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Des Moines

$232+ Cheap flights from San José (SJO) to Des Moines (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 3/4. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SJO — DSM
Feb 20 — Feb 271
Fri 2/20
Fri 2/27
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from San José to Des Moines

Cheapest flights from San José to Des Moines
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San José to Des Moines. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on January 21, 2026.

This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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.
Mon 3/1612:24 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop23h 09m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 3/1910:40 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop25h 02m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/21$553
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/267:55 am
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops27h 05m
United Airlines
Tue 9/158:00 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop29h 26m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/21$567
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 8/262:15 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop8h 30m
American Airlines
Wed 9/165:25 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop13h 25m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/21$576
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 8/271:30 pm
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops23h 41m
United Airlines
Wed 9/163:15 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops22h 11m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/21$580
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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.
Tue 8/251:21 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop8h 05m
Delta
Sun 9/135:45 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop7h 09m
Delta
Deal found 1/21$588
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/20. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 2/56:30 am
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop16h 00m
United Airlines
Sun 2/88:10 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop12h 29m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/20$594
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 8/267:55 am
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops25h 25m
United Airlines
Sat 9/196:45 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops25h 52m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/21$601
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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.
Mon 8/241:21 pm
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops18h 58m
Delta
Sun 9/135:25 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops19h 29m
Delta
Deal found 1/21$609
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/281:30 pm
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops21h 30m
United Airlines
Tue 9/158:00 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop12h 37m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/21$618
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/297:55 am
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops27h 05m
United Airlines
Wed 9/168:00 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop12h 37m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/21$629
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/21. 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.
Mon 8/241:21 pm
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops18h 58m
Delta
Sat 9/195:35 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops19h 19m
Delta
Deal found 1/21$630

Find flight deals from San José to Des Moines

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San José (SJO) 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 January 21, 2026.

Most accurate provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Most trusted provider

FlightHub
1 star

Round-trip from

$553
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$232
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

April

Cheapest in

July

Average price

$679
Provider with most accurate pricing for San José Juan Santamaria Intl-Des Moines flight deals.
Search Deals
Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for San José Juan Santamaria Intl-Des Moines flights.
Search Deals
From San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Des Moines
Search Deals
One-way flight from San José Juan Santamaria Intl to Des Moines
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($33 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($14 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in January 2026
Search Deals

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from San José 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 January 21, 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San José to Des Moines that are best for you.

Fly from

San José

Fly to

Des Moines

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Mon 3/16

12:24 pm-12:33 pm

1 stop23h 09m

Des Moines

Thu 3/19

10:40 am-10:42 am

1 stop25h 02m

$553

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Thu 2/5

6:30 am-10:30 pm

1 stop16h 00m

Des Moines

Sun 2/8

6:48 pm-12:56 pm

1 stop18h 08m

$594

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Mon 4/27

11:13 am-2:25 pm

2 stops26h 12m

Des Moines

Thu 4/30

11:40 am-12:21 pm

2 stops25h 41m

$609

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Mon 3/16

7:45 am-2:22 pm

2 stops29h 37m

Des Moines

Thu 3/19

7:15 am-7:39 pm

1 stop13h 24m

$609

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 3/4

12:35 pm-6:42 pm

2 stops30h 07m

$232

San JoséDes Moines

SJO - DSM

SJODSM

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 3/4

12:35 pm-10:20 pm

1 stop9h 45m

$307

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 1/20

  • Most accurate provider: When it comes to deals on San José-Des Moines flights, users find the pricing of FlightHub to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub Users can find the same prices on San José-Des Moines flight deals on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from San José-Des Moines flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on San José-Des Moines flights, Cheapflights users trust FlightHub the most. FlightHub 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 José-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 José to Des Moines

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Des Moines from San José 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.

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 January 21, 2026.
Read reviews from past customers who have flown United Airlines and American Airlines from San José 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.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,191 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Crew

8.1

Overall

7.4

Entertainment

7.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dane,Jan 2026

TYS - IAD

It was a short flight, so no time for amenities. Just glad everything was quick and easy from boarding to arriving at my destination with my family
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,191 reviews
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,191 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Crew

8.1

Overall

7.4

Entertainment

7.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dane,Jan 2026

TYS - IAD

It was a short flight, so no time for amenities. Just glad everything was quick and easy from boarding to arriving at my destination with my family
American Airlines
7.2
Good
11,174 reviews
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,191 reviews

Boarding

7.7

Crew

8.1

Overall

7.4

Entertainment

7.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Dane,Jan 2026

TYS - IAD

It was a short flight, so no time for amenities. Just glad everything was quick and easy from boarding to arriving at my destination with my family

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San José 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 José to Des Moines?

    For as low as $594, United Airlines can have you in Des Moines from San José in 16h. There are 2253 mi between San José and Des Moines.

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

    Cheapflights users have booked flights from San José to Des Moines round-trip from $495. Another airline that can offer you cheap pricing is American Airlines. You may be able to fly from San José to Des Moines for 20% less than the average price by searching for these airlines.

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

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

  • How can I find direct flights from San José 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 José to Des Moines.

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San José 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.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Des Moines?

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

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Alternative routes for San José to Des Moines

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Top 2 airlines flying from San José to Des Moines

Discover the top 2 airlines that operate flights from San José 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 January 21, 2026.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
United AirlinesCheapest$495Average$670FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
American AirlinesCheapest$510Average$609FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%

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