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$595+ Cheap flights from Des Moines (DSM) to Shanghai, China

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 7/25. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DSM — SHA
Jun 17 — Jun 241
Tue 6/17
Tue 6/24
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from Des Moines to Shanghai

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Des Moines (DSM) to Shanghai (CN2). 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 June 12, 2025.

Round-trip from

$1,013
(American Airlines)

One-way from

$595
(Flightnetwork)

Popular in

June

Cheapest in

April

Average price

$2,099
From Des Moines to Shanghai
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One-way flight from Des Moines to Shanghai
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 13% potential increase in price ($248 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($53 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in June 2025
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Find flight deals from Des Moines to Shanghai

Cheapest flights from Des Moines to Shanghai
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Des Moines to Shanghai. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on June 12, 2025.

This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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 9/105:11 amDSM - PVG
1 stop20h 39mAmerican Airlines
Thu 10/306:10 pmPVG - DSM
1 stop17h 32mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 6/10$1,013
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 9/36:00 amDSM - PVG
2 stops22h 25mUnited Airlines
Tue 11/48:25 pmPVG - DSM
2 stops29h 49mUnited Airlines
Deal found 6/11$1,018
This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/10. 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.
Sun 9/73:42 pmDSM - PVG
2 stops28h 58mMultiple Airlines
Thu 10/303:00 pmPVG - DSM
3 stops44h 37mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 6/10$1,259
This Gurufare deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Gurufare is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 10/143:25 pmDSM - PVG
2 stops20h 10mANA
Mon 11/102:30 amPVG - DSM
2 stops28h 55mANA
Deal found 6/11$1,270
This Gurufare deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Gurufare is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 9/33:25 pmDSM - SHA
2 stops31h 50mANA
Wed 11/51:40 pmSHA - DSM
2 stops34h 50mANA
Deal found 6/11$1,270
This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 9/204:20 pmDSM - SHA
2 stops30h 05mMultiple Airlines
Sat 11/86:25 pmSHA - DSM
3 stops42h 38mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 6/11$1,280
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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.
Tue 10/146:20 amDSM - PVG
1 stop18h 25mDelta
Thu 11/135:30 pmPVG - DSM
1 stop17h 20mDelta
Deal found 6/11$1,299
This Expedia deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Expedia is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/17:30 amDSM - PVG
2 stops41h 30mJapan Airlines
Wed 8/204:05 pmPVG - DSM
2 stops33h 34mJapan Airlines
Deal found 6/11$1,564
This Priceline deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Priceline is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/110:03 amDSM - SHA
2 stops36h 22mJapan Airlines
Wed 8/2012:50 pmSHA - DSM
2 stops36h 49mJapan Airlines
Deal found 6/11$1,564
This Qatar Airways deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/11. 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 Qatar Airways is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 10/1010:03 amDSM - PVG
2 stops41h 17mQatar Airways
Mon 11/1011:45 pmPVG - DSM
2 stops34h 27mQatar Airways
Deal found 6/11$1,766

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from Des Moines to Shanghai 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 June 12, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Des Moines to Shanghai that are best for you.

Fly from

Des Moines

Fly to

Shanghai

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Wed 9/10

5:11 am-2:50 pm

1 stop20h 39m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Thu 10/30

6:10 pm-10:42 pm

1 stop17h 32m

$1,013

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Wed 9/3

6:00 am-5:25 pm

2 stops22h 25m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Tue 11/4

8:25 pm-12:14 pm

2 stops29h 49m

$1,018

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Sun 9/7

3:42 pm-9:40 am

2 stops28h 58m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Thu 10/30

3:00 pm-10:37 pm

3 stops44h 37m

$1,259

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Tue 10/14

3:25 pm-12:35 am

2 stops20h 10m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Mon 11/10

2:30 am-5:25 pm

2 stops28h 55m

$1,270

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - SHA

DSMSHA

Des Moines

Wed 9/3

3:25 pm-12:15 pm

2 stops31h 50m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Wed 11/5

1:40 pm-10:30 am

2 stops34h 50m

$1,270

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - SHA

DSMSHA

Des Moines

Sat 9/20

4:20 pm-11:25 am

2 stops30h 05m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Sat 11/8

6:25 pm-11:03 pm

3 stops42h 38m

$1,280

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Tue 10/14

6:20 am-1:45 pm

1 stop18h 25m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Thu 11/13

5:30 pm-8:50 pm

1 stop17h 20m

$1,299

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Fri 8/1

7:30 am-2:00 pm

2 stops41h 30m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Wed 8/20

4:05 pm-12:39 pm

2 stops33h 34m

$1,564

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - SHA

DSMSHA

Des Moines

Fri 8/1

10:03 am-11:25 am

2 stops36h 22m

Shanghai Hongqiao Intl

Wed 8/20

12:50 pm-12:39 pm

2 stops36h 49m

$1,564

Des MoinesShanghai

DSM - PVG

DSMPVG

Des Moines

Fri 10/10

10:03 am-4:20 pm

2 stops41h 17m

Shanghai Pu Dong

Mon 11/10

11:45 pm-8:12 pm

2 stops34h 27m

$1,766

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 6/10

Showing 1-10 of 13 results
1
2

Best time to book a flight from Des Moines to Shanghai

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Shanghai 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 Shanghai

Rainfall in Shanghai by month

Plan your trip to Shanghai by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in Shanghai ranges from 1.2 - 6.7 inches per month. June is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 6.7 in. December is typically the driest time to visit Shanghai when rainfall is around 1.2 in.

Temperature in Shanghai by month

Plan your trip to Shanghai by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to Shanghai, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 82.4 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 39.2 F).

Reviews of airlines servicing Shanghai

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Shanghai. 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 Shanghai. Reviews last updated June 12, 2025.
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.
ANA
8.3
Very good
882 reviews
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,950 reviews
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.
Qatar Airways
7.4
Good
3,584 reviews
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,790 reviews
Japan Airlines
8.3
Very good
1,489 reviews

Entertainment

7.8

Crew

8.7

Overall

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Boarding

8.4

Food

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
6.0
Good

Anonymous,May 2025

DFW - NRT

This flight was operated by American Airlines. The food was barely tolerable. Mid flight sandwich was ice cold, could not be bothered to warm it up. Staff did not seem to like their jobs very much. Too many seats packed in to maximize profit. A true “cattle car” experience. Subsequent flight from Tokyo to HCMC was on Japan Airlines which was excellent. No comparison between JAL and AA. Unfortunately that’s just the way service is in America nowadays.

Related info for your journey

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

  • What airport do you fly from for flights from Des Moines to Shanghai?

    For a flight from Des Moines to Shanghai, you will be flying from Des Moines. Des Moines (DSM) is just 3.6 mi from the center of the city. Des Moines is the only Des Moines airport and it handles 0 outbound flights to Shanghai per day. 3 airlines have flights to Shanghai from Des Moines on a regular basis.

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

    Flying on American Airlines is currently your cheapest option to Shanghai, with prices starting at $1,013. Additional round-trip tickets that might be worth considering are offered by United Airlines and ANA, with the lowest prices starting at $1,018 and $1,270, respectively. Users have found that American Airlines is 37% cheaper than the other options available to this destination.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Des Moines to Shanghai 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 Shanghai?

    Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to Shanghai (average of $1,125). Flying from Des Moines to Shanghai in July is currently the most expensive (average of $1,718). 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

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Alternative routes for Des Moines to Shanghai

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 Shanghai

Discover the top 3 airlines that operate flights from Des Moines to Shanghai. 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 June 12, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
American AirlinesCheapest$994Average$1,639FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$1,289Average$1,926FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
DeltaCheapest$1,416Average$1,930FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A

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