PDX - DSM

$70 Find Cheap Flights from Portland 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 Portland to Des Moines departing on 5/24. 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 Portland to Des Moines.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Portland to Des Moines.
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 24% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

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

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$156
Typical prices: $408-$236
Frontier
Tue 6/2Mon 6/8
PDX - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$172
Allegiant Air
Thu 5/28Sun 5/31
PDX - DSM • Non-stop
Nonstop flights
Tue, Thu, Sun
You can fly direct with Allegiant Air. Average duration is 3h 18m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $156 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $360 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 5h 59m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 6 weeks in advance save around 17% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 56% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Des Moines!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Portland to Des Moines (PDX-DSM)

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

Tue, Jun 2 - Mon, Jun 8
Frontier Logo
5:46 pm - 1:31 pm
PDX
-
DSM
17h 45m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:16 pm - 4:35 pm
DSM
-
PDX
28h 19m
1 stop
$156Frontier
Thu, May 28 - Sun, May 31
Allegiant Air Logo
5:40 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 18mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:06 pm - 4:50 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$172Allegiant Air
Tue, Jun 9 - Tue, Jun 16
Allegiant Air Logo
11:33 am - 4:47 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 14mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
9:00 am - 10:43 am
DSM
-
PDX
3h 43mnonstop
$181Allegiant Air
Thu, May 28 - Sun, May 31
Allegiant Air Logo
5:40 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 18mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:06 pm - 4:50 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$183Allegiant Air
Thu, May 28 - Sun, May 31
Allegiant Air Logo
5:40 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 18mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:06 pm - 4:50 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$190Allegiant Air
Thu, May 28 - Fri, Jun 5
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:40 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 18mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:16 pm - 4:46 pm
DSM
-
PDX
28h 30m
1 stop
$195Multiple Airlines
Thu, May 21 - Sun, May 24
Allegiant Air Logo
5:40 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 18mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:06 pm - 4:50 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$207Allegiant Air
Thu, Jun 4 - Tue, Jun 9
Allegiant Air Logo
5:41 pm - 10:55 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 14mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
9:00 am - 10:43 am
DSM
-
PDX
3h 43mnonstop
$217Allegiant Air
Tue, Jun 2 - Mon, Jun 8
Frontier Logo
5:46 pm - 1:31 pm
PDX
-
DSM
17h 45m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:16 pm - 4:35 pm
DSM
-
PDX
28h 19m
1 stop
$220Frontier
Sun, Jun 7 - Thu, Jun 11
Allegiant Air Logo
5:44 pm - 10:58 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 14mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:08 pm - 4:51 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 43mnonstop
$221Allegiant Air
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Portland to Des Moines flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Portland to Des Moines?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Portland to Des Moines departing in June.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Portland to Des Moines?

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

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to Des Moines on a Friday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Tuesday is the most expensive day to fly from Portland to Des Moines. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Friday and avoiding Tuesdays for the best deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Portland to Des Moines?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Portland 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 Portland to Des Moines is September, where tickets cost $165 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $729 and $467 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Portland 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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop layover the cheapest option at $422 on average.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Portland 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 Portland 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 Portland to Des Moines, you should book around 6 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$70
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 19% lower on average.
Flight from Portland to Des Moines

When to book flights from Portland to Des Moines

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

  • What services does Sun Country Airlines offer economy class passengers on flights from Portland to Des Moines?

    Sun Country Airlines offers several services to Economy Class passengers on its flights from Portland to Des Moines. The airline offers complimentary in-flight entertainment and a Wi-Fi service for a fee, allowing passengers to stay connected and browse the Internet during their flight. Sun Country Airlines also offers complimentary water and snacks to Economy Class passengers.

  • How do I get from Des Moines Airport (DSM) to the city center?

    Taxis are available at DSM and can take you to the city center in about 15-20 minutes, depending on traffic conditions. The estimated fare for a one-way trip is around $25-30. You can use ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft to travel from DSM to the city center. The estimated cost for a one-way trip is around $15-20. A public bus service operated by DART, Des Moines Area Regional Transit, also provides transportation from DSM to the city center. Route 8 runs between the airport and downtown Des Moines, with a one-way fare of about $2 per person. The duration of the ride is around 30-40 minutes.

  • What is the baggage allowance on United Airlines flights from Portland to Des Moines?

    United Airlines allows each passenger one personal item and one standard carry-on bag on flights from Portland to Des Moines. The personal item must fit under the seat in front of you, while the carry-on bag must fit in the overhead compartment and cannot exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches in size. United Airlines allows passengers to check up to two bags, and a fee applies for each piece of checked baggage. The maximum weight allowed per bag is 50 pounds, and the maximum size allowed per bag is 62 linear inches.

  • Which airline offers flights from Portland to Des Moines with less carbon emissions?

    American Airlines offers flights from Portland to Des Moines and has committed to setting science-based targets for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to efforts to limit global temperature rise. Additionally, American Airlines has invested in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which uses a novel process to make net-zero carbon transportation fuels with a reduced carbon intensity.

  • How many flights are there between Portland and Des Moines per day?

    There is a maximum of 1 nonstop flight a day that takes off from Portland and lands in Des Moines, with an average flight time of 3h 18m. The most common departure time is 5:00 pm and most flights take off in the afternoon. Each week, there are 2 flights.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Portland to Des Moines?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Portland to Des Moines was $70 for a one-way ticket and $156 for a round-trip.

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

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Portland to Des Moines. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

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

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

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Portland to Des Moines?

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

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

    You can catch a nonstop flight from Portland to Des Moines on on Thursday, and Sunday.

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Portland to Des Moines are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $518 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 $422 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

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

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

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $85 or less one-way and $194 or less round-trip.
  • Frontier Airlines allows pets to travel in the cabin on their flights from Portland (PDX) to Des Moines (DSM). This includes dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and small household birds. A pet fee each way applies for travel on Frontier Airlines.
  • Portland Airport (PDX) is a hub for Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines operates from both Concourse C and Concourse D at PDX. Passengers are advised to check their airline tickets to confirm the departure terminal for their flights from Portland to Des Moines.
  • Flights from Portland (PDX) to Des Moines (DSM) have layovers in various cities depending on the airline you choose. Some common layovers for the route include Denver (DEN), Minneapolis (MSP), Dallas (DFW), Chicago (ORD), and Las Vegas (LAS).
  • Spirit Airlines offers several services for passengers with reduced mobility on flights from Portland to Des Moines. These services include wheelchair and mobility aid assistance, accompanying someone to their gate, access to accessible lavatory options, and on-board assistance.
  • Des Moines Airport (DSM) serves several nearby cities in the area. These include Urbandale, Johnston, Altoona, Ankeny, Norwalk, and Carlisle.

Prefer to fly direct from Portland to Des Moines?

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

Direct departures

Portland to Des Moines

Tuesday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Thursday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Sunday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Des Moines to Portland

Tuesday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Thursday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

Sunday

Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air

See more direct flights

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Portland 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 Portland 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 4314 reviews
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

The entire experience from boarding to landing was amazing! The crew were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

10.0 Excellentlarry, Apr 2026
LGB - PHX
Read more Southwest reviews

The entire experience from boarding to landing was amazing! The crew were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

no service at all due to turbulence. they should've at least given us snacks, there were only 10 people on the entire flight.

First time I've had to use the disabled accommodations. And I could not have had a better experience with Southwest, i was having trouble getting from one terminal to another due to my heart failure. And the next thing I know a Southwest agent had made sure. I had a wheelchair at all my flights. Can't thank them enough.

Delayed flight, lack of information, boarding process is a mess as is the carryon luggage causing issues when leaving the plane….just a poor experience.

Comfortable. Easy. No problems. Just wish they had gf options for snacks.

The crew was very kind and made going to Hawaii relaxing and fun to look forward to! Thank you Southwest for a pleasant flight!

This leg was much better, but we did have to have a 3 hour lay o er after coming from a very exhausting hiccup with our flight from BNA to Den

We waited in the airplane for over 45 min for a southwest employee to make the flight. This cause over half the plane to miss their connecting flight in Denver. When we confronted the desk upon arrival, they told us the only flight they had was the next day leaving at 8:50 pm!!! Or they offered to get us to Burbank or LA, but after that we were on our own to get back to Santa Barbara. I paid for a flight from sba to bna bna to sba. My re entry into mom mode has been 💯 rough because of southwest mistake with my flight. And now I’m leaving to Reno tomorrow for a vballl tournament and just discovered that my leg in Vegas has me and my 3 kids on a stand by flight even though I had booked these ticket last year November!! Do better southwest!

Southwest is kind of a slum airline. It’s gotten more expensive over the years for less and less service. I am a Southwest Chase Visa card holder and was forced to choose a seat in the 26th row in the middle seat. However my wife who is a rewards member but doesn’t hold a card or anything else, gets randomly assigned a normally paid seat in row 6! How does that work?

For the first time in a long time, the Wi-Fi actually worked the entire flight! The flight crew was amazing as usual.

The agent at check in and at the gate were less than thrilled to be at work. I'm not a fan of Kayak's placement on the plane. I got put in the middle seat and none of my preferences were used.

In ATL they have two sets of departure screens. Follow what is on your airline's departure board - the ATL Airport Authority departure board had completely incorrect details about the gate assignment for my flight, which would have made me miss boarding.

Flight was delayed it was hot while sitting on the plane, one engine was working on the plane until they had to do some jimmy rigging down the runway in order for the other engine to charge up. It was ridiculous

The flight was very good and the staff was very friendly and helpful!

The only thing I would say is we tried to get on a standby earlier flight, but with our fair we couldn’t. That seems senseless to leave with open seats..

Very easy to use and convenient, you can perform any action within the same portal

In a world of delays, Delta was on time both ways! Boarding was fast and efficient. Staff was friendly. AND wifi worked.

WiFi didn’t work. Flight delayed 3 hours Crew members were illiterate Seat lean back did not work.

Flight was delayed, we could have been notified earlier and in a consistent manner. App was not refreshing for another passenger to get the latest flight status. We could have stayed and waited at the hotel instead of waiting at the airport had we known the flight was going to delayed for more than 5 hours. The toilet is too tight, and needs to be cleaned more frequently (every hour). The entertainment screen froze, the touch screen not responding to touch. We were upgraded to comfort, it is more comfortable than regular economy seats.

This wasn't my experience with Delta. It was just the Pegasus flight. Seats were very hard. Staff was kinda rough. Not very nice. Charged me for snacks. For a 4 hour flight I would've expected more.

Booked through Kayak Business, had a seat in middle and towards back due to booking rate, not comfortable.

Was great in general, try to respect time and excuses when slight changes have been made, appreciated!

A long delay. Don't travel late in the day.

Super friendly with lots of drink options an entertainment. Friendly crew.

Standard flight with a drinks and a snack- overall very quick flight. The flight attendants were very strict, bordered on rude.

Outstanding service, efficient & friendly crew, flight was safe, comfortable & on time

Delayed - weather wasn't bad at either end. Also sat on tarmac in ORD.

They told us yesterday APR21st that they were cleaning the plane and we got delayed. After that they said they didn't had any crew for the flight so they cancelled the flight till next day.

The crew was great. Very friendly and responsive. The plane was old, small and tight. We ran out of overhead space and I had to check. Middle seat was particularly tight.

The flight crew on this leg of my trip was very friendly and pleasant. Every one of them was humorous, as well as helpful and accommodating. This group was BY FAR the best crew I’ve flown with. They deserve kudos.

Great. No choice for n/a. No food or entertainment options

No food is available without purchasing it and there is no in-flight entertainment. Both of these are OK because we got an inexpensive flight from Allegiant and, otherwise, our experience was excellent.

just had water and there was plenty of leg & seat room. But then i don't weight 220#s!!

Not totally their fault- screaming kids that had zero parent intervention.

It was cold on the flight. The crew was very pleasant. I didn't order any food. We were delayed due to Captain waiting on maintenance log. He kept us informed though. The flight itself was smooth. I would definitely fly with Allegiant again!

I had a fantastic experience with Allegiant. I had wheelchair assistance and they helped me find my luggage and brought me to my car. Even loaded my luggage. Wonderful service!! Thank you Allegiant!

Superb. Staff great. Great flight. As with other airlines, seating too tight and restrictive.

There is not one likable thing about this airline. It’s starts with the deceptive pricing and continues through the whole flight. The worst staff I’ve ever experienced way over priced bags absolutely no food or drink (unacceptable and you should be embarrassed) the seats are cramped and uncomfortable there is no entertainment there is nothing about this trash airline that constitutes any amount of money. It’s worse than spirit and way more expensive it is disgraceful. Do not travel with Allegiant I repeat do not bother no matter what they say the price is it is never ever going to be the right choice I’m mind blown at how awful the entire experience was I’m embarrassed that I chose so poorly I cannot reiterate enough how beyond horrible this company and its staff are, not one person on this flight or at the airport is qualified to sweep up trash on a city sidewalk they should certainly never be given any job that requires a brain or manners or communication with human beings, what a disgrace to the human race. Your criminal chiselers and should be put out to pasture

Great flight. Friendly staff. Free snacks and drinks would be nice. I would love fewer taxes and fees added on.

My 90 year old father flew with me. He needed wheel chair assistance and is nearly deaf. The staff was amazing with him.

Left early arrived early..right amount of talking from pilots..of course had to love the biscuit and water!

I would like a refund for the extra cost the seat I paid for. An oversized person sat next to me and I couldn’t fit on my seat and had to move to another seat.

Boarding gate at LAX was too crowded—two gates next to one another

The flight was delayed about an hour for a maintenance specialist to approve the maintenance repair

This flight was delayed but it worked in my favor because my Atlanta to Dallas flight was delayed.

This was a hard flight. 3 delays out of OKC (1 on the Tarmac). Delay in Atlanta coming to Dallas. total travel time was the equivalent of driving from OKC to Atlanta.

Like: flights are on time, good boarding process Can improve: planes are old, improve entertainment and make space more comfortable

Had to wait for a gate for a long time, then waited on the run way for a long time before leaving. The actual flights part was good.

The airplane was an old model, the overhead didn’t have enough room for people’s items and made boarding and boarding disappointing and stressful. Crew allowed passengers to bring more than the permitted baggage sizes.

Flying in the United States with the major airlines has become so underwhelming. A 2-3hr flight in most other parts of the world with the major carriers of the area comes with newer, CLEANER aircraft and significantly better in flight service in terms of both staff attitude and a actual meal service.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Portland to Des Moines

Information on your arrival and departure airports