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

View $49 flight on Mon, Sep 29, 2025Opens in a new window

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

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

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
Thu, Aug 14 - Mon, Aug 18
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$97 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$97
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Thu, Aug 14 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Mon, Aug 18, priced at $97 found 5 days ago
American Airlines
Thu, Aug 14 - Mon, Aug 18
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$129 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$129
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select American Airlines flight, departing Thu, Aug 14 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Mon, Aug 18, priced at $129 found 5 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Mon, Oct 6 - Wed, Oct 8
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$150 Roundtrip, found 2 days ago
$150
Roundtrip
found 2 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Mon, Oct 6 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Wed, Oct 8, priced at $150 found 2 days ago
United
Mon, Oct 6 - Wed, Oct 8
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$155 Roundtrip, found 2 days ago
$155
Roundtrip
found 2 days ago
Select United flight, departing Mon, Oct 6 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Wed, Oct 8, priced at $155 found 2 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Thu, Aug 14 - Mon, Aug 18
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$157 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$157
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Thu, Aug 14 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Mon, Aug 18, priced at $157 found 5 days ago
American Airlines
Wed, Aug 13 - Thu, Aug 14
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$159 Roundtrip, found 19 hours ago
$159
Roundtrip
found 19 hours ago
Select American Airlines flight, departing Wed, Aug 13 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Thu, Aug 14, priced at $159 found 19 hours ago
United
Tue, Aug 12 - Thu, Aug 14
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$159 Roundtrip, found 1 day ago
$159
Roundtrip
found 1 day ago
Select United flight, departing Tue, Aug 12 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Thu, Aug 14, priced at $159 found 1 day ago
United
Wed, Aug 13 - Thu, Aug 14
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$160 Roundtrip, found 19 hours ago
$160
Roundtrip
found 19 hours ago
Select United flight, departing Wed, Aug 13 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Thu, Aug 14, priced at $160 found 19 hours ago
Delta
Tue, Aug 26 - Wed, Sep 3
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$167 Roundtrip, found 1 hour ago
$167
Roundtrip
found 1 hour ago
Select Delta flight, departing Tue, Aug 26 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Wed, Sep 3, priced at $167 found 1 hour ago
Frontier Airlines
Sun, Oct 19 - Fri, Oct 31
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$284 Roundtrip, found 4 days ago
$284
Roundtrip
found 4 days ago
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Sun, Oct 19 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Fri, Oct 31, priced at $284 found 4 days ago

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

May is typically the cheapest month to fly

From $97 - $489 per traveler.

Graph displaying average flight prices per month

Alternative airports near Des Moines

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

Select flight to Des Moines Intl. DSM. Cheapest and Closest option available. Average driving time to city center is 10 minutes. Flights from $393
DSM
Des Moines Intl.
CheapestClosest
Average driving time to city center10 min
Flights from $393
Flights from St. Louis (STL) to Des Moines (DSM)
Origin airport
Lambert-St. Louis Intl.
Destination airport
Des Moines Intl.
Airlines serving
American Airlines, Delta, Southwest Airlines, United
Roundtrip price
$97
Distance
259 mi
Average flight time
1 hour 10 mins

St. Louis to Des Moines Flights

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

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 St. Louis to Des Moines are during the month of August. You can find some of the cheapest flights from St. Louis to Des Moines with Expedia's search tool and vast selection of airlines.

 

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

Sunday is one of the best days to book for cheap flights from St. Louis to Des Moines: 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 St. Louis to Des Moines

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 St. Louis to Des Moines 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 St. Louis to Des Moines 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 St. Louis to Des Moines 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 Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) cost?
You can book cheap return tickets starting from $183 from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM). 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 STL on July 19 2025 and touching down at DSM. The price was last updated on July 8 2025 and has not changed since.
What is the cheapest month to fly from STL to DSM?
The cheapest flights from STL to DSM 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 Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
If you're departing from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL), you can catch a nonstop flight to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) with Southwest Airlines.
What is the cheapest airline that flies from STL to DSM?
Currently, the cheapest airline operating one-way flights from STL to DSM is Southwest Airlines. You can jet off on this route from $49. This fare is based on the lowest price found on Expedia departing within the next three months. The flight takes off from STL on August 11 2025. Prices were last updated on July 8 2025 and have not changed since.
How many flights per day from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
On average, just 1 nonstop flight departs each day from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM). Want additional options? Use our filters to discover flights with layovers and explore a new city along the way.
What are the most popular departure times for flights from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
Flights between STL and DSM tend to be busiest at 11 AM. If you'd like a less crowded experience and potentially cheaper tickets, choose a time when demand is lower.
What day of the week has the most flights from STL to DSM?
If you travel on a Friday, you'll get the biggest range of choices for flights from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM).
What is the earliest flight from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
The first flight of the day out of Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) is at around 9:25AM UTC-6. Catch this flight and you'll reach Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) at approximately 10:35AM UTC-6. The entire trip takes 1h 10m.
How long does it take to fly from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
Typically, it takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to cover the 260 mi from STL to DSM.
What airline has the least delays from STL to DSM?
Southwest Airlines has the strongest track record for on-time direct flights from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM), with an on-time score of 83%. Use the Expedia App to look up your journey status before you go and receive notifications about any changes.
What is the best time to fly from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
To avoid potential delays on the Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) route, 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 Des Moines from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL)?
Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) is the only airport in Des Moines with direct flights from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL). Explore the options and find affordable fares on Expedia.
Is it cheaper to buy a plane ticket from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) last-minute?
Last-minute bookings from STL to DSM are usually more expensive. For the best rates, start searching for flights as soon as possible. That being said, if you're flexible with your travel dates, it's possible to land a cheap fare right before your journey.
Is it cheaper to book a STL to DSM flight and hotel package?
Opting for a STL to DSM flight and hotel package tends to be cheaper than booking separately. With Expedia, you can enjoy the ease of organizing your trip in one place. Choose from our wide range of stays and then add flights, car rentals and activities to your booking. Bundle it all together, and you could save hundreds of dollars.
Can I cancel or change the date of my flight from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
If you booked your STL to DSM flight in the last 24 hours, you may be able to modify or cancel it without any fees. Depending on the airline and the fare type you purchased, additional charges may apply for changes beyond this timeframe. Airline policies and contact information can be found in your itinerary or confirmation email. Or, go to our Customer Service portal for further details.

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*Available to One Key members.