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Des Moines

$79+ Cheap flights from San Francisco to Des Moines (SFO - DSM)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 1/18. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — DSM
Dec 6 — Dec 131
Sat 12/6
Sat 12/13
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Francisco to Des Moines are usually found in September or January, booked 81 days in advance, depart on a Wednesday or Thursday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Des Moines (DSM). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated November 6, 2025.

Most accurate provider

eDreams
3 stars

Most trusted provider

eDreams
3 stars

Round-trip from

$134
(CheapOair)

One-way from

$79
(CheapOair)

Popular in

October

Cheapest in

September

Average price

$515
Provider with most accurate pricing for San Francisco-Des Moines flight deals.
Search Deals
Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for San Francisco-Des Moines flights.
Search Deals
From San Francisco to Des Moines
Search Deals
One-way flight from San Francisco to Des Moines
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 2% potential increase in price ($13 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($15 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in November 2025
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Find flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines

Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Des Moines
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Francisco to Des Moines. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on November 6, 2025.

This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/4. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 12/86:30 amSFO - DSM
1 stop10h 33mFrontier
Fri 12/127:58 pmDSM - SFO
1 stop6h 26mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$134
This CheapOair deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/4. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure CheapOair is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 11/216:32 amSFO - DSM
1 stop10h 06mFrontier
Sun 11/238:19 pmDSM - SFO
1 stop13h 49mFrontier
Deal found 11/4$258
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 12/196:24 amSFO - DSM
1 stop11h 20mFrontier
Sat 1/38:29 pmDSM - SFO
2 stops51h 34mFrontier
Deal found 11/6$329
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 12/268:43 amSFO - DSM
2 stops33h 01mFrontier
Tue 12/302:35 pmDSM - SFO
1 stop11h 49mFrontier
Deal found 11/6$356
This Trip.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Trip.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 11/216:32 amSFO - DSM
1 stop10h 06mFrontier
Tue 11/257:46 pmDSM - SFO
1 stop6h 38mFrontier
Deal found 11/6$371
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 12/312:25 amSFO - DSM
1 stop10h 54mAmerican Airlines
Sat 12/65:21 amDSM - SFO
1 stop15h 53mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/6$372
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/5. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 12/411:56 amSFO - DSM
1 stop7h 19mDelta
Wed 12/102:59 pmDSM - SFO
1 stop7h 29mDelta
Deal found 11/5$377
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Southwest is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 12/49:25 amSFO - DSM
2 stops8h 30mSouthwest
Sat 12/65:25 amDSM - SFO
1 stop6h 05mSouthwest
Deal found 11/6$387
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/5. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 12/312:25 amSFO - DSM
1 stop10h 54mAmerican Airlines
Sun 12/75:10 amDSM - SFO
1 stop12h 57mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/5$390
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/6. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 12/79:15 amSFO - DSM
1 stop12h 44mAmerican Airlines
Tue 12/95:40 amDSM - SFO
1 stop7h 46mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/6$391

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from San Francisco to Des Moines that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated November 6, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Des Moines that are best for you.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Des Moines

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Mon 12/8

6:30 am-7:03 pm

1 stop10h 33m

Des Moines

Fri 12/12

7:58 pm-12:24 am

1 stop6h 26m

$134

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Wed 12/24

9:30 pm-11:30 am

2 stops36h 00m

Des Moines

Tue 12/30

2:35 pm-12:24 am

1 stop11h 49m

$390

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Thu 12/4

7:25 am-7:55 pm

2 stops10h 30m

Des Moines

Sat 12/6

5:25 am-1:40 pm

2 stops10h 15m

$392

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Sun 12/7

9:25 am-9:00 pm

2 stops9h 35m

Des Moines

Tue 12/9

12:05 pm-5:25 pm

1 stop7h 20m

$412

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Sun 12/7

12:30 am-10:21 am

1 stop7h 51m

Des Moines

Fri 12/12

11:01 am-6:04 pm

1 stop9h 03m

$417

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Wed 12/24

6:00 am-2:10 pm

1 stop6h 10m

Des Moines

Mon 12/29

8:29 pm-12:24 am

1 stop29h 55m

$425

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Mon 12/8

7:40 am-7:55 pm

2 stops10h 15m

Des Moines

Fri 12/12

8:00 am-3:20 pm

2 stops9h 20m

$427

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Sun 1/18

4:07 pm-7:31 pm

1 stop25h 24m

$79

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Thu 11/27

2:54 pm-7:01 pm

1 stop26h 07m

$109

San FranciscoDes Moines

SFO - DSM

SFODSM

San Francisco

Thu 11/13

12:43 pm-1:49 pm

1 stop23h 06m

$117

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 11/6

Showing 1-10 of 17 results
1
2

Compare providers for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

Provider information is updated monthly. Please note that these providers often have deals for this flight, but the availability may vary on a day-by-day basis on Cheapflights.
Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines in November.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*1 star
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
PricelinePrice Accuracy1 starTrust Score*3 stars

*The Trust Score is based on feedback from users after their booking experience. It measures overall satisfaction, helping us identify issues like hidden fees, problems during the ticketing process, and the quality of customer service. This score is our best indicator of the provider's quality and reliability.

  • Most accurate provider: When it comes to deals on San Francisco-Des Moines flights, users find the pricing of eDreams to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. eDreams Users can find the same prices on San Francisco-Des Moines flight deals on Cheapflights vs. eDreams >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from San Francisco-Des Moines flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on San Francisco-Des Moines flights, Cheapflights users trust eDreams the most. eDreams has received a user feedback score of 3 out of 3 stars (3 being the best), meaning they have been trusted the most by Cheapflights users looking for San Francisco-Des Moines flight deals. Provider user feedback score is based on Cheapflights searches over the past month and is updated monthly.

Best time to book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Des Moines from San Francisco with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from San Francisco to Des Moines

How far ahead should I book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Des Moines. Price data was last updated on October 31, 2025.

The best time to book flights from San Francisco to Des Moines is 81 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

Currently, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines (average of $149). Flying from San Francisco to Des Moines in February is currently the most expensive (average of $357). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SFO to DSM?

Find hourly flight availability from San Francisco to Des Moines. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated November 6, 2025.

A simple way to save on the total cost of your ticket is to fly from San Francisco to Des Moines at noon. If you’re flexible enough to do this you can expect to save up to 23% on your trip compared to booking a flight in the morning.

What is the cheapest day to fly from San Francisco to Des Moines?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from San Francisco to Des Moines. Price data was last updated on December 16, 2024.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their San Francisco to Des Moines flight should consider departing on Wednesday evenings when fares are most often at their lowest. Sunday afternoons flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Reviews of airlines servicing Des Moines

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Des Moines. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Des Moines. Reviews last updated November 6, 2025.
Read reviews from past customers who have flown Southwest, Delta, and United Airlines from San Francisco to Des Moines. Users can see the overall rating for each airline as well as how each is rated in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Delta
7.9
Good
8,001 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,007 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
11,040 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.
Frontier
5.8
Fair
3,115 reviews
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,241 reviews

Food

7.0

Entertainment

7.5

Comfort

8.0

Crew

8.6

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Walter,Aug 2025

OAK - SAN

Dozens of flights and I've never seen a row's beverages forgotten. I even went back and asked the attendant to check on them and nothing. I really hope it didn't have something to do with the Black mother with her kid in the row. Otherwise it was a typical Southwest flight, rapid boarding, tolerable leg room.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Francisco to Des Moines. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • How long is the flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    A quick flight from San Francisco to Des Moines can take about 10h 30m. Frontier provides one of the quickest options available for as low as $392. San Francisco and Des Moines are separated by a distance of 1545 mi. When browsing for deals, the options you’ll see will be for both nonstop flights and flights with stops.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from San Francisco to Des Moines round-trip?

    Frontier, at $149, was found to be the cheapest airline from San Francisco to Des Moines.Alternate airlines to your destination round-trip include Delta and American Airlines. Users have found that Frontier is 67% cheaper than the other options available to this destination.

  • Can I find deals for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on San Francisco to Des Moines flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from San Francisco to Des Moines.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    Currently, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines (average of $149). Flying from San Francisco to Des Moines in February is currently the most expensive (average of $357). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Des Moines?

Book flights to Des Moines if you plan to visit one of these locations
Johnston
Altoona
Boone
Ames
West Des Moines
Ankeny

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Top 5 airlines flying from San Francisco to Des Moines

Discover the top 5 airlines that operate flights from San Francisco to Des Moines. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated November 6, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
FrontierCheapest$149Average$331FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time62%
DeltaCheapest$319Average$448FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$341Average$491FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
SouthwestCheapest$356Average$435FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%
United AirlinesCheapest$366Average$527FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%

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