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DET to DSM: distance & flight time
Detroit (Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport) → Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport)
550 mi
885 km · 478 nm
1h 40m
estimated nonstop flight time
-1h
time difference · heading west
See live DET→DSM fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
550 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 40m gate to gate, flying west. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time set-back when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DET — Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport · Detroit, United States
- DSM — Des Moines International Airport · Des Moines, United States
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near DET
- DTW · Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport22 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport10 mi away
- MTC · Selfridge Air National Guard Base Airport17 mi away
- PTK · Oakland County International Airport27 mi away
Near DSM
- OTM · Ottumwa Regional Airport70 mi away
- FOD · Fort Dodge Regional Airport75 mi away
- ALO · Waterloo Regional Airport96 mi away
- CID · The Eastern Iowa Airport104 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DET from DSM?
The flight distance from Detroit (DET) to Des Moines (DSM) is 550 miles (885 km, 478 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DET to DSM?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 40m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
What is the time difference between Detroit and Des Moines?
Des Moines is 1 hour behind Detroit.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DET to DSM?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DET–DSM that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.