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San José

$160+ 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 2/23. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DSM — SJO
Feb 14 — Feb 211
Sat 2/14
Sat 2/21
1 adult, Economy
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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 January 15, 2026.

Most accurate provider

eDreams
3 stars

Most trusted provider

eDreams
3 stars

Round-trip from

$373
(American Airlines)

One-way from

$160
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

March

Cheapest in

January

Average price

$558
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. 6% potential increase in price ($46 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 January 2026
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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 January 15, 2026.

This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 3/11:38 pm
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop7h 29m
American Airlines
Thu 3/53:20 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop8h 28m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/13$373
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 2/157:27 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops16h 13m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 2/261:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 35m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$389
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 2/911:09 am
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops48h 28m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 2/261:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 35m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$390
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/14. 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 2/57:10 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop15h 20m
American Airlines
Thu 2/1212:35 am
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 59m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/14$393
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 2/153:32 pm
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop20h 50m
Multiple Airlines
Wed 2/251:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops24h 47m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$421
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 2/138:38 pm
DSM
-
SJO
2 stops39h 02m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 2/261:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 35m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$428
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 2/111:59 pm
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop21h 41m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 2/261:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 35m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$431
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/13. 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 Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 2/1410:15 am
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop25h 25m
Multiple Airlines
Thu 2/261:31 pm
SJO
-
DSM
1 stop9h 35m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/13$445
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/15. 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.
Sun 3/13:30 pm
DSM
-
SJO
1 stop20h 52m
Multiple Airlines
Sun 3/87:45 am
SJO
-
DSM
2 stops34h 31m
Multiple Airlines
Deal found 1/15$449

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 January 15, 2026.
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 3/1

5:00 am-9:07 pm

1 stop16h 07m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Thu 3/5

8:00 am-11:40 pm

2 stops15h 40m

$378

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Thu 2/5

7:10 am-10:30 pm

1 stop15h 20m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Fri 2/13

7:00 am-11:40 pm

1 stop16h 40m

$393

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sun 3/1

3:30 pm-12:22 pm

1 stop20h 52m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Sun 3/8

7:45 am-7:16 pm

2 stops34h 31m

$449

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Tue 2/17

5:00 am-8:12 pm

1 stop15h 12m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Wed 2/25

7:00 am-9:19 pm

2 stops14h 19m

$475

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sat 2/7

6:07 am-10:30 pm

1 stop16h 23m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Thu 2/12

7:00 am-10:19 pm

1 stop15h 19m

$505

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Sat 2/14

6:14 pm-12:22 pm

2 stops18h 08m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Thu 2/26

1:31 pm-11:06 pm

1 stop9h 35m

$520

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Tue 4/21

5:54 am-7:07 pm

2 stops14h 13m

San José Juan Santamaria Intl

Sat 4/25

6:30 am-11:29 pm

2 stops15h 59m

$521

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Wed 2/4

5:35 am-10:15 pm

1 stop16h 40m

$171

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Wed 2/4

11:42 am-10:30 pm

1 stop10h 48m

$171

Des MoinesSan José

DSM - SJO

DSMSJO

Des Moines

Tue 2/24

10:57 am-10:02 pm

2 stops11h 05m

$171

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 1/13

Showing 1-10 of 16 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 January.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*1 star
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
OvagoPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*2 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

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.

How much does it cost to fly round-trip from Des Moines to San José?

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 January 15, 2026.
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
8,048 reviews

Crew

8.5

Entertainment

7.8

Overall

7.9

Food

7.2

Comfort

7.9

Boarding

8.1

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
8,048 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,048 reviews

Crew

8.5

Entertainment

7.8

Overall

7.9

Food

7.2

Comfort

7.9

Boarding

8.1

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
9,163 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,048 reviews

Crew

8.5

Entertainment

7.8

Overall

7.9

Food

7.2

Comfort

7.9

Boarding

8.1

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
11,129 reviews
Delta
7.9
Good
8,048 reviews

Crew

8.5

Entertainment

7.8

Overall

7.9

Food

7.2

Comfort

7.9

Boarding

8.1

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 16h 07m. There are 2253 mi between Des Moines and San José.

  • 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 $489, and United Airlines, from $525. Delta is priced at 57% lower than the current average price of a flight leaving 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Des Moines to San José one-way?

    To fly one-way, consider booking your trip with Delta, which is currently one of the cheapest options available, starting at $259. United Airlines flights start at $285 while deals on American Airlines start at $295 one-way.

  • 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
Alajuela
Monteverde
Jacó
Heredia
Dominical
Manuel Antonio

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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 January 15, 2026.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
DeltaCheapest$289Average$626FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
American AirlinesCheapest$489Average$625FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$525Average$731FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%

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