Des Moines to Chicago (DSM–MDW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

DSM Airport Page →
305 mi airlines 28/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 10 flights Verified 57m ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
WN2128
WN Southwest
7S7
5:30 AM
CDT
6:55 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2845
WN Southwest
7S7
5:35 AM
CDT
6:55 AM
CDT
1h 20m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2131
WN Southwest
7S7
3:15 PM
CDT
4:35 PM
CDT
1h 20m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2849
WN Southwest
738
4:35 PM
CDT
5:55 PM
CDT
1h 20m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN1150
WN Southwest
7S7
10:00 AM
CDT
11:25 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN869
WN Southwest
7S7
10:00 AM
CDT
11:25 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN4248
WN Southwest
7S7
10:05 AM
CDT
11:30 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2387
WN Southwest
737
10:05 AM
CDT
11:30 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2127
WN Southwest
73H
10:20 AM
CDT
11:45 AM
CDT
1h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2062
WN Southwest
7S7
8:50 PM
CDT
10:10 PM
CDT
1h 20m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
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Des Moines to Chicago
1 carrier, 28 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 28 Flights/wk 305 mi 0h 37m nonstop 41 1-stop hubs

DSM–MDW is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Southwest Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 305 miles in approximately 0h 37m. Beyond nonstop, 41 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop DSM–MDW service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
WN Southwest Airlines 27 738, 7S7 1h20-1h25 100%
Aircraft on this route
738 Boeing 737-800 – WN
7S7 Boeing 737 MAX 7 – WN
Alliance coverage
Unaffiliated: WN (27 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 MDW direction.
Mon
4
flights
Tue
4
flights
Wed
4
flights
Thu
4
flights
Fri
4
flights
Sat
3
flights
Sun
4
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
4
Nonstop flights
28
Outbound / wk
20
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DSM to MDW.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
41
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~23h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,466
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.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
DSM → MDW
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
100%
Return
MDW → DSM
0%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
0%
Arriving
100%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. DSM delays → MDW delays →

Other ways to reach Chicago from Des Moines

Nearby airports with service to Chicago Midway International Airport.
Metric DSM→MDW OMA→MDW
Distance from DSM 117 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 3
Weekly flights 28 49
Flight time 0h 37m 1h 22m
Departure OTP 100%
Airports within 200 miles of DSM with service to Chicago Midway International Airport.

Travel Essentials

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

When it's 6:00 PM in Des Moines, it's 6:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
305 mi / 491 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 0h 37m to 1h 25m.

DSM–MDW Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Des Moines to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance305 mi / 491 km
Flight time0h 37m to 1h 25m
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights28 out / 20 return
1-stop connections41 hubs
Origin: DSM
IATA / ICAODSM / KDSM
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr3.1M
Elevation958 ft / 292 m
Destination: MDW
IATA / ICAOMDW / KMDW
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr20.7M
Elevation620 ft / 189 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DSM to MDW flights.
Nonstop flights from Des Moines International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport take approximately 0h 37m to 1h 25m. The route covers 305 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Southwest Airlines.
There are approximately 28 nonstop flights per week from DSM to MDW. The return direction has about 20 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through IND, STL, MEM, CVG, APA, IAD, BWI, HDN, DAL, RIL, MTJ, TEX, PIE, ATW, SLC, SCF, YVR, SNA, IAH, DTW, AUS, BOS, MIA, CLT, RSW, MSP, DEN, DFW, PGD, ATL, ORD, BNA, PHX, SAT, LGA, DCA, MCO, FLL, LAS, LAX and SRQ. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Yes, return flights from MDW 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 MDW

Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are connected by nonstop service from Southwest Airlines. With 28 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

DSM to MDW Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from DSM to MDW ranges from 0 hours 37 minutes to 1 hours 25 minutes. The route covers a distance of 305 miles (491 km). There are approximately 28 weekly flights outbound and 20 return, totaling 48 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

41 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 3 hours via IND. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Omaha (OMA).