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Washington, D.C.

$134+ Cheap flights from Des Moines (DSM) to Washington, D.C. (WAS)

DSM — WAS
Nov 19 — Nov 261
Thu 11/19
Thu 11/26
1 adult, Economy
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Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. are usually found in February or May, booked 72 days in advance, depart on a Wednesday or Thursday and return on a Wednesday

Cheap flight deals from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Cheapest flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Tue 12/82:58 pm -
1 stop4h 56m
Tue 12/2210:28 am -
1 stop8h 03m
Deal found 10/19$267
Sat 12/195:55 pm -
1 stop6h 25m
Mon 12/212:45 pm -
2 stops9h 50m
Deal found 10/19$272
Mon 12/76:53 pm -
1 stop5h 14m
Tue 12/226:00 am -
1 stop4h 55m
Deal found 10/19$274
Sat 12/55:20 am -
1 stop4h 05m
Mon 12/75:50 pm -
1 stop5h 15m
Deal found 10/19$275
Mon 12/76:53 pm -
1 stop5h 14m
Mon 12/2112:22 pm -
1 stop6h 41m
Deal found 10/19$281
Thu 12/174:25 pm -
1 stop5h 55m
Mon 1/117:00 am -
1 stop7h 55m
Deal found 10/18$282
Thu 11/196:00 am -
2 stops8h 30m
Sun 11/227:05 pm -
1 stop5h 00m
Deal found 10/19$298
Fri 12/116:53 pm -
1 stop5h 14m
Tue 12/225:19 pm -
1 stop4h 26m
Deal found 10/19$313
Sat 12/512:45 pm -
1 stop4h 30m
Mon 12/73:35 pm -
1 stop7h 30m
Deal found 10/19$316
Thu 12/108:39 pm -
2 stops22h 31m
Mon 12/213:58 pm -
1 stop26h 54m
Deal found 10/16$331
Thu 11/193:30 pm -
1 stop6h 50m
Mon 11/236:10 am -
1 stop6h 20m
Deal found 10/18$338
Fri 11/68:30 pm -
1 stop14h 39m
Mon 11/97:00 am -
1 stop13h 35m
Deal found 10/19$339

Find flight deals from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Most accurate provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Most trusted provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Round-trip from

$267
(Delta)

One-way from

$134
(Delta)

Popular in

November

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$455

Good round-trip deal

$457 or less

Good one-way deal

$329 or less
Provider with most accurate pricing for Des Moines-Washington, D.C. (WAS) flight deals.
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Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Des Moines-Washington, D.C. (WAS) flights.
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From Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (WAS)
Search Deals
One-way flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (WAS)
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($26 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($12 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in October 2026
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (WAS).
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (WAS).
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Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Cheapest round-trip

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Mon 2/15

5:50 pm-5:40 am

1 stop10h 50m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$165

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Tue 1/12

10:26 am-5:51 pm

1 stop6h 25m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$206

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Tue 11/24

6:13 am-11:33 am

1 stop4h 20m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$206

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Wed 3/31

6:45 pm-12:38 am

1 stop4h 53m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$206

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Tue 1/12

5:55 am-12:55 pm

2 stops6h 00m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$211

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Wed 3/31

5:20 am-11:40 am

2 stops5h 20m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$211

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Fri 11/20

2:48 pm-11:23 pm

1 stop7h 35m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$219

Des MoinesBaltimore

DSM Des Moines - BWI Baltimore/Washington

DSMBWI

Des Moines

Thu 11/19

11:22 am-7:09 pm

1 stop6h 47m

Baltimore/Washington

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$219

Des MoinesWashington, D.C.

DSM Des Moines - DCA Washington, D.C. Reagan-National

DSMDCA

Des Moines

Thu 11/12

4:25 pm-11:55 pm

1 stop6h 30m

Washington, D.C. Reagan-National

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$222

Des MoinesWashington, D.C.

DSM Des Moines - DCA Washington, D.C. Reagan-National

DSMDCA

Des Moines

Wed 3/31

8:00 am-1:59 pm

1 stop4h 59m

Washington, D.C. Reagan-National

Wed 12/31

12:00 am-11:00 pm

Nonstop0h 00m

$224

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 10/19

Showing 1-10 of 60 resultsSorted by cheapest first
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Compare providers for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. in October.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy1 starTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 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-Washington, D.C. flights, users find the pricing of FlightHub to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub Users can find the same prices on Des Moines-Washington, D.C. flight deals on Cheapflights vs. FlightHub >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from Des Moines-Washington, D.C. flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on Des Moines-Washington, D.C. 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 Des Moines-Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Washington, D.C. from Des Moines with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (average of $399). Flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. in November is currently the most expensive (average of $539). 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 WAS?

When flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C., the time of day you decide to fly out makes little to no difference towards the overall price you’ll pay on tickets.

Weekly flight availability from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

The most flights from DSM to WAS are scheduled on a Monday (3 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (1 on average).

How much does it cost to fly round-trip from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Airfare is below average for this route at the moment.
Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flights typically cost between $444 and $549 in December.
The cheapest round-trip price found within the last 5 days was $267 on Delta (Dec 8-Dec 22).

What’s the top layover airport for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Chicago (ORD) – chosen by Cheapflights users on 82% of 1-stop itineraries from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. on Cheapflights.

What’s the cheapest layover airport for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Chicago (ORD) is the most affordable 1-stop option, with an average round-trip price of $393.

What’s the fastest layover option from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Flights via Charlotte (CLT) have the shortest average one-way travel time for 1-stop routes: 4h 29m.

Which airport typically offers the quickest layover for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

Flights via Charlotte (CLT) offer the fastest connection on this route, with an average layover time of 0h 54m.

How often are flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. delayed?

About 0% of weekly flights between Des Moines and Washington, D.C. have experienced delays in the past year, with the average delay time being 0 minutes.

What is the most punctual flight time for Des Moines to Washington, D.C. flights?

Historically, flights departing in the morning are less likely to be delayed, whereas flights leaving at night tend to experience delays more often.

What day of the week experiences the fewest flight delays on this route?

Tuesday tends to have the lowest number of delays on this route, whereas Sunday has historically faced a higher average of delays compared to other days of the week.

How far ahead should I book a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

To ensure you get the cheapest price possible for a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C., you should look to book at least 70 days in advance of your intended travel date. The price of your flight may increase if you delay and leave booking until a week or so before departure.

Reviews of airlines servicing Washington, D.C.

Peruse reviews from past customers who have flown with Southwest,Delta, andUnited Airlines from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. to help guide your decision. You can also see how each airline stacks up in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Overall

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.4

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Patricia,Oct 2026

DAL - TPA

I love flying southwest, Both flights were packed full full - so not room for all carry one and bags had to be checked but still good flights.
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Overall

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.4

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Patricia,Oct 2026

DAL - TPA

I love flying southwest, Both flights were packed full full - so not room for all carry one and bags had to be checked but still good flights.
Delta
7.8
Good
8,650 reviews
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Overall

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.4

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Patricia,Oct 2026

DAL - TPA

I love flying southwest, Both flights were packed full full - so not room for all carry one and bags had to be checked but still good flights.
United Airlines
7.3
Good
10,387 reviews
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Overall

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.4

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Patricia,Oct 2026

DAL - TPA

I love flying southwest, Both flights were packed full full - so not room for all carry one and bags had to be checked but still good flights.
American Airlines
7.0
Good
12,181 reviews
Southwest
7.9
Good
4,213 reviews

Boarding

8.1

Food

7.0

Crew

8.6

Overall

7.9

Comfort

8.0

Entertainment

7.4

Reviews

1 / 20
8.0
Excellent

Patricia,Oct 2026

DAL - TPA

I love flying southwest, Both flights were packed full full - so not room for all carry one and bags had to be checked but still good flights.

Related info for your journey

  • What airport do you fly from for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    Des Moines (DSM), located 3.6 mi from the city center, is the airport you fly out of when you book flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.. 4 airlines have flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. on a regular basis. Booking flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. should not be difficult; the airport handles an average of 2 outbound flights to Washington, D.C. per day.

  • How long is the flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    A quick flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. can take about 4h 55m. Southwest provides one of the quickest options available for as low as $457. The distance between Des Moines and Washington, D.C. is about 871 mi. Both multi-stop and nonstop flights can be found to your destination and back.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. round-trip?

    Flying on Delta is currently your cheapest option to Washington, D.C., with prices starting at $248. Additional round-trip tickets that might be worth considering are offered by Southwest and American Airlines, with the lowest prices starting at $335 and $346, respectively. These flights start at 44% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. one-way?

    The cheapest airlines for a one-way flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. are American Airlines ($114), Southwest ($152), and United Airlines ($294).

  • What are the most popular routes from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    While some choose either Des Moines - Washington, D.C. Reagan-National or Des Moines - Baltimore/Washington, Des Moines - Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl is the most popular route from Des Moines to Washington, D.C..

  • Can I find deals for flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. that include hotel bookings?

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

  • How can I find direct flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

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

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. 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 Washington, D.C.?

    Currently, February is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. (average of $399). Flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C. in November is currently the most expensive (average of $539). 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 Washington, D.C.?

Book flights to Washington, D.C. if you plan to visit one of these locations
Alexandria
Arlington
Woodbridge
Owings Mills
Lanham
Tysons
Herndon
Reston
Hyattsville
Rockville
Springfield
Fredericksburg
Falls Church
Oxon Hill
Laurel
Towson
Clinton
Hunt Valley
Waldorf
Silver Spring

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Top 4 airlines flying from Des Moines to Washington, D.C.

AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
DeltaCheapest$248Average$499FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
United AirlinesCheapest$312Average$550FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$335Average$432FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%
American AirlinesCheapest$346Average$459FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%

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