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

IAH Airport Page →
804 mi airlines 28/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 8 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
UA1780
UA United
320
12:11 AM
CDT TE
2:36 AM
CDT
2h 25m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA6166
UA United
E7W
12:01 PM
CDT TB
2:18 PM
CDT
2h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6104
EK Emirates
320
8:17 PM
CDT TC
10:44 PM
CDT
2h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
CM1331
CM Copa
320
8:17 PM
CDT TE
10:44 PM
CDT
2h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
CM1337
CM Copa
320
7:00 AM
CDT
9:38 AM
CDT
2h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1982
UA United
320
7:38 AM
CDT
11:05 AM
CDT
3h 27m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6059
EK Emirates
E7W
2:59 PM
CDT
5:37 PM
CDT
2h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA6117
UA United
E7W
2:59 PM
CDT
5:37 PM
CDT
2h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Houston to Des Moines
3 carriers, 28 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines 28 Flights/wk 804 mi 2h 17m nonstop 35 1-stop hubs

IAH–DSM is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Copa Airlines and Emirates lead the route. The flight covers 804 miles in approximately 2h 17m. Beyond nonstop, 35 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop IAH–DSM service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 14 320, E7W 2h17-2h25 100% Star Alliance
CM Copa Airlines 7 320 2h27 100% Star Alliance
EK Emirates 7 320 2h27 100%
Aircraft on this route
320 Airbus A320 – CM, EK, UA
E7W Embraer E175 – UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: CM + UA (21 flights/wk, 75%)
Unaffiliated: EK (7 flights/wk, 25%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, IAH to DSM direction.
Mon
4
flights
Tue
4
flights
Wed
4
flights
Thu
4
flights
Fri
4
flights
Sat
4
flights
Sun
4
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
4
Nonstop flights
28
Outbound / wk
28
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for IAH to DSM.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
35
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~25h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,926
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
IAH → DSM
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
100%
Return
DSM → IAH
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
59%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. IAH delays → DSM delays →

Other ways to reach Des Moines from Houston

Nearby airports with service to Des Moines International Airport.
Metric IAH→DSM HOU→DSM AUS→DSM
Distance from IAH 24 mi 140 mi
Nonstop airlines 3 1 1
Weekly flights 28 1 4
Flight time 2h 17m 1h 49m 2h 9m
Departure OTP 100%
Airports within 200 miles of IAH with service to Des Moines International Airport.

Travel Essentials

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

When it's 6:00 PM in Houston, it's 6:00 PM in Des Moines.
Distance & Flight Time
804 mi / 1,293 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 17m to 2h 27m.
Getting to IAH

IAH has no direct rail link to downtown Houston. The IAH Express bus runs from Houston Amtrak/Greyhound station via Park & Ride to Terminal C (60–90 min, $1.25 with METRO Q card). This is the only transit option; Houston's rail network does not reach the airport.Taxis from downtown Houston cost $50–70 and take 40–60 minutes. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) are typically $35–55. IAH sits 23 miles north of downtown on the North Freeway (I-45); traffic is heavy during morning and evening rush. Remote economy parking lots serve all terminals via shuttle.

IAH–DSM Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Houston to Des Moines route.
Route details
Distance804 mi / 1,293 km
Flight time2h 17m to 2h 27m
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights28 out / 28 return
1-stop connections35 hubs
Origin: IAH
IATA / ICAOIAH / KIAH
TimezoneAmerica/Indiana/Tell_City
Passengers/yr46.7M
Elevation97 ft / 30 m
Destination: DSM
IATA / ICAODSM / KDSM
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr3.1M
Elevation958 ft / 292 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about IAH to DSM flights.
Nonstop flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Des Moines International Airport take approximately 2h 17m to 2h 27m. The route covers 804 miles.
3 airlines operate nonstop service: Copa Airlines, Emirates and United Airlines.
There are approximately 28 nonstop flights per week from IAH to DSM. The return direction has about 28 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through DAL, OMA, MEM, MKE, STL, MSY, COS, SFB, PIT, BWI, PBI, PSP, YVR, MIA, DEN, DTW, BNA, ORD, FLL, DFW, RSW, MSP, DCA, LAX, MCO, CLT, LAS, ATL, MDW, PHX, AUS, LGA, SNA, SJO and SRQ. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Yes, return flights from DSM to IAH are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include HOU and AUS. 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 IAH to DSM

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Des Moines International Airport (DSM) are connected by nonstop service from Copa Airlines, Emirates and United Airlines. With 28 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

IAH to DSM Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from IAH to DSM ranges from 2 hours 17 minutes to 2 hours 27 minutes. The route covers a distance of 804 miles (1,293 km). There are approximately 28 weekly flights outbound and 28 return, totaling 56 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

35 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 3 hours via DAL. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Houston (HOU) and Austin (AUS).