Des Moines to San Francisco (DSM–SFO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
DSM–SFO has no scheduled airline service; it is flown by charter / private operators. 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach San Francisco from Des Moines
| Metric | DSM→SFO | CID→SFO | OMA→SFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from DSM | – | 103 mi | 117 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | – | 1 | 9 |
| Weekly flights | – | – | 13 |
| Flight time | 3h 31m | 3h 41m | 3h 18m |
| Departure OTP | 88% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
DSM: CDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Des Moines, it's 4:00 PM in San Francisco.
BART from SFO station (free AirTrain from any terminal to the station) to downtown San Francisco takes 30–40 minutes ($10.45 to Embarcadero). Traffic on 101 can make taxis and ride-hails much slower during peak hours; BART skips all of that. BART also reaches Oakland, Berkeley, and Millbrae for Caltrain connections.Ride-hails from SFO use a dedicated garage pickup area; follow signs. Taxis are metered; downtown SF costs $40–60. Caltrain to the Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose) requires taking BART to Millbrae station for the transfer. Rental cars are at a consolidated facility accessible by AirTrain.
Coastal fog dominates the climate pattern. The thick marine layer ("Karl the Fog") rolls into SFO from the Pacific regularly in summer (June–September), causing significant low-visibility delays even on days that appear sunny inland. Morning fog burns off by afternoon most days, but persistent IFR conditions can last all day. This is the primary flight disruption risk at SFO.
Temperatures are mild year-round (10–20°C) with little seasonal variation. Winters bring rain (December–March) and occasional atmospheric river events that cause brief but intense flooding on the 101. Summers are cool. Pack a light jacket year-round. Wind off the bay affects small aircraft approach paths.
DSM–SFO Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from DSM to SFO
Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are connected through multiple connecting hub airports.
DSM to SFO Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from DSM to SFO is about 3 hours 31 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 1,546 miles (2,488 km).
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Denver, Harry Reid and John Wayne Orange County. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Cedar Rapids (CID), Omaha (OMA) and Sioux City (SUX).