PDX - DSM

$76 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.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$295
Overall average: $368
Frontier
Sun 4/5Mon 4/13
PDX - DSM • 2 stops
Cheapest non-stop
$347
Allegiant Air
Thu 7/9Sun 7/26
PDX - DSM • Non-stop
Top airlines
Frontier
Cheapest • from $295 (round-trip)
Delta
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 19% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
September
Cheapest • 53% price drop
June
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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We hope you love your trip to 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

Sun, Apr 5 - Mon, Apr 13
Frontier Logo
5:14 pm - 7:14 pm
PDX
-
DSM
24h 00m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
8:14 pm - 1:02 pm
DSM
-
PDX
18h 48m
1 stop
$295Frontier
Sun, Apr 5 - Mon, Apr 13
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:26 pm - 8:55 pm
PDX
-
DSM
22h 29m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:14 pm - 1:02 pm
DSM
-
PDX
18h 48m
1 stop
$346Multiple Airlines
Tue, Feb 24 - Sat, Feb 28
United Airlines Logo
12:57 pm - 10:20 pm
PDX
-
DSM
7h 23m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
3:24 pm - 10:56 pm
DSM
-
PDX
9h 32m
1 stop
$357United Airlines
Tue, Feb 24 - Sat, Feb 28
United Airlines Logo
1:40 pm - 11:43 pm
PDX
-
DSM
8h 03m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
3:24 pm - 10:56 pm
DSM
-
PDX
9h 32m
1 stop
$362United Airlines
Thu, Feb 19 - Tue, Feb 24
American Airlines Logo
11:35 pm - 9:01 am
PDX
-
DSM
7h 26m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
7:44 pm - 10:58 am
DSM
-
PDX
17h 14m
1 stop
$367American Airlines
Wed, Apr 22 - Fri, May 1
American Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 11:29 pm
PDX
-
DSM
13h 29m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
11:58 am - 10:32 pm
DSM
-
PDX
12h 34m
1 stop
$375American Airlines
Mon, Apr 6 - Tue, Apr 7
Delta Logo
12:30 am - 10:09 am
PDX
-
DSM
7h 39m
1 stop
Delta Logo
4:25 pm - 8:25 pm
DSM
-
PDX
6h 00m
1 stop
$377Delta
Fri, Feb 20 - Sun, Feb 22
American Airlines Logo
11:35 pm - 1:05 pm
PDX
-
DSM
11h 30m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
7:44 pm - 10:58 am
DSM
-
PDX
17h 14m
1 stop
$385American Airlines
Wed, Feb 11 - Mon, Feb 16
American Airlines Logo
2:43 pm - 9:01 am
PDX
-
DSM
16h 18m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
7:44 pm - 10:58 am
DSM
-
PDX
17h 14m
1 stop
$397American Airlines
Mon, Apr 6 - Wed, Apr 8
Delta Logo
11:15 pm - 9:46 am
PDX
-
DSM
8h 31m
1 stop
Delta Logo
10:51 am - 5:39 pm
DSM
-
PDX
8h 48m
1 stop
$402Delta
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.

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 Thursday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Sunday is the most expensive day to fly from Portland to Des Moines. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Saturday 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 $162 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are January and November, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $483 and $453 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.

No, with an average price for the route of $381, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 19% 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$76
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 40% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 17% 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.

  • 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 $93 for a one-way ticket and $295 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.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Des Moines from Portland?

    Denver is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from Portland to Des Moines.

  • 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 $486 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 $428 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

  • 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.

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.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 8121 reviews
7.8Entertainment
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.9Comfort
7.2Food
Airline reviews

It was last minute due to weather - considering - it was amazing! Good smiles, friendly staff and they were making sure we knew what was going on when and where.

10.0 ExcellentZebrina, Jan 2026
LGA - CAE
Read more Delta reviews

It was last minute due to weather - considering - it was amazing! Good smiles, friendly staff and they were making sure we knew what was going on when and where.

delta last minute gave me a boarding pass for a different flight with no confirmation that they were changing it

The service from the flight attendants were of supreme quality. They greeted and treated everyone with a wide smile. This is totally absent nowadays. Kudos to them!!!!

Excellent flight and got us around tough weather. Only issue was seat TV did not work and crew tried to reboot.

Very large passenger too space from my own seat. Arm board couldn’t be lowered because of his size. It wads very uncomfortable trip, as the flight was full couldn’t move anywhere having back pain because of the position in which I was the entire flight.

was sitting in the jet bridge for 10 minutes in -20 degree weather waiting for my bag

Outdated equipment in disrepair, wifi inoperable. Broken seats, taped air vents, generally poor condition, the 717 showed its age and lack of upkeep.

My flight out of Baton Rouge to Atlanta was delayed by a half hour. This got us into Atlanta airport 30 minutes late. I ran through the airport to get to my connecting flight. As I approached the boarding gate, I saw the boarding door was still open and a passenger was being checked in. But when I got to the gate, the boarding agent told me they had already given away my seat and there were no empty seats on that flight. So I had to take a later flight. That has never happened to me before. Very frustrating.

Connection through Atlanta was difficult. Mechanical issue on plane caused a two hour delay. New gate was a mile away.

No WiFi. Comfort plus should have alcohol provided, crew only offered water or tea. Who the heck wants tea?

In overall it was a good experience, the only down point was that the entertainment screen was working properly.

HORRIBLE, my initial flight was cancelled, they made me pay $200 extra dollars and that got cancelled as well! After 6 cancellations I decided to get a refund because I needed to get home to my babies. Out of $1000+ dollars they offered me only $40 in refund! Totally unacceptable! The flight that they cancelled I was able to fly it on another airline. I had to spend $400 on one way tickets just to get home! I’m still getting the runaround.

First class ticket gets you a choice of chips or nuts. . Just like economy Southwest. Also no screen in the seats. This is first class???!

Seated dude next to me even though lots of empty rows. But main thing was we sat on the tarmac after landing for 30 minutes because of, in the words of the dude who sat next to me, “operational incompetence”. We got changing directions about where to pick up gate checked bags. Pilot and flight attendant were awesome though.

It was a pretty standard flight... until the almost hour and a half spent on the taxi way. I get that the weather has been poor but the delay had nothing to do with the weather and more to do with a plane with several issues tying up the gate. I get that that happens from time to time but this has been EVERY flight I've been on for the past 5 years and I fly 3 to 5 times a year. This isn't just United... it's American, it's Delta. It's an issue with the entire industry. I work for UPS and packages on a cargo plane get better service than people do these days. Anymore I HATE flying.

Flight arrived 30 min early and bag was waiting at the baggage pickup. United Club HNL was one of the nicest in the system

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

Very good. Because of the delays with my previous flight, I missed my connection, but I was able to book another flight through the United app easily.

I wish there were outlets to charge my iPhone. The crew was great; we had a female pilot who was great with explaining what was happening and delays,

The flight crew where really good. Better then the crew from BNE to SFO

On time on a day with lots of weather cancellations on other flights. Thank you for getting me home during a winter storm!

Don't change gate multiple times make people run across the airport. Announce delays in a timely manner. Have maintenance crew ready. Don't delay and keep passengers on the plane for 3 hrs. on tarmac.

The plane was experiencing problems with the HVAC system, it was very cold in the front of the plane and very hot in the back.

The attendants were kind and helpful. A sugar-free drink would have been very welcome.

Pilot navigated severe weather/snow storm with skill. Described his intentions clearly

one crew said "he" didn't serve double alcohol drinks for travelers in exit rows. crew on prior flight did. Is this a AA rule, and the prior crew was being nice? Also, I think we deserve more than a 25% refund for losing first class seats when rescheduling a flight due to weather

It was a little concerning to hear the ground crew arguing with the flight crew over baggage space. Instead of taking them and checking them, they started checking for space in the first class cabin moving items around like the flight crew didn't know what they were doing. I was embarrassed for them.

2 hour delay due to equipment failure. No updates via the app and airport screens (which continued to show a departure time in the past). AA eventually switched planes and the new plane was not catered or cleaned correctly.

I booked an aisle seat and was given a middle. At 6'4" 230lbs, it is not ideal to fly in the middle row for myself and passengers.

Trip delayed for 2 hours because of rain. We boarded and have to get down the flight and reboard again.

It was fine. Nobody was outstandingly friendly but no one was rude and everything was smooth . The captain thanked us for flying but no one greeted me as I walked on the plane or as I exited which is the least they could do lol

Clean, friendly, roomy. But check-in from the phone link was terrible. Repeated attempts wouldn’t save at the final step. Just kept spinning! It was very frustrating. Finally, I used the app (vs website link) to check-in which worked very smoothly on the first attempt.

Check in on the web portal was cumbersome! After several attempts I finally got the boarding pass.

Excellent flight and even arrived 23 min early. No entertainment , or wi fi on board, but I downloaded a couple of movies beforehand which kept me entertained. Really like flying Allegiant airlines.

WE were delayed about an hour and never any communications from the employees working the gate. We also were moved to a total of three gates.

I love how they show love to their customers and care about them too.

I liked how when I got on board how fast we ended up taking off but what I truly disliked was how uncomfortable the seats were. There was truly never a time that I could ever get comfortable during both of my flights. The seats could get away during shorter flights but flights 3 hour plus makes it hard to enjoy.

The crew was great and the flight was very smooth. Can’t really judge food since I did not get any because it costs money. The seat was comfortable for what we bought. Thanks!

Crew was great. No entertainment and food and beverage was for purchase only, even water

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.

Very well recently! Frontier is improving and less harrassing customer on luggages! Positive!

Good for a budget airline! It was easy to get on, staff was really nice. Can’t say anything about the food or entertainment because it wasn’t available, which is fine.

I am writing to express my disappointment with my recent Frontier Airlines flight. I was charged $99 at the gate because my bag was said to be too large, yet once onboard there was no available overhead bin space, and I was required to place the bag under the seat in front of me anyway. This made the charge feel unnecessary and unfair. Additionally, before the flight even took off, I was asked to move from the seat I paid for into a middle seat so another passenger and her cat could have my seat to themselves. I was not offered compensation or an explanation for being moved from a paid seat. Between the unexpected bag fee and being forced to give up my seat, this experience fell well below acceptable customer service standards. I would appreciate a review of this situation and appropriate compensation.

It was costly and difficult to check in. $85 to take a small suitcase with me, carry on or checked and $75 on the return trip, Plus $25 if I didn't check my self in check in $25, because I couldn't do it on the kiosk. Small very uncomfortable seats, waited on the runway for near an hour each way. It was my worst flight to date.

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.

It didn’t happen. I booked it and then was told it wasn’t available and then forced to pay far higher prices for a worse option

A 630departure flight Delayed 6hours! They changed my gate, I moved to the new gate. Had our flight on the screen for 12noon departure. I go get above to eat, check screen again and the flight was gone, no notice no announcement, nothing!! They sent my bag on the flight I wasn’t on, got it back to me 3days later. Thank goodness they did refund my money but I will NEVER fly them again.

Due to weather, my flight was delayed, further delayed, then canceled. I eventually got through to a support person who helped me find a different route out of MSP, but to get to DIA, they didn't want to, but eventually did help with the connection ticket purchase. But even this replacement flight was delayed time and time again, and I would have missed my connecting flights and I didn't want to get stuck in a layover city, so after 12 hours at the airport with two young boys who were very tired, we just cancelled our plans and spent the week at home, instead of Nana's.

Plane and crew on board were fine. Everything else was terrible.

The third party booking with cheapflightsfares was awful. Kayak should NOT partner with them. They sold me a bundle including seat selection and carry-on, but did not book the carry-ons with Frontier, so I’m out of pocket for $414 more while I await resolution.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports