Need help booking?
Unpublished phone-only deals available
SZL to DSM: distance & flight time
Knobnoster (Whiteman Air Force Base) → Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport)
194 mi
312 km · 168 nm
59m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading north
See live SZL→DSM fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
194 miles nonstop takes roughly 59m gate to gate, flying north. 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
- SZL — Whiteman Air Force Base · Knobnoster, 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 SZL
- MKC · Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport62 mi away
- OJC · Johnson County Executive Airport65 mi away
- AIZ · Lee C Fine Memorial Airport70 mi away
- COU · Columbia Regional Airport72 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 SZL from DSM?
The flight distance from Knobnoster (SZL) to Des Moines (DSM) is 194 miles (312 km, 168 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from SZL to DSM?
A nonstop flight takes about 59m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from SZL to DSM?
Nonstop service on SZL–DSM depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 59m nonstop estimate.
What is the cheapest way to fly from SZL to DSM?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on SZL–DSM that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some SZL to DSM fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain SZL–DSM tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.