Des Moines International Airport
Des Moines, United StatesDSM / KDSM
Regional airport · 50 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 9,003 ft
52 °F · Partly cloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Des Moines → Chicago
DSM
Des MoinesDes Moines International Airport
Des MoinesDes Moines International AirportRFDChicagoChicago Rockford International Airport
ChicagoChicago Rockford International Airport- Distance
- 239 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h
Same local time in Des Moines and Chicago.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Daily at most
On average around 1 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 1
- flights per day
- 1
- busiest month · Dec
- 42 min
- measured flight time
- 3 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- –Jan2026
- –Feb
- –Mar
- –Apr
- –May
- –Jun
- 1Jul
- –Aug
- 1Sep
- –Oct2025
- –Nov
- 1Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
UPS Airlinesnow 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
- 0Mon
- 0Tue
- 0Wed
- 0Thu
- 0Fri
- 0Sat
- 0Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Airbus A300-600A30650%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| February 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| March 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| April 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| May 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| June 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| July 2026 | 1 | 4 |
|
| August 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| September 2026 | 1 | 2 |
|
| October 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| November 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| December 2025 | 1 | 2 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on DSM-RFD - 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: 61.
The airports on this route
Chicago Rockford International Airport
Chicago, United StatesRFD / KRFD
Regional airport · 61 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 10,003 ft
51 °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.
About the route from Des Moines to Chicago
The observed direct connection between Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) covers approximately 239 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h. UPS Airlines has 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 Rockford International Airport is approximately 239 mi.
- How long is the flight from Des Moines to Chicago?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Des Moines to Chicago?
- Yes, a direct connection between DSM and RFD has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: UPS Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Des Moines to Chicago?
- On average around 1 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 8 observed flights. Mainly UPS Airlines. 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.