Des Moines International Airport
Des Moines, United StatesDSM / KDSM
Regional airport · 50 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 9,003 ft
52 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Des Moines → Chicago
DSM
Des MoinesDes Moines International Airport
Des MoinesDes Moines International AirportORDChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport
ChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport- Distance
- 298 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h 5m
Same local time in Des Moines and Chicago.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Several times a day
On average around 9 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 9
- flights per day
- 12
- busiest month · Apr
- 7
- quietest month · Jan
- 54 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 7Jan2026
- 8Feb
- 9Mar
- 12Apr
- 11May
- 10Jun
- 9Jul
- 9Aug
- 10Sep
- 9Oct2025
- 9Nov
- 8Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
SkyWest Airlinesall year
United Airlinesall year
Republic Airwaysall year
Envoy Airall year
American Airlinesall year
GoJet Airlines LLCspring
FedExnow and then
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Des Moines. Most departures between 06:00 and 09:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 8.9Mon
- 8.8Tue
- 9.1Wed
- 8.8Thu
- 9.6Fri
- 9Sat
- 9.1Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Embraer 175E75L29%
- Bombardier CRJ700CRJ728%
- Airbus A319A31917%
- Embraer 170E1707%
- Airbus A320A3203%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 7 | 209 |
|
| February 2026 | 8 | 233 |
|
| March 2026 | 9 | 283 |
|
| April 2026 | 12 | 340 |
|
| May 2026 | 11 | 325 |
|
| June 2026 | 10 | 284 |
|
| July 2026 | 9 | 276 |
|
| August 2026 | 9 | 262 |
|
| September 2026 | 10 | 302 |
|
| October 2025 | 9 | 280 |
|
| November 2025 | 9 | 238 |
|
| December 2025 | 8 | 229 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on DSM-ORD - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Domestic route: both airports are in the same country.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Des Moines: 50.
- Direct destinations observed from Chicago: 259.
The airports on this route
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Chicago, United StatesORD / KORD
International hub · 259 direct destinations · 8 runways · longest runway 12,999 ft
55 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
DSM MDWChicago Midway International AirportChicago is about 16 mi from Chicago.View route →DSM GYYGary/Chicago International AirportGary is about 35 mi from Chicago.View route →DSM RFDChicago Rockford International AirportChicago is about 63 mi from Chicago.View route →DSM MKEGeneral Mitchell International AirportMilwaukee is about 67 mi from Chicago.View route →
About the route from Des Moines to Chicago
The observed direct connection between Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) covers approximately 298 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h 5m. American Airlines, Envoy Air, FedEx, GoJet Airlines LLC, Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines and United Airlines have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Des Moines from Chicago by air?
- The great-circle distance between Des Moines International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport is approximately 298 mi.
- How long is the flight from Des Moines to Chicago?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h 5m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Des Moines to Chicago?
- Yes, a direct connection between DSM and ORD has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: American Airlines, Envoy Air, FedEx, GoJet Airlines LLC, Republic Airways, SkyWest Airlines and United Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Des Moines to Chicago?
- On average around 9 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 3,261 observed flights. Mainly SkyWest Airlines, United Airlines, Republic Airways. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Des Moines and Chicago?
- Same local time in Des Moines and Chicago.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.