RDU - DSM

$136 Find Cheap Flights from Raleigh 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 Raleigh to Des Moines departing on 6/2. 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh to Des Moines, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$271
Overall average: $362
United Airlines
Wed 4/29Tue 5/5
RDU - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$136
Typical prices: $177-$369
United Airlines
Tue 6/2
RDU - DSM • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $271 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Raleigh and Des Moines. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $388 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 4h 14m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 20% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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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 Raleigh to Des Moines (RDU-DSM)

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

Wed, Apr 29 - Tue, May 5
United Airlines Logo
4:45 pm - 10:43 pm
RDU
-
DSM
6h 58m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 12:16 pm
DSM
-
RDU
5h 01m
1 stop
$271United Airlines
Wed, Apr 29 - Tue, May 5
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 2:25 pm
RDU
-
DSM
9h 25m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
11:40 am - 5:23 pm
DSM
-
RDU
4h 43m
1 stop
$276United Airlines
Thu, May 7 - Sun, May 10
Multiple Airlines Logo
12:26 pm - 1:31 pm
RDU
-
DSM
26h 05m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 am - 5:08 pm
DSM
-
RDU
8h 23m
1 stop
$277Multiple Airlines
Wed, Apr 29 - Tue, May 5
Southwest Logo
6:40 am - 2:05 pm
RDU
-
DSM
8h 25m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 5:15 pm
DSM
-
RDU
10h 45m
2 stops
$281Southwest
Fri, Apr 24 - Mon, Apr 27
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:34 pm - 10:42 pm
RDU
-
DSM
9h 08m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:04 pm - 6:44 pm
DSM
-
RDU
27h 40m
1 stop
$287Multiple Airlines
Mon, Apr 20 - Wed, Apr 22
American Airlines Logo
5:45 am - 10:26 am
RDU
-
DSM
5h 41m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
5:44 am - 11:11 am
DSM
-
RDU
4h 27m
1 stop
$289American Airlines
Thu, Apr 30 - Tue, May 5
Southwest Logo
7:45 pm - 11:05 pm
RDU
-
DSM
4h 20m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 5:15 pm
DSM
-
RDU
10h 45m
2 stops
$294Southwest
Mon, Apr 20 - Wed, Apr 22
American Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 11:26 am
RDU
-
DSM
7h 26m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
7:11 am - 2:02 pm
DSM
-
RDU
5h 51m
1 stop
$295American Airlines
Wed, May 6 - Sat, May 9
Southwest Logo
3:50 pm - 10:10 pm
RDU
-
DSM
7h 20m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 4:20 pm
DSM
-
RDU
9h 45m
2 stops
$299Southwest
Sat, Apr 18 - Sat, Apr 25
Southwest Logo
8:00 am - 11:30 am
RDU
-
DSM
4h 30m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 10:40 am
DSM
-
RDU
4h 05m
1 stop
$307Southwest
Booking Insights

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Raleigh 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 Raleigh to Des Moines is December, where tickets cost $333 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are February and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $677 and $467 respectively.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$136
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 61% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 5% increase in price.
Flight from Raleigh to Des Moines

When to book flights from Raleigh to Des Moines

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

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Raleigh to Des Moines was $136 for a one-way ticket and $271 for a round-trip.

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

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

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Raleigh to Des Moines?

    Raleigh and Des Moines are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Raleigh from Raleigh-Durham and will be arriving at Des Moines.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Raleigh to Des Moines are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $417 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 $430 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Des Moines from Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh with another airline. Booking your flights between Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Reviews of the top 4 airlines serving from Raleigh to Des Moines

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 4324 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

Southwest was greaat! The most expensive but the least upsetting for those we were flying to see.

10.0 ExcellentMartie, Mar 2026
LGB - BNA
Read more Southwest reviews

Southwest was greaat! The most expensive but the least upsetting for those we were flying to see.

I flew twice this week on Southwest, was delayed over 2 hours both ways. From Pittsburgh to Chicago it was due to weather but the gate agents, pilot etc were great at updating everyone. Today from Midway to Pittsburgh the plane had come from an international location, kept getting delayed, no information was given until we were delayed for the third time. It was ridiculous, whoever scheduled that plane to fly to Pittsburgh after didn’t consider a lot of things.

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

I was supposed to be on a later flight. When I showed up at the gate, the woman working there was extremely helpful getting moved up to this earlier flight.

We had a 5 hour delay on the tarmac in Baltimore

Long layover between flights to Long Island from BWI - need better coordination between flights

I elected to pay for the upgrades and found very little difference

The new seating arrangement is so over priced for what you get.

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

No food or entertainment, just a quick 40 minute flight. A little bumpy due to Santa Ana winds but pilot has no control over that. Good flight and landing!

the crew cancel the morning service due to the weather. Then the flight got deverted to Nashville . we were on the ground for over two hours the only gave us water once... no food or any snacks.... the crew should have handled better and offered something to passengers.

My recent experience was excellent on Delta! I flew with Delta Comfort and I was really comfortable in my seat. I enjoyed the in-flight service. The flight attendants were so friendly and hospitable. I love the snack on the flight as well. This was my first time flying on Delta and I will definitely consider flying with them again.

My flight was cencaled due with the bad weather on Sunday the crew was poorly mistaken my luggage supposed depart with my flight instead I didn’t have my luggage for almost 3 days the website is poorly respond to my complain until I have someone to do it my connection smooth their not even respon or email me even the have my luggage

Delta needs to step its game up get a more reliable internet service. Internet service was non-existent for this flight.

Mechanical Delay of over an hour with multiple gate changes. Entertainment system down for rejuvenation.

I had a flight cancel and had it rerouted. When the rerouted they put me at a window seat instead of an isle. It was hard sitting by the window because the couple with masks on were making out. I get motion sickness which is why I need to have the isle seat.

NEVER MADE THE FLIGHT BECAUSE DELTA SAID THEY CAN NOT

THEY FAILED ME AND I NEVER GOT ON THE FLIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS SO DELAYED! I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A HOTEL AND STAY IN NASHVILLE TO CATCH A FLIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY. DELTA IS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE>

8 hours late and the plane smelled like urine, that smell in the morning when your child wet the bed in the night.

My flight was canceled on Sunday. Rebooking took three hours. Had to pay for accommodations another night. New flight was delayed for 5 hours, all that was sent was a 12 dollar food voucher, which doesn’t tell you how to use it. Then when we landed we had to sit on the plane for an hour before we could get off.

My flight was canceled a few hours before boarding. I was rebooked on Copa airlines and missed an important meeting .

Good quick flight on a small but comfortable plane. I'm 6'3 and had plenty of space.

Experience was great - no complaints. Took off on time, landed early. Got to the gate relatively quickly - took a little bit of extra time to deplane but nothing excessive.

Economy plus was so cramped I could not use my laptop. It was beyond bad.

OK, we were delayed and had to de plane and reboard.

United is one airline which regardless of how many separate United tickets in existence, if one flight breaks down, the airline will take care of all the flights.

Both our flights were delayed. Almost didn’t get in the second flight. Staff was rude to the bone.

Both my flight where delayed Had 25min to make it to my transfer flight

Everything was on time and service on the flight was great!

Wifi Bluetooth features for watching in flight movie was horrible. Screen kept blacking out no connection of sound although it said connected. Other than that smooth trip .

American Airlines did everything they could with the high Spring Break crowd. I was frustrated to be changed from 1st class to a middle seat at the back of the plane. This has happened before, not sure booking 1st class and paying the extra actually works.

Plane from partner PSA was filthy. Plastic needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Really disgusting to look at and wonder about cleanliness of parts less visible.

Arrived early picked up my bag in a few minutes- great trip - thank you

I like that the flight attendant was very attentive and helpful. The meal menu could have more of an variety of food choices.

We missed our flight and got stranded in Miami where we had to rent a hotel we could not afford. they would not work with us because they said it was weather related even though the gate attendant said it was not. I could go on but trying to get satisfaction has wore me down, which I believe is the intent. My only solution is to never fly AA again.

Overall it was a good flight. Because we traveled on a Saturday we were upgraded to FC since my wife and I are both Executive Platinum. The only areas for improvement we noted are better snack assortment and perhaps a little nicer plane as American is flying some older planes now. Everything else on this flight was excellent, which is frankly not the norm for American since we have had multiple issues on prior AA flights.

Didn't get a seat assignment until the last minute even though i picked a seat.

Flight was smooth, quick and felt safe. The 2 delays not happening would have been better but I guess that happens in the airline industry

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.

Could we please end the loud announcements about credit card offers on your flights? We are trying to sleep, work, watch videos, etc. and if we need a credit card, we will ask for one. Flying is already not what it used to be.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports