 5h 23m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 6% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 6% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
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We hope you love your trip to Des Moines!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines (LAX-DSM)

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

Thu, Apr 2 - Mon, Apr 6
American Airlines Logo
3:38 pm - 11:42 pm
LAX
-
DSM
6h 04m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
3:12 pm - 5:20 pm
DSM
-
LAX
4h 08mnonstop
$189American Airlines
Tue, Apr 7 - Tue, Apr 7
Southwest Logo
6:35 am - 2:05 pm
LAX
-
DSM
5h 30m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:30 pm - 10:05 pm
DSM
-
LAX
5h 35m
1 stop
$199Southwest
Fri, Apr 10 - Tue, Apr 21
Southwest Logo
11:00 am - 9:55 pm
LAX
-
DSM
8h 55m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 12:40 pm
DSM
-
LAX
9h 10m
1 stop
$204Southwest
Fri, Apr 17 - Mon, Apr 20
Southwest Logo
10:40 am - 11:05 pm
LAX
-
DSM
10h 25m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
4:20 pm - 11:15 pm
DSM
-
LAX
8h 55m
2 stops
$209Southwest
Fri, Apr 10 - Tue, Apr 21
Southwest Logo
11:00 am - 9:55 pm
LAX
-
DSM
8h 55m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:55 am - 1:00 pm
DSM
-
LAX
8h 05m
2 stops
$210Southwest
Fri, May 1 - Sun, May 3
American Airlines Logo
11:41 pm - 8:26 am
LAX
-
DSM
6h 45m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:56 pm - 8:53 pm
DSM
-
LAX
3h 57mnonstop
$218American Airlines
Sat, Apr 18 - Wed, Apr 22
American Airlines Logo
1:01 am - 10:26 am
LAX
-
DSM
7h 25m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
12:06 pm - 7:14 pm
DSM
-
LAX
9h 08m
1 stop
$228American Airlines
Wed, Mar 25 - Wed, Jun 3
Frontier Logo
6:15 am - 7:16 pm
LAX
-
DSM
11h 01m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:16 pm - 12:16 am
DSM
-
LAX
12h 00m
1 stop
$231Frontier
Thu, Apr 9 - Sun, Apr 12
Multiple Airlines Logo
4:07 pm - 9:21 pm
LAX
-
DSM
27h 14m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
11:00 am - 7:21 am
DSM
-
LAX
22h 21m
1 stop
$240Multiple Airlines
Tue, May 26 - Sat, May 30
American Airlines Logo
12:39 pm - 6:17 pm
LAX
-
DSM
3h 38mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
7:06 pm - 12:53 am
DSM
-
LAX
7h 47m
1 stop
$242American Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Los Angeles to Des Moines flights

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

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

For Los Angeles to Des Moines, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Sunday is the most expensive. Flying from Des Moines back to Los Angeles, the best deals are generally found on Wednesday, with Tuesday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines, 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 Los Angeles to Des Moines is September, where tickets cost $362 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $436 and $424 respectively.

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

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 $315, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines, 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 Los Angeles to Des Moines, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 6% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 13 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonMarch
Cheapest flight$100
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 4% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 2% lower on average.
Flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines

When to book flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines

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

  • Will I be able to watch a movie on my flight to DSM?

    Some airlines servicing flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines provide inflight entertainment such as entertainment systems on seat backs or streaming movies and tv shows through onboard WiFi to your personal device. The flight details in your KAYAK.com results should show you this information under the plane type.

  • Are there pet relief areas at LAX and DSM?

    If you are traveling with your pet or service animal, there are relief areas for your four-legged companion at both airports. At LAX, there are two outdoor areas by baggage claims at Terminals 5 and 7 and many inside, including Terminal 1 by Gate 13, Terminal 2 by Gate 21A, and Terminal 6 by Gate 62. At DSM, the pet relief area is just north of the Skywalk, by the parking garage outside the terminal.

  • How do I get to Des Moines city center from the airport?

    From DSM, you can take a short walk out to Fleur Drive and catch DART Bus #8 to downtown for about $1.75 per person. Just outside the baggage claim exit, there is also a taxi stand and a pick-up point for ride-share services, such as Lyft and Uber.

  • Can I rent a car from DSM?

    Many major car rental companies have a counter at DSM airport. You can find their counters in the baggage claim area, and many are open from as early as 7 am to as late as around midnight. Please note that, for most of these companies, you must be at least 21 years old to rent a car.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines was $90 for a one-way ticket and $179 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Los Angeles to Des Moines.

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

    American Airlines, Delta, and JetBlue offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Los Angeles to Des Moines flight route.

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

    The Embraer 175 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Los Angeles to Des Moines flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

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

  • On which days can I fly direct from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

    There are nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines on a daily basis.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $447 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 $343 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Los Angeles to 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 Los Angeles to Des Moines.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Des Moines from Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles to 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 Des Moines with an airline and back to Los Angeles with another airline. Booking your flights between Los Angeles and DSM 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 Los Angeles to 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 to Des Moines from Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles to Des Moines

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $179 or less one-way and $276 or less round-trip.
  • You may be able to save some money off a non-stop fare by stopping one or more times on your trip to Des Moines (DSM). One-stop flights include United stopping in Houston and American stopping in Phoenix, while multi-stop flights could be United stopping in San Francisco and Denver or Spirit to Las Vegas, switching to Allegiant in San Diego.
  • There are long-term parking options available at LAX. The Central Terminal Area (CTA) offers convenient access to passenger terminals. The daily rate is about $50, or around $60 for premium spots, but you can get a discount if you reserve a spot online ahead of time. The Economy lot is located on W 94th, and a shuttle service is available 24/7. The rate for the Economy lot is about $30 a day.
  • There are many Metro bus and rail options from various parts of downtown LA to LAX for fares of around $1.75, which may require a few transfers. The most direct route may be the LAX FlyAway bus from Union Station to the airport, with stops at each terminal. The buses run from around 3 am to about 11:30 pm every day, and the fare is $9.75 per person.
  • On average, flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines emit about 1,615 lbs. per passenger. To reduce that amount, you could fly Spirit Airlines to Las Vegas and self-transfer to Frontier to Des Moines. This would save up to 55%, or 886 lbs. If you prefer not to self-transfer, you can still save 45%, or 731 lbs. with United stopping in Denver.
  • If you have some time before your flight to Des Moines boards at LAX, take a walk and explore the many art installations in Terminals 1, 2/3, and 7. You can see works from local and international artists, and you may even catch a live performance to entertain you while you wait.

Prefer to fly direct from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

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

Direct departures

Los Angeles Los Angeles 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

Direct returns

Des Moines to Los Angeles Los Angeles

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 5 airlines serving from Los Angeles to Des Moines

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Los Angeles to Des Moines. 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 Los Angeles to Des Moines? 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 4320 reviews
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.6Crew
7.0Food
Airline reviews

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.

8.0 ExcellentTobin, Mar 2026
SJC - BUR
Read more Southwest reviews

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.

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

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

The Southwest experience has definitely taken a dive from its early days. You can no longer deferentiate from other airlines. Air travel is too expensive. Southwest is no longer budget friendly. They have lost me as a loyal customer.

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

The seats are now more narrow. I paid for front row the seats in the front are even more narrow than before.

The wifi on the plane is great. The only issue that I have is that I prefer an aisle seat and on my trips this week, I was either in the middle or window. If we can work to secure aisle seating, I will be thrilled. Nice trip.

Great flight but super high price. Glad it was a business trip and not personal

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

We got exit row seats both flights. Everything was running on time

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.

Flight was delayed by 3-hours and their fix was… complimentary pretzels.

The crew, and fellow passengers, were super gracious and kind. There seemed to be plenty of bin space even though the plane was full. It’s nice to get a glass of wine with dinner in Premiere seating, and there was a lot of food.

Everything I mentioned earlier - the airbus was more comfortable indeed and the experience was further enhanced.

The plane was an older model, so it wasn’t as comfortable as others. The flight attendants were not helpful during onboarding. It was a full flight so there was chaos finding space for baggage.

Awesome! On time flight, early arrival, and a complimentary upgrade!

Delta One is extraordinary. I fly business when somebody hires me. I just wonder why there is such a chasm between business class and the insanely inhumane and nonsensical coach. The seats are not large enough to fit even my tiny wife. We fly 10% of what we did because we don’t want to pay 5-10 k but for $400 it’s unbearable. It seems like the accountants took over and made stupid decisions. Screw in 20 extra seats and make it so unbearable that people fly 90% less. Just put the damn price up and put some proper chairs in. But business, yay.

Delta’s staff is unmatched. From the gate agents, to the pilots, to the flight attendants… all top of the industry.

The flight was delayed for about 2 hrs. Other than it, it was good.

I am extremely disappointed that delta internal pilot manuals now refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the “gulf of America”. You can bow down to the Orange turd on your own. I will never fly delta again

Seats are uncomfortable. This has been a trend in the industry for decades. Trying to fit more seats on each plane to increase profits at the expense of the passenger.

Staff were good. My seat was in need of repair, but for a short flight was not problematic. Usual basic snack and drink setup that you'll find on any US carrier. Over, a decent, basic flight.

Complimentary light meal would be appreciated. But great flight crew service on all legs

Flight delayed for more than 16 hrs and no effort was spent to provide an alternate

Women boarding passengers at the gate was absolutely rude and disrespectful of passengers. The flight attendant was absolutely delightful! Smiling and connected with the passengers. So happy. The seats are cramped and uncomfortable but I guess that’s just the way it is Communication regarding flight was excellent

Crew was great (professional, attentive, prompt). Snacks for 4 hrs flight is deplorable.

Check-in and in-flight staff were better than average. The seat was a fair size but too hard and not enough padding. The cushion/pillow provided is poor (thin and seems to be disposable ,it provides no effective cushioning or support). Food was OK-ish but no choice of inflight snacks and no easy place to get drinks other than water (I could ask for juice by intruding into the staff area at the back of the plane) Entertainment was very good actually. Overall better than I expected from a US-based airline (sorry!) but compared to ANA or Singapore it was so-so. (I live in Japan so they are my comparative airlines)

Terrible. Our first time back on United for 10 years, the seats in Polaris class are small and uncomfortable. They have squished too many people in to get more $$$. The staff are not friendly and not wanting to accommodate. I asked for two salads rather than a main meal and was advised no we wont do that. Then asked what I would like for breakfast and given something else anyway. I will not be flying United International anytime soon.

It was great with United overall except for two things. 1) It was a 5-hour flight and we were with kids, so we were asking for extra snacks. They were extremely reticent to dole them out even though there wasn't any meal and the kids were starting to hit their limit towards the end. 2) Baggage didn't arrive until 80 minutes after we landed.

I’m so sorry, I can’t remember her name, I believe it was Dimpti. She was stellar, also a mature Asian flight attendant, lots of flowers in her hair, just as amazing! But literally the crew was AWESOME . Only downside is there weren’t any charging outlets. Maybe I needed to ask a flight attendant , but it would’ve been nice to have one easily accessible.

Delay after delay with little communication then AA lost my luggage and at airport would not assist just said scan this QR code to track your luggage and submit a claim. However QR code provided did not work so have to go back to airport

My seat was assigned last row behind restrooms No legroom’s I’m very Pettit Still was not comfortable Food choice was excellent

Small plane, poor meal choices for first class, bad terminal and boarding experience at LAX

Massimo, flight attendant was very authentic, attentive - wonderful. Food/wrap was just okay.

Experience was great. The best part is the free Wi-Fi connection which helps me to work on the flight

The flight was fine. It's the satellite terminal that supports American eagle flights is what sucks. There is only one food option and everything there is way overpriced. I mean I know it's airport pricing, but it's even crazier than that. I bought a sandwich in a plastic container for $18.

The flight was really crowded. Flight attendants were just ok.

Flight was delayed for 2 hours, then last minute the change to on time. The satélite location is far and a nightmare to get to.

For a 5 1/2 hour flite i considered the "business class" to be subpar. The seats were just ok, no amenities, really nothing more than a long domestic flight. Frankly disappointed.

The entertainment options were at best, fair. It was exactly the same as my outbound flight. It would have been more entertaining if there were some series from Apple TV, HBO, Showtime or other carriers for me to catch up with.

My flight was originally from SAT to MCO connecting from MCO to ORD. We got diverted to ATL and than Frontier staff there was sooo un helpful first they said they couldn’t give us any accommodation since our flight first got delayed that cancelled and now it’s 221am and I am still in ATL since they said they need to create a new flight my final destination is ORD and I have been delayed twice and cancelled. With no real help the frontier app didn’t work no email updates over all such a horrible experience

There's no seats that lean back with little leg space i wad uncomfortable the entire flight. Your charges for extra baggage is despicable and costly!!

Remind customers of the need to have passport or new ID for boarding.

Flight was canceled. Most upsetting was message from Kayak, stating that the flight was canceled and click with Kayak for details regarding rebook, refund details. THERE'S NO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY KAYAK EXCEPT THAT FLIGHT IS CANCELED. AND NOW THIS SURVEY TO FIND OUT HOW WAS THE FLIGHT !!!!!!!

The flight never took off and we spent 7 hours at the airport

Gate not determined until I got to the airport - hard to plan the trip to the airport.

Our flight was canceled. I will never use Kayak nor Frontier for travel again. The entire experience was a headache.

It was ok. It was expensive to check 2 bags ($75.00 per bag), and then it took a long time to wait for shuttle to take us from one terminal to the terminal where the plane was taking off at LAX. And all of this for a flight where we had to pay for any food or drink that was not water.

When I wanted to check in 3 hours prior to boarding time, the employees mentioned “a little over an hour delay” so I waited for an hour then I went to go look for food in the terminal and most people from that flight were in the same area looking for food. Finally I decided after food to check to see if it’s anytime closer and now it’s 2 mins until boarding closes?! What are you kidding me? I didn’t receive anything via sms about boarding now nor via email or on the intercom. I luckily made it through, barely, and then there’s no room for my carry on mind you I’m in the very first row so I had to place my purse in one further row back and my carry on sections down. Not sure who pays for better seats to get your stuff placed all over the plane but that was the worst experience I’ve ever had flying with anyone.

This airline sucks. They offer low rates then charge you for everything, the app does not work well, the seats are the most uncomfortable. Maintenance issues on the flight, and you still have to sit through their credit card commercials. People are nice enough but does not make up for overall poor experience.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines

Information on your arrival and departure airports