$80 Cheap Flights from St. Louis (STL) to Des Moines (DSM)

View $80 flight on Tue, Sep 30, 2025Opens in a new window

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

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

Prices were available within the past 7 days and start at $80 for one-way flights and $133 for round trip, for the period specified. Prices and availability are subject to change. Additional terms apply.

Southwest Airlines
Wed, Sep 10 - Fri, Sep 12
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$133 Roundtrip, found 6 days ago
$133
Roundtrip
found 6 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Wed, Sep 10 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Fri, Sep 12, priced at $133 found 6 days ago
Delta
Sat, Sep 20 - Tue, Sep 23
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$147 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$147
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Delta flight, departing Sat, Sep 20 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Tue, Sep 23, priced at $147 found 5 days ago
United
Sat, Oct 4 - Wed, Oct 8
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$159 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$159
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select United flight, departing Sat, Oct 4 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Wed, Oct 8, priced at $159 found 5 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Wed, Sep 10 - Fri, Sep 12
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$163 Roundtrip, found 6 days ago
$163
Roundtrip
found 6 days ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Wed, Sep 10 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Fri, Sep 12, priced at $163 found 6 days ago
United
Sat, Sep 20 - Tue, Sep 23
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$171 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$171
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select United flight, departing Sat, Sep 20 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Tue, Sep 23, priced at $171 found 5 days ago
United
Sat, Oct 4 - Wed, Oct 8
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$178 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$178
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select United flight, departing Sat, Oct 4 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Wed, Oct 8, priced at $178 found 5 days ago
Delta
Sat, Sep 20 - Tue, Sep 23
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$183 Roundtrip, found 5 days ago
$183
Roundtrip
found 5 days ago
Select Delta flight, departing Sat, Sep 20 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Tue, Sep 23, priced at $183 found 5 days ago
Frontier Airlines
Wed, Aug 27 - Sun, Aug 31
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$198 Roundtrip, found 3 days ago
$198
Roundtrip
found 3 days ago
Select Frontier Airlines flight, departing Wed, Aug 27 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Sun, Aug 31, priced at $198 found 3 days ago
Southwest Airlines
Tue, Oct 7 - Tue, Oct 14
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$209 Roundtrip, found 20 hours ago
$209
Roundtrip
found 20 hours ago
Select Southwest Airlines flight, departing Tue, Oct 7 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Tue, Oct 14, priced at $209 found 20 hours ago
American Airlines
Tue, Oct 7 - Tue, Oct 14
STL
St. Louis
DSM
Des Moines
$219 Roundtrip, found 20 hours ago
$219
Roundtrip
found 20 hours ago
Select American Airlines flight, departing Tue, Oct 7 from St. Louis to Des Moines, returning Tue, Oct 14, priced at $219 found 20 hours ago

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

October is typically the cheapest month to fly

From $97 - $487 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 $336
DSM
Des Moines Intl.
CheapestClosest
Average driving time to city center10 min
Flights from $336
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, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United
Roundtrip price
$133
Distance
259 mi
Average flight time
1 hour 6 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 September. 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 $80 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?
Secure a cheap one-way flight from $80 or cheap return flight from $133 from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM) with Expedia. Enter your travel dates and sort by "Price (lowest to highest)" to see our cheapest flight deals on this route.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
The cheapest month to fly from STL to DSM is September, when there's less demand. Off-peak season is generally when airlines offer better prices between these airports.
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 Lambert-St. Louis Intl. Airport (STL) to Des Moines Intl. Airport (DSM)?
To find the cheapest airline flying from STL to DSM, use Expedia's filter tool. Customize your search based on what's important to you, such as preferred carriers and cabin class. You can then sort your results by "Price (lowest to highest)" to discover the cheapest flight right away.
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.