WAS - DSM

$90 Find Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines departing on 5/27. 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$252
Typical prices: $522-$318
Multiple Airlines
Mon 6/1Fri 6/5
BWI - DSM • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$367
Typical prices: $463-$437
American Airlines
Wed 5/27Sat 5/30
DCA - DSM • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $330 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines. Average duration is 2h 52m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $246 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 4h 29m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 64% price drop
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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines (WAS-DSM)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

Mon, Jun 1 - Fri, Jun 5
Multiple Airlines Logo
1:10 pm - 11:24 pm
BWI
-
DSM
11h 14m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:18 pm - 9:07 am
DSM
-
BWI
12h 49m
1 stop
$252Multiple Airlines
Mon, Jun 8 - Wed, Jun 10
Multiple Airlines Logo
1:10 pm - 11:27 pm
BWI
-
DSM
11h 17m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
2:16 pm - 8:48 pm
DSM
-
BWI
29h 32m
2 stops
$269Multiple Airlines
Tue, May 26 - Tue, Jun 2
American Airlines Logo
10:00 pm - 11:50 pm
DCA
-
DSM
2h 50mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
6:33 am - 10:10 am
DSM
-
DCA
2h 37mnonstop
$367American Airlines
Sat, Oct 3 - Sat, Oct 17
American Airlines Logo
6:00 pm - 10:27 pm
DCA
-
DSM
5h 27m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
6:04 am - 9:29 am
DSM
-
DCA
2h 25mnonstop
$377American Airlines
Sun, Jun 21 - Sat, Jun 27
Allegiant Air Logo
3:04 pm - 4:59 pm
IAD
-
DSM
26h 55m
1 stop
Allegiant Air Logo
5:06 pm - 2:16 pm
DSM
-
IAD
44h 10m
2 stops
$379Allegiant Air
Wed, Jun 17 - Sat, Jun 20
Southwest Logo
6:00 am - 11:30 am
DCA
-
DSM
6h 30m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:10 am - 11:00 am
DSM
-
DCA
4h 50m
1 stop
$382Southwest
Sun, Jun 14 - Sat, Jun 20
Allegiant Air Logo
3:04 pm - 4:59 pm
IAD
-
DSM
26h 55m
1 stop
Allegiant Air Logo
4:22 pm - 2:29 pm
DSM
-
IAD
45h 07m
2 stops
$384Allegiant Air
Sat, Oct 3 - Sat, Oct 17
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 10:14 am
IAD
-
DSM
5h 14m
1 stop
Delta Logo
10:15 am - 4:30 pm
DSM
-
IAD
5h 15m
1 stop
$387Delta
Sat, Aug 1 - Sat, Aug 8
Delta Logo
6:59 am - 10:45 am
DCA
-
DSM
4h 46m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:33 pm - 10:55 pm
DSM
-
DCA
4h 22m
1 stop
$387Delta
Sat, May 30 - Mon, Jun 1
Southwest Logo
6:40 am - 11:30 am
DCA
-
DSM
5h 50m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
4:20 pm - 10:55 pm
DSM
-
DCA
5h 35m
1 stop
$390Southwest
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Washington, D.C. to Des Moines flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines departing in June.

What is the cheapest Washington, D.C. to Des Moines flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest return flight from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines costs $405 on the route between Washington, D.C. Reagan-National Airport (DCA) and Des Moines (DSM). It is also the most popular route.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines is August, where tickets cost $74 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $318 and $312 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Washington, D.C. 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 $472, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

Good to know

Low seasonMarch
Cheapest flight$90
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 24% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 3% lower on average.
Flight from Reagan Washington National Airport to Des Moines

When to book flights from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

  • What is the cheapest flight from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines was $90 for a one-way ticket and $249 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Washington, D.C. and Des Moines?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

    There are 2 airports in Washington, D.C. (Washington, D.C. Reagan-National and Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl.) and only 1 airport in Des Moines (Des Moines). The cheapest flights are generally found on the Reagan Washington National Airport to Des Moines flight route.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

    American Airlines, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Washington, D.C. to Des Moines flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

    The Canadair (Bombardier) Regional Jet 900 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Washington, D.C. to Des Moines flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

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

  • On which days can I fly direct from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

    There are nonstop flights from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $398 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 $381 and an overall rating of 7.9.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Des Moines from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $347 or less one-way and $447 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines?

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

Direct departures

Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Monday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Friday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines

American Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines

American Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 4 airlines serving from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C. 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.

Vegetarian selection could be better. Bread was too hard to chew.

Crew was friendly and competent. Food, wine, and entertainment were excellent except the raw tuna on the flight to Split. Recommend against serving that - at least as the only option. Many medical conditions do not allow people to eat raw fish.

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.

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

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

The flight was delayed so we were dead tired, and after that the turbulence was horrible. I was very scared.

Wonderful. Quick boarding. Early departure and we arrived 30 minutes early at our destination. Unfortunately, when you arrive early, there is still a departing aircraft at our gate. We had to park for 30 minutes until the gate was clear. So our early arrival was not really early at the gate. Otherwise it was a quick and smooth flight. Appreciated the efficiency.

Wifi took a while to kick in and we had a maintenance issue that took over 40 mins at the gate in Washington before pulling back

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.

Was happy we finally got upgraded in 1st class. The seat getting old. The cushiness need some improvement.

Overall a good experience, however Wifi was not working on the flight.

THe flight was an hour late. You got us on the plan and we sat on the ground for 45 minutes with no information from the pilot whatsoever. Worst flight this year.

Going non stop to lax like I paid for. Not stopping in MCI for gas. Too long of delays

Human interaction. Thought there would be more service-even a smile would have been nice.

Incoming flight was delayed, delaying boarding. It then took 30 mins to take off. Took 20 mins to get to a gate because they changed the gate last minute, crew weren’t ready so there was no one staffed to work the jet bridge. Boarding was so disorganized as is usual with American because everyone just stands around the gate regardless of boarding group.

Delays with no explanation. It could have been handled better.

Flight delay for mechanical. Inbound arrived on time. No one said why mechanical delay.

Flight boarded, departed and landed on time. Excellent service from flight attendant in FIRST

This was one of the most frustrating travel experiences I've had to date. I had changed my flight day of to this one as it was slated to depart on time. It ended up being so delayed that my original flight took off before this one did. The boarding process began but eventually stopped and everyone had to get off the plane as a problem was identified. The person at the front desk just tried to laugh it off as if this wasn't already a huge inconvenience. From there, we eventually got to board only to sit at the gate for an additional hour because of some additional issue. This was extremely frustrating and caused a lot of stress.

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.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Washington, D.C. to Des Moines

Information on your arrival and departure airports