PDX - DSM

$157 Find Cheap Flights from Portland to Des Moines - Compare and Save

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 8/25. 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.
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1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$293
Typical prices: $257-$396
Multiple Airlines
Thu 8/13Sun 8/16
PDX - DSM • 2 stops
Cheapest non-stop
$325
Allegiant Air
Thu 8/13Sun 8/16
PDX - DSM • Non-stop
Nonstop flights
3 days a week
Tue, Thu, Sun
You can fly direct with Allegiant Air. Average duration is 3h 21m
Direct flights
Direct flights
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Direct flights
Direct flights
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Top airlines
Cheapest • from $317 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $451 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 5h 41m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 8 weeks in advance save around 8% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 54% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
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Good to know
Good to know
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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

Thu, Aug 13 - Sun, Aug 16
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:49 pm - 11:14 pm
PDX
-
DSM
26h 25m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:08 pm - 4:52 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$293Multiple Airlines
Thu, Oct 1 - Fri, Oct 9
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:24 pm - 10:57 am
PDX
-
DSM
20h 33m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:31 pm - 4:35 pm
DSM
-
PDX
28h 04m
1 stop
$306Multiple Airlines
Thu, Aug 13 - Sun, Aug 16
Allegiant Air Logo
5:42 pm - 11:03 pm
PDX
-
DSM
3h 21mnonstop
Allegiant Air Logo
3:08 pm - 4:52 pm
DSM
-
PDX
3h 44mnonstop
$325Allegiant Air
Mon, Aug 17 - Tue, Aug 25
Delta Logo
12:35 am - 10:18 am
PDX
-
DSM
7h 43m
1 stop
Delta Logo
6:55 am - 1:38 pm
DSM
-
PDX
8h 43m
1 stop
$347Delta
Fri, Aug 21 - Tue, Aug 25
Delta Logo
12:35 am - 10:18 am
PDX
-
DSM
7h 43m
1 stop
Delta Logo
6:55 am - 1:38 pm
DSM
-
PDX
8h 43m
1 stop
$347Delta
Thu, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 17
American Airlines Logo
3:00 pm - 11:59 pm
PDX
-
DSM
6h 59m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
5:56 pm - 12:08 am
DSM
-
PDX
8h 12m
1 stop
$347American Airlines
Wed, Sep 23 - Wed, Sep 30
American Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 5:36 pm
PDX
-
DSM
9h 06m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
4:14 pm - 11:23 pm
DSM
-
PDX
9h 09m
1 stop
$347American Airlines
Sat, Sep 5 - Sun, Sep 6
United Airlines Logo
10:50 am - 8:26 pm
PDX
-
DSM
7h 36m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 11:28 am
DSM
-
PDX
7h 28m
1 stop
$351United Airlines
Thu, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 6
United Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 12:32 pm
PDX
-
DSM
5h 32m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
9:13 am - 3:03 pm
DSM
-
PDX
7h 50m
1 stop
$352United Airlines
Thu, Sep 10 - Thu, Sep 17
Southwest Logo
8:00 am - 9:20 pm
PDX
-
DSM
11h 20m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
3:50 pm - 8:45 pm
DSM
-
PDX
6h 55m
1 stop
$352Southwest
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 August.

Flight prices are typical for this route right now.

Flights to Des Moines from Portland usually cost between $257 and $396 in August.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $293 on Multiple Airlines (Aug 13-Aug 16).

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, Sunday 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 $187 (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 $496 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 $396, 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 8 weeks before departure, which saves you about 8% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$157
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 11% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 54% 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 21m. The most common departure time is 5:00 pm and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 3 flights.

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

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Portland to Des Moines was $157 for a one-way ticket and $293 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?

    oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Portland and Des Moines, with oneworld 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 Tuesday, 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 $496 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 7.8.

  • 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 $126 or less one-way and $288 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 4229 reviews
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

No wifi, seems to be very common with Southwest currently. Everything else was normal.

8.0 ExcellentSean, Jul 2026
HOU - LGB
Read more Southwest reviews

No wifi, seems to be very common with Southwest currently. Everything else was normal.

Poor customer service, no accommodation for passengers when the flight was delayed over 5 hours.

Friendly crew kept coming by to make sure all was ok, provide additional refreshments, etc.

It was good. Last flight was delayed but I always say that is in God's plan

No gluten free snacks. Seats felt worn or bare bones even though it was a new 737 MAX 8.

The Southwest employees (all two of them) were very nice and cheerful despite the fact the line to self-check a bag (simply drop it off) was hundreds of people long. Thank God I arrived early to the airport because I stood in this line for at least an hour. Once on the flight that had been delayed by an hour, we had no Wi-Fi and thus no entertainment. Finally, I hope the investor strong arm tactics against Southwest pay off in a short-term windfall to your C-Suite because the rest of you are screwed. I have been a faithful Southwest customer for 15 years due to everything you just got rid of. I'm flying to Idaho and Washington in October, both places I used to simply book with Southwest without a second thought now with Frontier (Washington) and United (Idaho) because they offer everything the "new" Southwest does but cheaper and at better times, destinations, etc. This really makes me sad...

It was really nice! I appreciate the gate attendant allowing families with small children to board early on in the process… that was very helpful! The internet service didn’t work with the app I was trying to use even though I paid the $8… other than that it was great! Oh and I should’ve asked for the whole cranberry cocktail can. That cup was about 2 sips…

I liked the boarding process with our loading group and numbers. I disliked that I couldn't guarantee our seats together. I didn't like that the Internet costs $8/ flight, but did love all the inflight options available through their app. I disliked no charging station at my seat for a 3+ hour flight.

Great! Although the flight was about 40 minutes delayed, the crew did a good job getting everything boarded quickly and efficiently.

Love Southwest! Always a good trip with a happy crew who goes out of their way to be kind and fun.

Seats were not bad enough and uncomfortable good legroom in the emergency exit row we were in, but we were forbidden to hold my grandson on my lap for a little while, and the stewardess passed us saying it was against regulations which makes little or no sense when you’re 36,000 feet. The food snacks were really bad. Tasteless tasted like wallpaper, but we’re supposed to be protein bars, and the announcements were all completely incoherent because of the noise of the airplane and the lowness and crackly nature of the PA system.. this was disgraceful. No one in our party could understand a word of what the captain or the flight attendant were saying —not a word! The landing was a little hairy in a pretty stiff crosswind -we bounced before the plane stabilized on the runway

We got stuck on the tarmac taxiing after landing early so we didn’t get off the plane until an hour later than we thought we would

Bus to plane was delayed for no apparent reason and our luggage was still on the belt when they shut it off. Took about 20 minutes to turn it back on to get our luggage.

I haven’t flown economy in over 20 years but it was not bad. Room by my feet for my bag and seat was roomy enough. Surprised in a good way.

Second flight in a row where the entertainment system is broken. 5 hour long flight with no entertainment and flight attendants did not seem interested in resolving the matter. Very shocked to be treated this poorly considering I paid for a first class experience and have Diamond Medallion status.

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!!!!

My seat had no padding, it was literally plywood with a plastic cover. I could not change seats on my 10 hour flight. My excitement for this trip helped me deal with the pain.

The flight was great. The crew were a little terse about the size of my bag. It fit fine.

The flights were on time- Great service Would have liked more options for food choices.

The brakes on the A220 are sensitive and uncomfortably grabby

the whole trip was smooth, and as comfortable as flying is these days. flight crew was friendly and very courteous and helpful.

Yet another flight in which beverage and snack service was skipped. Other that that, firmly mediocre. Landed early, to gate late due to congestion at the gates. Airline's fault or airports fault: unknown.

The flights were on time which was great give. It was holiday travel season and there’d been some weather issues. The only complaint and this is every time with United is the terrible seat design. The head rest is not built for comfort and having my neck bent forward for a cross country trip reminded me while I try not to take United flights as a rule.

This was a very average flight. The seat was out of alignment so more uncomfortable than usual. The cabin felt not well maintained. But I safely got where I needed to go.

Flight was great. Efficient boarding. Short flight. Early arrival. Friendly flight crew. The entertainment system did not work well. Could not access it until the aircraft reached 10K feet or more. Lots of glitches.

We had a 90 minute delay due to equipment failure that was detected just before we took off. United rebooked my connecting flight.

Dinner was okay but the breakfast was not eatable on the flight San Francisco to Zurich.

This was a Lufthansa flight. Disappointing main meal. Very rough over Canada and arrival at FRA. IFE was almost unusable.

Poor seating comfort, seat cushion too thin, very uncomfortable. My luggage didi not make the flight due to equipment change. At least. United had it delivered the next day. I was without my toilet items for one day.

Flight cancelled because of the grounded 737s. United was good about it and got us onto a later Alaska Airlines flight to Oakland (not San Francisco as originally intended). Had to go through security again and my wife dropped her MacBook Pro, which broke, a $2,500 whoopsie. But we made it home.

It was poor a four hour delay and no explanation for the delay. What’s a 35 dollars going to do. It also made me miss my car rental,

It was on time. Flight was comfortable. Staff was nice. It was the way a flight should always be.

The price was the only good thing about this flight. It was scary during takeoff when the plane tilted side to side. It made me feel very nervous as I have never had a take-off that unsmooth. There was no on-flight movie or music options and the only complimentary option was water. Other airlines offer trail mix or a caramel cookie and pop options as complimentary. This flight was a 2.5 hour flight. I understand for shorter flights not having options, but a flight 2 hours or longer should offer more complimentary options and in flight entertainment. Also the seats did not recline and for a longer flight reclining seats are a must for comfort.

A very pleasant flight but it would be greatly improved with wifi to help entertain kids

This is a no frills, get it done, efficient airline. The seat is a lawn chair. You better bring your own entertainment. If you want something other than water you need to pay for it. But they will get you to your destination quickly, on time, and then they will turn the flight around and go right back where they came from. Reliably. Couple times a week tops. If it fits into your schedule, you can’t get there cheaper or faster.

A three hour delay to board and then another hour on the tarmac because they couldn't get a tractor? Ugh.

Allegiant canceled the flight. The flight the next day was full. Allegiant did not provide any compensation besides a refund. Last time on Allegiant.

Seats were very uncomfortable and being charged for snacks and water.........

The flight was very delayed (in BOTH directions - outbound and returning). The flight was very very cramped. The plane taxi'd on the runway for a really long time, and I got claustrophobic being in such a tight seat. The pilot and crew both indicated that we were going to make up lost time due to the delay, but the plane arrived LATER than expected.

I did not go on my trip. I requested a refund and still have not received it.

Luggage took too long go get off plane in Knoxville. Was almost 45 minutes after the flight landed.

Awful, tons of delays, I got into Chicago multiple hours late meaning I hit the very traffic I tried so desperately to avoid. Just empty apologies from American Airlines text alerts. Trash behavior from a trash airline.

The boarding was as always, the crew tried their best but not enough. The food was a disaster I had dietary restrictions that were half met because the company did not loaded the food for the flight. The entertainment screen was fine but content was not and also they removed the free messaging option from the flight and they charged 30 dollars for that crappy bandwidth. This flight is not worth the cost and the company is going down on quality.

As smooth as you can expect. Some issues with boarding because the previous plane took forever to deplane but overall, a good experience.

DFW-LHR Toilets not kept clean Too cramped. Aisles so narrow crew were constantly banging into people on the aisle seats. Even then, the carts used are reduced width. Other than that it was a decent flight on both legs

Excellent customer service at check in at Austin flight to DFW and excellent customer service from Karren in terminal B at DFW.

The flight itself was fine, but between the man in front of me putting his chair back, and the gentleman next to me who took up 50% of my seat, my back and neck are destroyed from the flight. I’m hoping for a better outcome flying back.

Flight boarded without pilots. Sat on plane for 3 hrs. after over an hour late boarding. Plane never took off. Had to deplane near midnight. Line for rebooking was 3 hours + long. I had to leave.

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 was exactly as I expected, on time, smooth flight, courteous staff.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports