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$175+ Cheap flights from Des Moines (DSM) to San José (SJO)

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 11/28. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DSM — SJO
Dec 13 — Dec 201
Sat 12/13
Sat 12/20
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Des Moines to San José Juan Santamaria Intl are usually found in August or November, booked 6 days in advance, depart on a Tuesday or Monday and return on a Tuesday

Cheap flight deals from Des Moines to San José

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Des Moines (DSM) to San José (SJO). 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 13, 2025.

Most accurate provider

eDreams
3 stars

Most trusted provider

eDreams
3 stars

Round-trip from

$382
(Kiwi.com)

One-way from

$175
(Trip.com)

Popular in

July

Cheapest in

August

Average price

$601
Provider with most accurate pricing for Des Moines-San José Juan Santamaria Intl flight deals.
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Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Des Moines-San José Juan Santamaria Intl flights.
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From Des Moines to San José Juan Santamaria Intl
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One-way flight from Des Moines to San José Juan Santamaria Intl
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($38 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($11 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 Des Moines to San José

Cheapest flights from Des Moines to San José
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Des Moines to San José. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on November 13, 2025.

This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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 Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 12/128:00 amDSM - SJO
2 stops27h 42mMultiple Airlines
Fri 12/1912:39 pmSJO - DSM
1 stop10h 06mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/12$389
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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 12/126:50 pmDSM - SJO
1 stop18h 06mUnited Airlines
Fri 12/196:30 amSJO - DSM
1 stop7h 49mUnited Airlines
Deal found 11/12$481
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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.
Fri 12/125:00 amDSM - SJO
1 stop16h 11mAmerican Airlines
Thu 12/1812:34 amSJO - DSM
1 stop10h 13mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/12$518
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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.
Thu 12/45:40 amDSM - SJO
1 stop16h 48mAmerican Airlines
Mon 12/86:00 amSJO - DSM
1 stop16h 29mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/12$522
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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 12/46:50 pmDSM - SJO
2 stops18h 25mUnited Airlines
Mon 12/811:28 pmSJO - DSM
2 stops14h 52mUnited Airlines
Deal found 11/12$626
This Copa Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/13. 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 Copa Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 11/158:02 amDSM - SJO
2 stops23h 31mCopa Airlines
Mon 11/174:08 amSJO - DSM
2 stops13h 17mCopa Airlines
Deal found 11/13$728
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/12. 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.
Thu 12/42:56 pmDSM - SJO
1 stop21h 29mMultiple Airlines
Sun 12/71:30 amSJO - DSM
2 stops17h 08mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 11/12$729
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 11/11. 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 11/132:17 pmDSM - SJO
1 stop7h 50mDelta
Tue 11/187:00 amSJO - DSM
1 stop15h 33mDelta
Deal found 11/11$821

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Des Moines to San José 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 13, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Des Moines to San José that are best for you.

Fly from

Des Moines

Fly to

San José

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sun 2/1

11:35 am-11:43 pm

1 stop12h 08m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 2/11

7:09 am-9:04 pm

1 stop13h 55m

$398

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Wed 1/28

8:00 am-8:39 pm

2 stops12h 39m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 2/4

6:30 am-10:30 pm

1 stop16h 00m

$420

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sun 2/1

6:48 pm-12:56 pm

1 stop18h 08m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 2/11

2:20 pm-10:30 pm

1 stop8h 10m

$420

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Tue 4/7

5:19 am-1:09 pm

1 stop8h 50m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 4/29

1:45 pm-10:40 pm

1 stop7h 55m

$420

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sat 1/3

6:57 pm-12:29 pm

2 stops17h 32m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Fri 1/16

6:00 am-10:11 pm

2 stops16h 11m

$424

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Wed 1/28

8:00 am-8:39 pm

2 stops12h 39m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Tue 2/3

6:30 am-9:50 pm

2 stops15h 20m

$424

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Fri 11/28

7:46 pm-10:19 am

2 stops14h 33m

$175

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sun 1/4

6:30 pm-12:25 pm

1 stop17h 55m

$197

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Mon 1/5

2:07 pm-12:38 pm

1 stop22h 31m

$203

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Mon 1/5

8:00 am-12:25 pm

3 stops52h 25m

$205

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 11/12

Showing 1-10 of 13 results
1
2

Compare providers for flights from Des Moines to San José

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 Des Moines to San José in November.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*1 star
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
AranGrantPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust 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 Des Moines-San José flights, users find the pricing of eDreams to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. eDreams Users can find the same prices on Des Moines-San José flight deals on Cheapflights vs. eDreams >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from Des Moines-San José flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on Des Moines-San José 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 Des Moines-San José 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 Des Moines to San José

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

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from Des Moines to San José. Price data was last updated on November 7, 2025.

The best time to book flights from Des Moines to San José is 2 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 Des Moines to San José?

Currently, April is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to San José (average of $289). Flying from Des Moines to San José in July is currently the most expensive (average of $693). 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 DSM to SJO?

Find hourly flight availability from Des Moines to San José. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated November 13, 2025.

A simple way to save on the total cost of your ticket is to fly from Des Moines to San José in the evening. If you’re flexible enough to do this you can expect to save up to 26% on your trip compared to booking a flight at noon.

Reviews of airlines servicing San José

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San José. 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 San José. Reviews last updated November 13, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from Des Moines to San José, such as Delta, United Airlines, and American Airlines. Reviews also offer insight into each airline's entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Delta
7.9
Good
8,007 reviews

Overall

7.9

Food

7.3

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.9

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Jim,Nov 2025

AVL - ATL

The exit row seats without a seat in front are great for leg room but don’t have a fold out entertainment console so you’re forced to use the screen several feet in front of you (there is, at least, a remote). Best to bring a tablet loaded with entertainment or a book.
Delta
7.9
Good
8,007 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,007 reviews

Overall

7.9

Food

7.3

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.9

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Jim,Nov 2025

AVL - ATL

The exit row seats without a seat in front are great for leg room but don’t have a fold out entertainment console so you’re forced to use the screen several feet in front of you (there is, at least, a remote). Best to bring a tablet loaded with entertainment or a book.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,017 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,007 reviews

Overall

7.9

Food

7.3

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.9

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Jim,Nov 2025

AVL - ATL

The exit row seats without a seat in front are great for leg room but don’t have a fold out entertainment console so you’re forced to use the screen several feet in front of you (there is, at least, a remote). Best to bring a tablet loaded with entertainment or a book.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
11,051 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,007 reviews

Overall

7.9

Food

7.3

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Comfort

7.9

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Jim,Nov 2025

AVL - ATL

The exit row seats without a seat in front are great for leg room but don’t have a fold out entertainment console so you’re forced to use the screen several feet in front of you (there is, at least, a remote). Best to bring a tablet loaded with entertainment or a book.

Related info for your journey

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

    Departing from Des Moines to San José will take you 12h 08m. There are 2253 mi between Des Moines and San José. Both multi-stop and nonstop flights can be found to your destination and back.

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

    Cheapflights users have booked flights from Des Moines to San José round-trip from $289. Other airlines that can offer you cheap pricing are American Airlines, from $509, and United Airlines, from $525. Delta is priced at 57% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Des Moines to San José 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 Des Moines to San José?

    Currently, April is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to San José (average of $289). Flying from Des Moines to San José in July is currently the most expensive (average of $693). 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 San José?

Book flights to San José if you plan to visit one of these locations
Heredia
Manuel Antonio
Alajuela
Monteverde
Jacó
Dominical

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Alternative routes for Des Moines to San José

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
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Top 3 airlines flying from Des Moines to San José

Discover the top 3 airlines that operate flights from Des Moines to San José. 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 13, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
DeltaCheapest$289Average$626FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$509Average$625FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$525Average$725FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%

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