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DSM to MSN: distance & flight time
Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport) → Madison (Dane County Regional Truax Field)
247 mi
398 km · 215 nm
1h 7m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading northeast
See live DSM→MSN fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
247 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 7m gate to gate, flying northeast. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Both airports share the same local time, so schedules read exactly as flown.
The two airports
- DSM — Des Moines International Airport · Des Moines, United States
- MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field · Madison, 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 MSN
- JVL · Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport39 mi away
- LNR · Tri-County Regional Airport43 mi away
- FLD · Fond du Lac County Airport61 mi away
- ETB · West Bend Municipal Airport64 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is DSM from MSN?
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Madison (MSN) is 247 miles (398 km, 215 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from DSM to MSN?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 7m 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 cheapest way to fly from DSM to MSN?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on DSM–MSN that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.