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 4 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AA6409
AA American
E75
9:00 AM
PDT T4
2:32 PM
CDT
3h 32m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5011
AA American
E75
12:50 PM
PDT
6:25 PM
CDT
3h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA6409
AA American
E75L
3:44 PM
CDT
5:44 PM
PDT
4h
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5011
AA American
E75
6:56 PM
CDT
8:53 PM
PDT
3h 57m
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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Los Angeles to Des Moines
1 carrier, 14 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 14 Flights/wk 1,444 mi 3h 32m nonstop +2h ahead 38 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 32m. Beyond nonstop, 38 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 3h32-3h35 47% 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
14
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for LAX to DSM.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
38
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~26h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,584
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
LAX → DSM
47%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
47%
Arriving
100%
Return
DSM → LAX
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
100%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. LAX delays → DSM delays →

Other ways to reach Des Moines from Los Angeles

Nearby airports with service to Des Moines International Airport.
Metric LAX→DSM SNA→DSM PSP→DSM
Distance from LAX 36 mi 109 mi
Nonstop airlines 1 1 2
Weekly flights 14 4 1
Flight time 3h 32m 3h 16m 2h 50m
Departure OTP 47%
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 32m to 3h 35m.
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 32m to 3h 35m
Time difference+2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights14 out / 14 return
1-stop connections38 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 32m to 3h 35m. 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 14 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through TEX, DAL, OMA, PSP, COS, MKE, SNA, MEM, HOU, STL, CLE, YVR, MSY, PIT, BWI, PIE, TEB, RSW, PBI, SJO, MIA, BNA, IAH, MSP, DEN, DFW, CLT, ORD, PHX, LAS, DTW, MDW, FLL, AUS, ATL, MCO, DCA and LGA. 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 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 32 minutes to 3 hours 35 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,444 miles (2,324 km). There are approximately 14 weekly flights outbound and 14 return, totaling 28 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

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