Need help booking?
Unpublished phone-only deals available
SMF to DSM: distance & flight time
Sacramento (Sacramento International Airport) → Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport)
1,482 mi
2,385 km · 1,288 nm
3h 41m
estimated nonstop flight time
+2h
time difference · heading east
See live SMF→DSM fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
1,482 miles nonstop takes roughly 3h 41m gate to gate, flying east. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Remember to factor the 2-hour time gain when reading arrival times on your ticket.
The two airports
- SMF — Sacramento International Airport · Sacramento, 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 SMF
- MCC · Mc Clellan Airfield10 mi away
- SAC · Sacramento Executive Airport14 mi away
- MHR · Sacramento Mather Airport19 mi away
- MYV · Yuba County Airport28 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 SMF from DSM?
The flight distance from Sacramento (SMF) to Des Moines (DSM) is 1,482 miles (2,385 km, 1,288 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SMF to DSM?
A nonstop flight takes about 3h 41m 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 Sacramento and Des Moines?
Des Moines is 2 hours ahead of Sacramento.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SMF to DSM?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SMF–DSM that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.