Los Angeles to Des Moines (LAX–DSM) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

LAX Airport Page →
1,444 mi airlines 14/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 5 flights Verified 54m ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
AA4971
AA American
E75
12:39 PM
PDT
6:17 PM
CDT
3h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5011
AA American
E75
2:03 PM
PDT T4
7:11 PM
CDT
3h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA6246
AA American
E75
5:45 AM
CDT
7:43 AM
PDT
3h 58m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4971
AA American
E75
6:47 PM
CDT
8:45 PM
PDT
3h 58m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5011
AA American
E75
7:42 PM
CDT
9:30 PM
PDT
3h 48m
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
Los Angeles to Des Moines
1 carrier, 14 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 14 Flights/wk 1,444 mi 3h 8m nonstop +2h ahead 63 1-stop hubs

LAX–DSM is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. American Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 1,444 miles in approximately 3h 8m. Beyond nonstop, 63 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop LAX–DSM service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
AA American Airlines 14 E75 3h08-3h38 76% Oneworld
Aircraft on this route
E75 Embraer E175 – AA
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA (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, LAX to DSM direction.
Mon
2
flights
Tue
2
flights
Wed
2
flights
Thu
2
flights
Fri
2
flights
Sat
2
flights
Sun
2
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
14
Outbound / wk
15
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for LAX to DSM.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
63
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~30h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,877
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 Des Moines from Los Angeles

Nearby airports with service to Des Moines International Airport.
Metric LAX→DSM BUR→DSM SNA→DSM
Distance from LAX 18 mi 36 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 1 3
Weekly flights 14 2 5
Flight time 3h 8m 3h 26m 3h 17m
Departure OTP 76%
Airports within 200 miles of LAX with service to Des Moines International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+2h
Des Moines is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
LAX: PDT · DSM: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Los Angeles, it's 8:00 PM in Des Moines.
Distance & Flight Time
1,444 mi / 2,324 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 3h 8m to 3h 38m.
Getting to LAX

FlyAway bus runs from Van Nuys and Union Station ($9.75, 30–50 min depending on traffic). LA Metro C Line connects to Aviation/LAX station; a free shuttle covers the last mile to terminals. Ride-shares cost $20–50 from downtown. Long-term parking lots A/B are walkable; remote Lot E requires a shuttle.

LAX–DSM Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Los Angeles to Des Moines route.
Route details
Distance1,444 mi / 2,324 km
Flight time3h 8m to 3h 38m
Time difference+2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights14 out / 15 return
1-stop connections63 hubs
Origin: LAX
IATA / ICAOLAX / KLAX
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr76.6M
Elevation125 ft / 38 m
Destination: DSM
IATA / ICAODSM / KDSM
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr3.1M
Elevation958 ft / 292 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about LAX to DSM flights.
Nonstop flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Des Moines International Airport take approximately 3h 8m to 3h 38m. The route covers 1,444 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: American Airlines.
There are approximately 14 nonstop flights per week from LAX to DSM. The return direction has about 15 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through UDD, RIL, TEX, SCF, COS, DAL, APA, PRB, BUR, PSP, OMA, LNK, MKE, YIP, STL, HOU, MEM, MSL, CVG, MZT, YVR, SBN, AGS, CLE, GMU, YYZ, RDU, MSY, TEB, IAD, NAS, PIT, PIE, MCO, APF, PBI, RSW, BWI, GCM, LGA, SJO, PHL, MIA, IAH, SNA, DTW, MSP, DEN, MDW, PHX, ORD, CLT, LAS, BNA, DFW, ATL, AUS, PDX, FLL, BOS, DCA, EWR and JWN. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Des Moines is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles.
Yes, return flights from DSM to LAX are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include BUR, SNA and PSP. 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 LAX to DSM

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Des Moines International Airport (DSM) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines. With 14 weekly departures, this is a well served route.

LAX to DSM Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from LAX to DSM ranges from 3 hours 8 minutes to 3 hours 38 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,444 miles (2,324 km). There are approximately 14 weekly flights outbound and 15 return, totaling 29 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

63 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 4 hours via UDD. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Burbank (BUR), Santa Ana (SNA) and Palm Springs (PSP).