Des Moines to Houston (DSM–IAH) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

DSM Airport Page →
804 mi airlines 35/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 9 flights Verified 1h ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
NZ6545cs
NZ Air New Zealand
320
6:12 AM
CDT
8:50 AM
CDT
2h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
CM1337cs
CM Copa
319
8:20 AM
CDT
10:56 AM
CDT
2h 36m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1982+2
UA United
319
9:38 AM
CDT
12:11 PM
CDT
2h 33m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6059cs
EK Emirates
E7W
2:59 PM
CDT
5:37 PM
CDT
2h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA6117+2
UA United
E75L
3:04 PM
CDT
5:40 PM
CDT
2h 36m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA6166+1
UA United
E75L
11:55 AM
CDT TB
2:17 PM
CDT
2h 22m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6104cs
EK Emirates
319
8:13 PM
CDT TC
10:43 PM
CDT
2h 30m
M T W T F S S
Prices
CM1331cs
CM Copa
319
8:13 PM
CDT TC
10:43 PM
CDT
2h 30m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1780+3
UA United
320
11:26 PM
CDT TC
1:31 AM+1
CDT
2h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP More options, longer trips
2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Des Moines to Houston
1 carrier, 35 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 35 Flights/wk 804 mi 2h 33m nonstop 62 1-stop hubs

DSM–IAH is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. United Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 804 miles in approximately 2h 33m. Beyond nonstop, 62 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop DSM–IAH service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines Also: CM, EK, NZ 14 319, E75L 2h33-2h36 100% Star Alliance CM, EK, NZ
Aircraft on this route
319 Airbus A319 – CM, UA
320 Airbus A320 – NZ
E75L Embraer E175 Long Wing – UA
E7W Embraer E175 – EK
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (14 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, DSM to IAH direction.
Mon
5
flights
Tue
5
flights
Wed
5
flights
Thu
5
flights
Fri
5
flights
Sat
5
flights
Sun
5
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
5
Nonstop flights
35
Outbound / wk
28
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DSM to IAH.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
62
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~31h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,019
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

Other ways to reach Houston from Des Moines

Nearby airports with service to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Metric DSM→IAH OMA→IAH
Distance from DSM 117 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 6
Weekly flights 35 64
Flight time 2h 33m 2h 22m
Departure OTP 100%
Airports within 200 miles of DSM with service to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
0h
Houston is 0 hours the same as Des Moines.
DSM: CDT · IAH: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Des Moines, it's 6:00 PM in Houston.
Distance & Flight Time
804 mi / 1,293 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 33m to 2h 38m.
Getting from IAH

No direct rail from IAH. The METRO bus 102 (IAH Express) runs to downtown Houston's transit center (60–90 min, $1.25). Taxis to downtown Houston cost $50–70. Ride-hails pick up at the designated Rideshare zones outside baggage claim on the lower level.IAH has five terminals (A–E) connected by an underground tunnel with trams. Terminal D handles international arrivals. Rental car agencies are in a consolidated facility adjacent to Terminal C; a free IAH Connector bus runs between terminals and the rental car center. The Galleria / Uptown area costs $35–50 by ride-hail.

Houston Climate

Humid subtropical climate. Hot, humid, and wet for much of the year. Summers are brutal (33–38°C) with high humidity and near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Severe storms with hail and high winds regularly cause ground stops from April through September. Houston's flooding risk is significant. Heavy rain events, including tropical system remnants, have flooded airport roads, cutting off surface access even when the airport itself remains operational.

Winters are mild (5–18°C) with occasional ice storms. These are rare but highly disruptive when they occur. Hurricane season (June–November) requires monitoring for Gulf storms. October through March has the best flying weather.

DSM–IAH Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Des Moines to Houston route.
Route details
Distance804 mi / 1,293 km
Flight time2h 33m to 2h 38m
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights35 out / 28 return
1-stop connections62 hubs
Origin: DSM
IATA / ICAODSM / KDSM
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr3.1M
Elevation958 ft / 292 m
Destination: IAH
IATA / ICAOIAH / KIAH
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr46.7M
Elevation97 ft / 30 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DSM to IAH flights.
Nonstop flights from Des Moines International Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport take approximately 2h 33m to 2h 38m. The route covers 804 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: United Airlines. Plus 3 codeshare partners.
There are approximately 35 nonstop flights per week from DSM to IAH. The return direction has about 28 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through HOU, OMA, MEM, LEX, STL, DAL, APA, RIL, IND, CVG, ELP, MDW, GUF, SCF, MTJ, MCO, HDN, TEB, RDU, PVU, SAT, TPA, IAD, BWI, TUS, SLC, UDD, PBI, NAS, GCM, BUR, YYC, YEG, YVR, SRQ, SNA, DEN, EWR, LGA, MSP, ORD, DTW, MIA, AUS, DFW, BNA, ATL, PHL, DCA, PHX, MKE, CLT, LAX, OKC, LAS, PDX, CMH, FLL, RSW, MCI, BOS and SEZ. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Yes, return flights from IAH to DSM are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include OMA. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from DSM to IAH

Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines. With 35 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

DSM to IAH Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from DSM to IAH ranges from 2 hours 33 minutes to 2 hours 38 minutes. The route covers a distance of 804 miles (1,293 km). There are approximately 35 weekly flights outbound and 28 return, totaling 63 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

62 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 4 hours via HOU. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Omaha (OMA).