RDU - DSM

$99 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 4/23. 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
$197
Typical prices: $411-$344
Multiple Airlines
Thu 8/20Mon 8/24
RDU - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$99
Typical prices: $227-$361
Frontier
Thu 4/23
RDU - DSM • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $266 (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 12m (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
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 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

Thu, Aug 20 - Mon, Aug 24
Multiple Airlines Logo
10:36 pm - 9:14 am
RDU
-
DSM
11h 38m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:53 pm - 9:19 am
DSM
-
RDU
17h 26m
1 stop
$197Multiple Airlines
Thu, Aug 20 - Mon, Aug 24
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 7:54 pm
RDU
-
DSM
14h 39m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:53 pm - 9:19 am
DSM
-
RDU
17h 26m
1 stop
$225Multiple Airlines
Tue, May 12 - Wed, May 13
United Airlines Logo
5:26 pm - 11:24 pm
RDU
-
DSM
6h 58m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:15 am - 3:55 pm
DSM
-
RDU
6h 40m
1 stop
$266United Airlines
Wed, May 27 - Wed, Jun 3
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 10:31 pm
RDU
-
DSM
27h 46m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:16 pm - 11:31 am
DSM
-
RDU
20h 15m
1 stop
$268Multiple Airlines
Wed, Jun 24 - Mon, Jun 29
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 9:47 pm
RDU
-
DSM
27h 02m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:45 pm - 2:04 pm
DSM
-
RDU
19h 19m
1 stop
$270Multiple Airlines
Wed, May 27 - Wed, Jun 3
United Airlines Logo
4:51 pm - 10:35 pm
RDU
-
DSM
6h 44m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
11:23 am - 5:27 pm
DSM
-
RDU
5h 04m
1 stop
$271United Airlines
Tue, May 12 - Wed, May 13
United Airlines Logo
3:29 pm - 9:23 pm
RDU
-
DSM
6h 54m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 2:06 pm
DSM
-
RDU
6h 51m
2 stops
$276United Airlines
Wed, Apr 22 - Sun, Apr 26
Multiple Airlines Logo
4:00 pm - 1:46 pm
RDU
-
DSM
22h 46m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 2:43 pm
DSM
-
RDU
6h 43m
1 stop
$278Multiple Airlines
Thu, Jun 4 - Mon, Jun 8
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:05 am - 10:58 pm
RDU
-
DSM
16h 53m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
4:07 pm - 12:29 am
DSM
-
RDU
31h 22m
2 stops
$279Multiple Airlines
Tue, May 12 - Wed, May 13
Southwest Logo
6:10 am - 2:05 pm
RDU
-
DSM
8h 55m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 1:05 pm
DSM
-
RDU
6h 35m
2 stops
$281Southwest
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.

How much is a round-trip flight from Raleigh 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 Raleigh to Des Moines departing in August.

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 March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $677 and $444 respectively.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$99
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 61% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 6% lower on average.
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 $99 for a one-way ticket and $197 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 4338 reviews
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

One of the best airlines for fast boarding, on time arrivals, and top notch service!

10.0 ExcellentSunderesh, Apr 2026
OKC - AUS
Read more Southwest reviews

One of the best airlines for fast boarding, on time arrivals, and top notch service!

The new seat assignment thing is wierd. If you don’t pay for a seat they always assign you a middle seat regardless of how many people are on the flight. Idk… the new company that bought Southwest is trying to make it more profitable, but I’m just not seeing it. The flight attendants aren’t having as much fun anymore. It just feels like the airline is slowly dying. IMO. We shall see if Southwest is the next Toy’s R Us.

Terrible. Even though there’s assigned seating now, they are still the slowest boarding airline of anyone.

The Air hostess were very rude on my flight from Houston to Austin . Their regular communication itself felt a they are shouting at people.

Communication about the delayed flight was poor. We were told to move gates three times but that was bad information. We went from gate 128 to gate 126 and then to gate 123 and back to gate 126. Communication about the delay was bad. Ended up being 1 1/2 hour late getting home.

Plane was late. Zero service for 2+ hour flight and it was not that bumpy.

It was good from LAX to Phoenix, But the connection in Phoenix to Tulsa was not that great. The staff on both flights were great. The choice of free entertainment was ok nothing to brag about. The 45 min delay because of some electrical issue wasn't great from Phoenix to Tulsa. We sat there with hardly any air, The seat I had was between windows so the side of the plane pushed in on you. My being a bigger man it then made the seating area uncomfortable. The seats on the plane had no power to connect to recharge your phone or anything. I would recommend that they should look into a slot or clamp to hold your phone to enjoy while watching the entertainment choices hands-free. Also make it possible to raise the inner seat by the window be able to raise the arm rest up to make more room for larger people to set more comfortably. I would also say other then that stop price gouging the airfare or nickel and diming everything. Not fair for people having to fly for emergencies and be paying for higher prices due to the season or holidays. Your making your money either way and the cost of flying is still going to be the same regardless if there's 100 people or 200 people.

Had a great flight. Delayed takeoff, but comfortable. Snacks were good.

Love them will get a Southwest card to track my points and keep flying with them. My family and I were pleased with the services.

I have roller bag with food and medication told me I couldn't bring on my 2nd flight today. 15 years flying with SW never an issue with that bag.

The crew bent over backwards to thank us for flying and make us comfortable. The food service was quick and efficient. The Captain communicated and said goodbye and thank you as we departed. They really stood out!

Okay considering we had weather delays which the Pilot notified us of immediately!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

Flight from Fort Wayne to Atlanta was the smallest in terms of cabin space that I've ever seen. A carry on I've used for 20 years BARELY fit in overhead compartment. I'm 5'10" and felt very cramped. Not the best experience.

I am writing to express my dissatisfaction with the poor service and unprofessional staff we encountered when traveling with an infant. Our flight was delayed, and the gate staff failed to manage the boarding process appropriately. Due to incorrect, unavailable, or missing 'pink tag' stroller and car seat check-in procedures at the gate, we were forced to board last. Furthermore, the gate staff was rude and dismissive, causing significant distress to our infant. To make matters worse, one of our checked items—an infant sleeper/lounger—was returned to us broken. Given the unsafe handling of essential equipment and unprofessional treatment, I expect a prompt resolution regarding compensation for the damaged items.

We departed and landed early which was a nice surprise. The boarding process was slow.

N Everything was perfect from boarding to assistance to baggage in Tampa

Subpar. The seating on the plane is almost unbearable. We are literally touching and/or sitting on each other which is totally unacceptable and shameful. Pilots and crew was very accommodating and friendly.

The boarding was organized and informative but the plane was tight meaning that you were sitting on one another and extremely uncomfortable. It’s disappointing that can’t have common seating comfort on the plane.

Loved the crew! Sucks that we went from 1 hour and 8 minute layover to a 3 hour layover. But weather sucks like that.

It was better than excellent. The staff in Mason City were great. The young woman that pushed my wheelchair did more than could be expected of her. She came from India 17 years ago. I don't remember her name.

After arriving in Chicago, we were taxiing for 1.5 hours with infrequent and untruthful updates about the amount of time it would take to arrive at the gate. Minimally, the team could have provided timing expectations that were more truthful, especially one their original expectations were not met.

Flights were on time actually early service was good and crew cheerful

Every staff member was professional, friendly and courteous. The pizza twist was ok. It was warm but too much dough.

I had a terrible experience. My flight got delayed from Atlanta to Chicago on Monday April 6, 2026, and that led to me missing my next flight to Brussels. United Airlines didn’t provide me with any accommodation for shelter. I had to sleep at the airport in Chicago. The next flight I was put on didn’t leave until the evening hours of Tuesday 4/7/2026.

Boarding was again a "free for all". We were boarding group 4, and almost the entire plane was able to board before us. It's a shame that someone who follows the rules, gets the short end of the stick. Not fair.

Flight left on time, arrived early, pleasant staff provided water, coffee, etc. access to bathrooms was reasonable and were well maintained. blankets were available, lots of entertainment options. LUGGAGE SERVICE WAS GREAT. I got my one checked bag quickly and was able to make a bus connection for a 2 hour bus ride saving me from waiting another 1.5 hours.

The boarding process was straightforward. One pertinent observation regarding all boarding procedures is that if an individual requires assistance or possesses a special status and is part of preboarding, it is advisable to limit the number of passengers who can preboard with them, rather than the entire, sometimes large, companion groups. The seats are uncomfortable, and the entertainment options are significantly inferior compared to other airlines. During the snack service, I requested an additional bag of snacks, but my request was denied. Initially, the flight attendant agreed to my request.becoming a strange accurate moment. The flight duration was four hours.

The flight was officially delayed 3 times, and was actually later than that. Combined, it was a 3 hour delay, but there was no recognition (miles, voucher, etc). The crew seemed stressed. The captain sounded nervous in his announcements. The flight itself was smooth and uneventful.

United didn’t even try to hold the flight for me. They knew I had a tight connection and when I arrived at the gate less than 10 mins after final boarding the flight had already gone. The gate agent wasn’t even notified that I was on my way. She was told I wasn’t at the airport

Message about flight cancelation was received late due to being in the air. No explanation, just canceled and booked on morning flight. We had to stay in the airport overnight because there was no transportation offered to get to the hotel that AA had available. Actual inflight was fine.

Ceiling fell down and had to have maintenance come and duct tape it up. No WiFi on the flight.

I appreciate that I finally got the seat I paid extra for this time. Thank you

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.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports