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DSM to CAE: distance & flight time
Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport) → Columbia (Columbia Metropolitan Airport)
862 mi
1,387 km · 749 nm
2h 20m
estimated nonstop flight time
+1h
time difference · heading southeast
See live DSM→CAE fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
862 miles nonstop takes roughly 2h 20m gate to gate, flying southeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 1-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- DSM — Des Moines International Airport · Des Moines, United States
- CAE — Columbia Metropolitan Airport · Columbia, 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 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
Near CAE
- CUB · Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport7 mi away
- MMT · Mc Entire Joint National Guard Base18 mi away
- SSC · Shaw Air Force Base37 mi away
- OGB · Orangeburg Municipal Airport37 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DSM from CAE?
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Columbia (CAE) is 862 miles (1,387 km, 749 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DSM to CAE?
A nonstop flight takes about 2h 20m 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 Des Moines and Columbia?
Columbia is 1 hour ahead of Des Moines.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DSM to CAE?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DSM–CAE that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.