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

View $49 flight on Tue, Dec 9, 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 $97 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

Southwest Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$97 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$97
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $97 found 21 hours ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$107 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$107
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $107 found 21 hours ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Jan 13 - Thu, Jan 15
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$122 Roundtrip, found 2 days ago
$122
Roundtrip
found 2 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Jan 13 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Thu, Jan 15, priced at $122 found 2 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$127 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$127
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $127 found 21 hours ago
American Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$128 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$128
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select American Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $128 found 21 hours ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$134 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$134
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $134 found 21 hours ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 10
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$137 Roundtrip, found 21 hours ago
$137
Roundtrip
found 21 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Dec 9 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Wed, Dec 10, priced at $137 found 21 hours ago
Delta
Wed, Dec 24 - Tue, Jan 6
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$157 Roundtrip, found 6 hours ago
$157
Roundtrip
found 6 hours ago
Select Delta flight, departing Wed, Dec 24 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Tue, Jan 6, priced at $157 found 6 hours ago
Frontier Airlines
Mon, Nov 10 - Thu, Nov 13
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$160 Roundtrip, found 1 day ago
$160
Roundtrip
found 1 day ago
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Mon, Nov 10 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Thu, Nov 13, priced at $160 found 1 day ago
United
Tue, Dec 30 - Thu, Jan 1
DSM
Des Moines
STL
St. Louis
$186 Roundtrip, found 3 days ago
$186
Roundtrip
found 3 days ago
Select United flight, departing Tue, Dec 30 from Des Moines to St. Louis, returning Thu, Jan 1, priced at $186 found 3 days ago

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

August is typically the cheapest month to fly

From $77 - $465 per traveler.

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 $433
STL
Lambert-St. Louis Intl.
Cheapest
Average driving time to city center20 min
Flights from $433
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
$97
Distance
259 mi
Average flight time
1 hour 12 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 December. 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?
Grab a cheap one-way flight from $49 or cheap return flight from $97 from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) with Expedia. Enter your travel dates and sort by "Price (lowest to highest)" to see our cheapest flight offers on this route.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
Planning your trip for December is a good way to save, as it's the cheapest month for flights between DSM and STL. You'll often find the lowest fares during the off-season.
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 Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) to Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
Expedia's filter tool lets you easily compare different airlines, departure times and fares all in one place. Customize the search to your preferences, then sort by "Price (lowest to highest)" to find the carrier with the cheapest DSM to STL flight.
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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*Available to One Key members.