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LAX - DSM

Find cheap flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines from $61

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 6/3. 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
0 bags
Thu 5/23
Thu 5/30

Search 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
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 44,632,927 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

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Cheap flight deals 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
2:51 pm - 8:09 pmLAX-DSM
3h 18mnonstop
8:55 pm - 10:37 pmDSM-LAX
3h 42mnonstop
$146Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Fri, May 31 - Fri, Jun 7
2:43 pm - 8:05 pmLAX-DSM
3h 22mnonstop
8:55 pm - 10:37 pmDSM-LAX
3h 42mnonstop
$161Allegiant Air
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 7 - Mon, Jun 10
8:11 am - 3:16 pmLAX-DSM
5h 05m1 stop
3:25 pm - 8:40 pmDSM-LAX
7h 15m1 stop
$212Frontier
Find Deal
Mon, May 6 - Wed, May 8
8:11 am - 3:16 pmLAX-DSM
5h 05m1 stop
3:25 pm - 8:40 pmDSM-LAX
7h 15m1 stop
$245Frontier
Find Deal
Mon, May 6 - Wed, May 8
11:32 pm - 11:38 amLAX-DSM
10h 06m1 stop
12:23 pm - 7:07 pmDSM-LAX
8h 44m1 stop
$292American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Thu, May 30
11:32 pm - 11:38 amLAX-DSM
10h 06m1 stop
5:48 pm - 10:19 pmDSM-LAX
6h 31m1 stop
$293American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 14 - Wed, May 15
10:55 pm - 11:05 amLAX-DSM
10h 10m1 stop
5:40 pm - 11:22 pmDSM-LAX
7h 42m1 stop
$314Delta
Find Deal
Mon, May 13 - Tue, May 14
12:45 am - 11:13 amLAX-DSM
8h 28m1 stop
12:20 pm - 5:32 pmDSM-LAX
7h 12m1 stop
$325Delta
Find Deal
Sat, Aug 3 - Wed, Aug 14
11:59 pm - 10:14 amLAX-DSM
8h 15m1 stop
5:08 pm - 10:55 pmDSM-LAX
7h 47m1 stop
$374United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 6 - Tue, Aug 13
11:59 pm - 10:34 amLAX-DSM
8h 35m1 stop
6:37 pm - 12:10 amDSM-LAX
7h 33m1 stop
$375United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 18 - Tue, May 21

Flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines - Travel Insights & Trends

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 flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
When flying from Los Angeles to Des Moines, you should consider leaving on a Monday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Los Angeles, you’ll find the best rates on Mondays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

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 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 July, where tickets cost $304 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are April and March, where the average cost of tickets is $581 and $573 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for 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 month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines, you should book around 4 days before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 84 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 3 days, Allegiant Air offered the best one-way deal for that route, at $61. KAYAK users also found Los Angeles to Des Moines round-trip flights on Allegiant Air from $146 and on Frontier from $212.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Los Angeles and Des Moines?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There is only one cabin class option available for the route, which is Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines take?

The duration of a nonstop flight to Des Moines from Los Angeles is typically 3h 18m. The journey crosses a distance of 1,443 miles.

What’s the earliest departure time from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Los Angeles at 2:51 pm and will be landing in Des Moines at 8:09 pm.

What’s the latest departure time from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Los Angeles to Des Moines jets off at 2:51 pm and lands at 8:09 pm.

Good to know

Low season

February

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$61
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 1% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 34% 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 $61 for a one-way ticket and $146 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 aircraft models fly most regularly from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $486 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $492 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • 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.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from LAX to Des Moines

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $62 or less one-way and $163 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.
See more tips

Prefer to fly non-stop from Los Angeles to Des Moines?

Find which airlines fly direct from Los Angeles to Des Moines, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

Los Angeles to Des Moines

Monday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Friday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights

Nonstop returns

Des Moines to Los Angeles

Monday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Friday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 4 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
DeltaOverall score based on 11028 reviews
7.9comfort
8.6crew
7.5food
8.2boarding
8.0entertainment
Airline reviews

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

2.0 MediocreCarisa, Mar 2024LAX - HNL
Read more about Delta reviews

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

Great, on time departure, friendly and accommodating crew, great leg room, Smith flight

Honestly, I didn’t expect that I will experience this long time wait during the check in. There was only one person who was taking care of the passengers for the economy class and it took us to wait about one hour to do our check i. As a result we barely get to the airplane as the gate was at the end of the airport. That is totally not professional where one crue is working at the registration desk with economy and 3-4 crues are helping for the business class.

I guess they don’t serve drinks on planes anymore

Delta planes have the WORST seat comfort of any plane in history. It's the opposite of ergonomic, in every sense. They also recline minimally, are covered in a vinyl and have no feet rests. Then the disembarking process is chaotic and time consuming (because of the way they load the plane and deal with luggage). Overall, somewhat frustrating but we arrived safely :)

It was a very smooth ride. Not sure on a flight departing at midnight can be much better but it was late arriving and I had an early day so really just the logistics.

Really liked the choice of the 4 free snack options. Crew great. Good vibe on plane.

Very disappointed in the food selection. It was not good compared to other airlines.

Good breakfast granola bar good crew seamless flight and baggage transfer we’ll done!

Everything was great but the difference in paying for comfort + did not seem worth it.

The net issue I had was with the gate agent. We had added a carryon to our boarding pass when we checked bags. When I got to the boarding gate the agent was rude asking why I had a backpack - I said I added it - even had an orange tag on it. She ripped my tag off and swung her monitor around to show me how she was right- saying it isn’t wasn’t listed - only a checked bag. I explained again that I wasn’t sure what the issue was but I wouldn’t have an orange tag if I hadn’t added it. Then she finally checked my husband’s boarding pass and found that the agent at checkin had added my carryon to his boarding pass instead of mine. She sent me on my way without my orange tag. Was a bit embarrassing for me the tone she used with me assuming I was trying to get away with something.

Gate agent asked if I could switch seats so a family could sit together. Agent moved me to a seat in the front of the plane, no charge. It was easy. The agent did a great job.

Great seat space. However food and drink prices outrageous. Jabbing to pay for a carry on bag or stuck paying at the gate too much.

Every Allegiant Air flight I've ever taken has been delayed. This flight was delayed a full 2 hours. It was excuse after excuse after excuse. It was a flight from southern Florida. They made us board the plane on time, but made us wait for 2 hours on the tarmac. Because the engines were kept shut off, so was the air conditioning. One can only imagine how hot the air was in the cabin over those 2 hours on the tarmac, while in the hot Florida sun. Just terrible.

Actually, for the price, I'm willing to put up with a little discomfort (upright chairs) and at times inconveniences (like any airline), lack of entertainment (I can bring my own). My flight was non stop and smooth. I would fly this route again.

The flight was delayed 6 hours and we were only offered an $8 food credit. My husband stood in line to get the credit for 45 minutes and when he got close to the end of the line the computers went down.

Worst ever! Flight cancelled supposedly for weather even though we k ow of many others who flew into Bangor same time no problem. At the airport there was no customer service at all just refund and no possibility of rebook for 3-4 days. Aweful won’t fly with them again!!

It’s a budget airline so adjust expectations accordingly. Nothing is without a fee but such is necessary for tickets to remain so affordable.

No complaints. It’s a budget airline so can’t expect any frills.

My TSA number was missing from my ticket which shouldn’t have happened since it’s in my file. The on board flight attendant who was a male, did not want to help me put my luggage in the overhead bin and made a very rude comment and was very unpleasant. The good… the woman who fixed my ticket with the TSA number was excellent and I had extra legroom which was perfect.

Left 2 hours later for delayed I had to take care a kid with special need since people don’t want to move to accommodate the rest of the family. . It wasn’t bad but that made me upset that people can be that selfish.

For a 22 minute flight all you expect is for it to be safe and comfortable

Flight was on time. Staff were friendly. I paid for Economy Plus but was required to check my standard carry-on luggage due to lack of space on the aircraft. This cost me 30 minutes, unexpectedly, in waiting at the baggage claim. This experience did not meet my expectations.

No snacks served! Seating in the kast row in uncomfortable.

Wouldn’t let me check in said couldn’t find a ticket had to wait very long Time

I liked that we arrived earlier, you could improve your snacks give away

Flight was fine, it was delayed but only 30 minutes, staff were efficient, lady making announcements at LAX was really hard to understand but the rest were great.

I really enjoyed the staff and crew! Very positive and happy people! Made the experience easier! The entertainment was a bit lack luster. Better movie options as well as equipment that works smoother could be nice. My ear buds from the airline didn’t work and my tv screen had a terrible delay that made it hard to search for things to watch. Also the selections were very limited.

Flight was diverted to Canberra because Not enough fuel to circle on Sydney’s skies waiting for showers to pass. After that everything went wrong. It took forever to put fuel. Once back rolling, we stopped short of takeoff because crew had reached maximum work hours per shift. Back to gate we waited and waited in the plane with no water and no food - a total of 4 hours. Received contrasting news about the follow up of our trip. Finally we disembarked but our luggage could not be processed there as not enough custom agents. We ended up on buses and arrived at Sydney airports after a 3 hours trip. There we had to queue in line with 240 more passengers to file a lost luggage claim. We received the luggage after 48 hours, many of which spent holding with non-existent United customer service. Never able to speak to an actual person during those long phone calls. Finally on a chatline I could talk to a baggage agent, who filed another report as our luggage did not appear anywhere in their system. Thus it was surprising to get it back.

I got upgraded, so comfort was not an issue. But as always, it is the people from baggage handlers, flight attendants, pilots etc. that make the difference.

The experience was great and much better than the flight going out. of course I was in first class but the service was excellent

Comfort of seats, ease of boarding. Food selection could be better

Food options were limited which is absolutely embarrassing for a Flight of this size The staff did not come around as much and I am not accustomed to such poor service from American Airlines Drinks I believe were limited to soda and water

Crew were attentive and friendly. Flight was smooth and early! I enjoyed the less crowded plane. Thank you!

Nothing, flight was supposed to leave at 758 am. My flight didn’t leave until 430 pm. Spent the whole day at the airport.

1st flight was delayed because of broken radio, missed connection but they got us on very next plane 1 hr later. Return flights were both delayed by 1 hr each. Crews were fine. Planes ok, but had to check carry ons.

Was the most uncomfortable I ever had in the air. Felt like I was trapped in the seat legs cramped and was just horrible. The flight to DSM was a lot better. Even being on a smaller plane was better. Staff are outstanding. No complaints about the people.

It’s never made crystal clear if your flight will have in flight entertainment or not. That should be explicit

There was a male flight attendant who seemed like he was VERY upset the entire flight. At one point I went to the back of the flight with my 1 year old to get some space in an empty row, (she was not making noise) and he was sitting in a row where he could see us. He started huffing and puffing and throwing a tantrum, throwing the window shade up and down, and we were very uncomfortable. My husband also had a weird experience with him. I just don't think he should be flying when under such stress.

19 hr delay requiring a change to red eye. No lounge access without paying. Loss of seat upgrade fee.

Book cheap flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Los Angeles to Des Moines found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
6/3Mon
nonstopAllegiant Air
3h 18mLAX-DSM
$61
6/1Sat
1 stopFrontier
10h 38mLAX-DSM
$86
6/3Mon
2 stops
14h 24mLAX-DSM
$134
5/21Tue
1 stopAmerican Airlines
5h 20mLAX-DSM
$147
5/8Wed
3 stops
24h 35mLAX-DSM
$154
5/31Fri
1 stopAmerican Airlines
8h 05mLAX-DSM
$167
7/8Mon
2 stopsUnited Airlines
15h 59mLAX-DSM
$238
8/14Wed
1 stopDelta
8h 40mLAX-DSM
$258
7/9Tue
2 stopsUnited Airlines
15h 26mLAX-DSM
$260
5/20Mon
1 stopDelta
8h 41mLAX-DSM
$399

Search by stops

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Last minute flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Los Angeles to Des Moines that are departing in the next 10 days.
4/27Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 29mLAX-DSM
5/4Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 22mDSM-LAX
$479
4/26Fri
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 11mLAX-DSM
5/4Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 22mDSM-LAX
$480
4/24Wed
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 46mLAX-DSM
4/26Fri
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 22mDSM-LAX
$504
4/28Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
8h 59mLAX-DSM
7/1Mon
multi-stopUnited Airlines
7h 47mDSM-LAX
$505
4/28Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
8h 29mLAX-DSM
7/3Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
5h 24mDSM-LAX
$516
4/26Fri
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 46mLAX-DSM
4/29Mon
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 35mDSM-LAX
$529
4/25Thu
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 07mLAX-DSM
4/29Mon
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 22mDSM-LAX
$530
4/28Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
8h 29mLAX-DSM
6/29Sat
multi-stopUnited Airlines
5h 29mDSM-LAX
$536
4/26Fri
multi-stopUnited Airlines
8h 15mLAX-DSM
4/29Mon
multi-stopUnited Airlines
11h 03mDSM-LAX
$612
4/26Fri
multi-stop
12h 02mLAX-DSM
4/29Mon
multi-stop
27h 41mDSM-LAX
$622

Search by stops

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Los Angeles - Des Moines Flights

Departure:

Los Angeles (LAX)United States

Destination:

Des Moines (DSM)United States

Return flight deals:

Des Moines - Los Angeles

Cabin classes:

$161