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DSM to DTW: distance & flight time
Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport) → Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport)
532 mi
856 km · 462 nm
1h 37m
estimated nonstop flight time
+1h
time difference · heading east
See live DSM→DTW fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
532 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 37m gate to gate, flying east. 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
- DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport · Detroit, 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 DTW
- YIP · Willow Run Airport9 mi away
- ARB · Ann Arbor Municipal Airport20 mi away
- YQG · Windsor Airport21 mi away
- DET · Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport22 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DSM from DTW?
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Detroit (DTW) is 532 miles (856 km, 462 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DSM to DTW?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 37m 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 Detroit?
Detroit is 1 hour ahead of Des Moines.
What is the cheapest way to fly from DSM to DTW?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DSM–DTW that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.