$49 Cheap Flights from Des Moines (DSM) to St. Louis (STL)

View $49 flight on Thu, Sep 4, 2025Opens in a new window

Popular airlines from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) to St. Louis Lambert Intl. Airport (STL)

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Cheap Flights from Des Moines to St. Louis (DSM-STL)

Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $49 for one-way flights and $112 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

Southwest Airlines
Tue, Sep 23 - Tue, Sep 30
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$112 Roundtrip, found 4 days ago
$112
Roundtrip
found 4 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Sep 23 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Tue, Sep 30, priced at $112 found 4 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Sep 23 - Tue, Sep 30
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$122 Roundtrip, found 4 days ago
$122
Roundtrip
found 4 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Sep 23 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Tue, Sep 30, priced at $122 found 4 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Sep 16 - Fri, Sep 19
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$124 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$124
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Sep 16 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Fri, Sep 19, priced at $124 found 5 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Thu, Sep 4 - Sun, Sep 7
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$124 Roundtrip, found 5 hours ago
$124
Roundtrip
found 5 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Thu, Sep 4 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Sun, Sep 7, priced at $124 found 5 hours ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Sep 16 - Fri, Sep 19
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$129 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$129
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Sep 16 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Fri, Sep 19, priced at $129 found 5 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Wed, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 7
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$134 Roundtrip, found 5 hours ago
$134
Roundtrip
found 5 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Wed, Sep 3 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Sun, Sep 7, priced at $134 found 5 hours ago
United
Sun, Oct 12 - Thu, Oct 16
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$143 Roundtrip, found 6 days ago
$143
Roundtrip
found 6 days ago
Select United flight, departing Sun, Oct 12 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Thu, Oct 16, priced at $143 found 6 days ago
American Airlines
Wed, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 7
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$155 Roundtrip, found 5 hours ago
$155
Roundtrip
found 5 hours ago
Select American Airlines flight, departing Wed, Sep 3 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Sun, Sep 7, priced at $155 found 5 hours ago
Delta
Wed, Sep 3 - Sun, Sep 7
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$159 Roundtrip, found 5 hours ago
$159
Roundtrip
found 5 hours ago
Select Delta flight, departing Wed, Sep 3 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Sun, Sep 7, priced at $159 found 5 hours ago
Frontier Airlines
Sun, Aug 31 - Wed, Sep 17
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$198 Roundtrip, just found
$198
Roundtrip
just found
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Sun, Aug 31 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Sep 17, priced at $198 just found

Find the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines (DSM) to St. Louis (STL)

August is typically the cheapest month to fly

From $77 - $554 per traveler.

Graph displaying average flight prices per month

Alternative airports near St. Louis

Prices were available within the past 7 days. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Select flight to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. STL. Cheapest option available. Average driving time to city center is 20 minutes. Flights from $245
STL
Lambert-St. Louis Intl.
Cheapest
Average driving time to city center20 min
Flights from $245
Flights from Des Moines (DSM) to St. Louis (STL)
Origin airport
Des Moines Intl.
Destination airport
Lambert-St. Louis Intl.
Airlines serving
American Airlines, Delta, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United
Roundtrip price
$112
Distance
259 mi
Average flight time
1 hour 5 mins

Des Moines to St. Louis Flights

The cheapest times to fly from Des Moines to St. Louis

On average, Thursday can be the cheapest time to fly, according to data from the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), one of the world's biggest databases for global airline sales. The data reveals that you could save up to 16% by flying on a Thursday—the cheapest day to travel on average—instead of a Sunday—the most expensive. Some of the most affordable flights from Des Moines to St. Louis are during the month of September. You can find some of the cheapest flights from Des Moines to St. Louis with Expedia's search tool and vast selection of airlines.

 

The best time to book a flight from Des Moines to St. Louis

Sunday is one of the best days to book for cheap flights from Des Moines to St. Louis: Tickets reserved on a Sunday cost between 6% and 13% less than those reserved on a Friday, according to ARC data. The data also suggests booking early can also lead to cheaper airfares. You could save 24% by buying your tickets for domestic flights at least a month in advance and 10% by booking international flights 2 months in advance.

 

How to find cheap round-trip tickets from Des Moines to St. Louis

Being flexible with your dates and using Expedia's Price Drop Protection and Price Tracking features are some of the best ways of finding a cheap ticket from Des Moines to St. Louis in 2025. You can also book with separate airlines for your outbound and return journeys, from $49 one-way. Expedia also offers Price Drop Protection, so if the cost of your airfare goes down after booking, you'll receive a credit for the difference*. This is available for a small fee, and is free to One Key Gold and Platinum tier members.

 

Expedia's Price Tracking feature means you can stay on top of airfares without manually checking every day. It sends you automated price alerts for cheap Des Moines to St. Louis flights and uses historical data to indicate when the best time to book is. Download Expedia's free app to activate this handy tool in a few easy taps.

 

You could also save big by booking one of Expedia's vacation packages. Bundling together your Des Moines to St. Louis airfare with your accommodations and car rental is often cheaper than booking everything separately. There’s also One Key, Expedia's generous rewards program. Join for free and you could earn One Key cash on most bookings to save on future adventures.

 

*Terms apply.

 

Disclaimer: ARC The statistics are based on average round-trip ticket prices between January and August 2023. The percentages you see are averages.

 

Frequently asked questions

How much does a flight from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) cost?
Score cheap return fares from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) starting from $114. Grab your seat and take off on your trip. This information is based on the cheapest price found on Expedia for this return journey departing within the next three months. This airfare is for a Southwest Airlines flight leaving DSM on August 15 2025 and touching down at STL. The price was last updated on July 23 2025 and has not changed since.
What is the cheapest month to fly from DSM to STL?
The cheapest flights from DSM to STL are usually during off-peak season, when demand is lower. To save money, avoid flying during public holidays, school breaks and major local events.
Which airlines fly direct from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
If you're departing from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM), you can jump on a nonstop flight to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) with Southwest Airlines.
What is the cheapest airline that flies from DSM to STL?
Travel from DSM to STL with Southwest Airlines. This airline currently offers the cheapest one-way ticket for this route, starting from $39. This fare is based on the lowest price found on Expedia departing within the next three months. The flight takes off from DSM on August 27 2025. Prices were last updated on July 23 2025 and have not changed since.
How many flights per day from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
On average, there's only 1 direct flight leaving from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) per day. If this doesn't work with your itinerary, consider flights with a layover. Simply filter your search results on Expedia to include one or two stops to discover the next best option.
What are the most popular departure times for flights from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
More passengers fly between DSM and STL at 6 AM than at any other time. Rather skip the crowds? Try choosing a quieter departure window and it's possible you'll save on your fare as well.
What day of the week has the most flights from DSM to STL?
Friday offers the most flights from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL). Consider taking off on this day and you'll have the best chance of finding a departure that fits your schedule.
What is the earliest flight from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
The earliest flight taking off from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) is at around 6:10AM UTC-6. Board this flight and you'll land at Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) at approximately 7:30AM UTC-6. The entire trip takes 1h 20m.
How long does it take to fly from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
It takes roughly 1 hour and 17 minutes to fly the 260 mi from DSM to STL.
What airline has the least delays from DSM to STL?
With 85% of journeys generally arriving on time, Southwest Airlines has the best on-time performance for direct flights from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL). To monitor your flight status and get notifications about any changes, simply head to the Expedia App.
What is the best time to fly from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
To avoid potential delays on the Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) route, aim to fly before 3 PM. Later departures have a 22% higher chance of cancellation.**Most reliable time of the day and month to travel recommendation is based on January through August 2024 flight status data sourced from OAG's global flight data platform.
What airports do you fly into for St. Louis from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
Compare your flight options from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL). This is the only airport in St. Louis you can land at if you're taking a direct flight.
Is it cheaper to buy a plane ticket from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) last-minute?
Booking your flight from DSM to STL just before your trip is usually more expensive. However, if you're flexible with your departure dates and times, you could grab a cheap last-minute fare.
Is it cheaper to book a DSM to STL flight and hotel package?
Compared with arranging flights and hotels separately, booking a DSM to STL flight and hotel package with Expedia could result in significant savings. Better still, having everything in one easy place will take the stress out of travel planning. Simply secure your flights and choose from our wide range of hotels, then tailor your trip with extras like tours and car rentals.
Can I cancel or change the date of my flight from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
In most instances, you can reschedule or cancel your DSM to STL flight. However, additional fees may apply, especially if your booking was made over 24 hours ago. Check your itinerary for the airline's fees and guidelines on flight changes, or if you want further details, visit our Customer Service portal.

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