Worth it from Des Moines this week, from £237
Des Moines flies out of one airport, Des Moines International (DSM). Chicago is 310 miles away and Nashville is 525, so both work for a long weekend. Denver is 609 miles out and the Great Smoky Mountains 679. The longer trips head south and west. The lowest fares we found start at $239 nonstop to Phoenix & Scottsdale, $315 with a stop to Orlando, $335 nonstop to Los Angeles and $445 nonstop to Las Vegas. Prices are all-in, with taxes and fees included, as of when we checked, and they can change.
14 new picks from Des Moines this week · last one 5 hours ago · next check in 02:13 · New picks from Des Moines land here as we find them.
Our picks from Des Moines right now
Each with the reasons, the catch and the total before you go.
Next weekend · from Des MoinesNot worth it this week
San Diego
16 – 18 Oct 2026 · 2 nights
- Clear forecast all weekend, highs 85–90°F
- Samesun Ocean Beach scores 9 from 1,716 reviews, free cancellation
- Frontier gets you there in 5h 31m with one stop
£1,367 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
Flights £1,182 + hotel £185, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £181
Frontier · with a stop · 5h 31m
The catch: At $784 per person the fare is $25 over the typical $759, there's one stop, and resort fees and a checked bag aren't in the total.
Worth it if you're fine with a shared dorm and one stop for a sunny weekend; skip it if you want a private room or a lower fare.
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The weekend after · from Des MoinesLowest in 30 daysWorth it, if
Great Smoky Mountains
23 – 25 Oct 2026 · 2 nights
- $657 per person, $176 below the typical fare on this route
- Peak fall foliage, highs 61–69°F, rain chance 18% or less
- Sidney James Mountain Lodge in Gatlinburg, 8.1 from 3,298 reviews
£1,331 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
Flights £990 + hotel £341, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £121
American. Operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle + PSA Airlines as American Eagle · with a stop · 6h 7m
The catch: The flight out has one stop, takes 6h 7m and lands at 9:33 PM Friday, and October brings the busiest weekends of the year.
Worth it if you want fall color and trail time and don't mind crowds; skip it if a connecting flight eats too much of a 2-night weekend.
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A week away · from Des MoinesLowest in 30 days
Orlando
14 – 21 Nov 2026 · 7 nights
- $315 per person, $225 below the typical fare on this route
- Typical highs of 74–78°F for park days, lows near 60°F
- Best-value hotel near Universal scores 8.8 from 1,365 reviews
£1,073 for two · 7 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
Flights £475 + hotel £598, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £121
American · with a stop · 6h 7m
The catch: The outbound flight has one stop and takes 6h 7m, and none of the three hotels offers free cancellation.
Worth it if you want a week of theme parks in mild November weather; skip it if you need a nonstop or a flexible hotel booking.
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Most loved from Des Moines
What readers clicked, hearted and shared in the last 7 days.
Just found · from Des Moines26% below typicalNot worth it this week
Chicago
16 – 18 Oct 2026 · 2 nights
- $504 per person, $185 below the typical fare on this route
- United and American nonstops at $587 per person, 96 to 101 minutes
- Club Quarters in The Loop, rated 8.2 from 5,335 reviews
£1,453 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes, fees & the resort fee
Flights £760 + hotel £598 + resort fee £95, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £181
Frontier · with a stop · 27h 59m
The catch: The $504 Frontier fare has one stop and takes 27h 59m, landing at 12:24 AM on Sunday, Oct 18, the day the trip ends.
Worth it if you switch to a $587 nonstop and want a walkable Loop weekend; skip the Frontier fare entirely.
Just found · from Des MoinesWorth it, if
Mexico City
14 – 21 Nov 2026 · 7 nights
- $655 per person, $55 below the typical fare on this route
- Suites Capri Reforma Ángel 380: 8.8 from 4,090 reviews, free cancellation
- Mid-November highs of 75–77°F, with one drizzle day in the normals
£1,364 for two · 7 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
Flights £987 + hotel £378, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £151
G4 + F9 + Y4 · with a stop · 63h 48m
The catch: With 2 stops, the round trip takes 63h 48m of travel, so you don't land until Sunday, Nov 15 at 4:50 PM.
Worth it if a $72-a-night base and a week of food and museums matter more than travel time; skip it if long connections wear you out.
Just found · from Des MoinesLowest in 30 daysWorth it, if
Asheville
16 – 18 Oct 2026 · 2 nights
- £106 per person below the typical fare on this route
- Lowest in 30 days on this route
- Free cancellation at Brookstone Lodge near Biltmore Village, an Ascend Collection Hotel
£1,097 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
Flights £722 + hotel £375, taxes in · a checked bag each adds about £121
United. Operated by SkyWest DBA United Express · with a stop · 4h 48m
The catch: Not nonstop: a stop on the way, 4h 48m in all.
Worth it if you want to be outside all day; skip it if you want to lie by a pool.
Also priced this week from Des Moines
The other finalists of the last refresh, cheapest fare we found per person.
| Destination | Dates | From | Nonstop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix & Scottsdale | 14 – 21 Nov 2026 | £180 | yes |
| Los Angeles | 14 – 21 Nov 2026 | £253 | yes |
| Nashville | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £277 | yes |
| Las Vegas | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £335 | yes |
| New York City | 14 – 21 Nov 2026 | £344 | no |
| Asheville | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £361 | no |
| Chicago | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £365 | yes |
| Yosemite | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £394 | no |
| Mexico City | 14 – 21 Nov 2026 | £410 | no |
| Napa & Sonoma | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £416 | no |
| Sedona | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £421 | no |
| Cancún | 14 – 21 Nov 2026 | £422 | no |
Cheapest routes from Des Moines, last 30 days
| Destination | Lowest | Typical | Checks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix & Scottsdale | £180 | £271 | 5 · nonstop seen |
| Orlando | £237 | £407 | 24 |
| Los Angeles | £253 | £342 | 8 · nonstop seen |
| Nashville | £277 | £309 | 3 · nonstop seen |
| Las Vegas | £335 | £358 | 9 · nonstop seen |
| New York City | £344 | £528 | 4 |
| Asheville | £361 | £467 | 8 |
| Chicago | £365 | £519 | 12 · nonstop seen |
| Yosemite | £394 | £533 | 5 |
| Mexico City | £410 | £535 | 14 |
| Napa & Sonoma | £416 | £494 | 6 |
| Sedona | £421 | £429 | 5 |
| Cancún | £422 | £608 | 8 |
| San Diego | £476 | £572 | 10 |
| Great Smoky Mountains | £495 | £628 | 10 |
More trips from Des Moines
Every other trip page from Des Moines still ahead of its date.
- Chicago, 16 – 18 Oct 2026 from £380 Just found
- Mexico City, 14 – 21 Nov 2026 from £494 Just found
- Asheville, 16 – 18 Oct 2026 from £361 Just found
- Aruba, 14 – 21 Nov 2026 from £531 Just found
- Orlando, 16 – 18 Oct 2026 from £324 Just found
- Phoenix & Scottsdale, 13 – 18 Nov 2026 from £185 Just found
- Los Angeles, 14 – 21 Nov 2026 from £253
- Napa & Sonoma, 23 – 25 Oct 2026 from £421
- Las Vegas, 16 – 18 Oct 2026 from £354
- Las Vegas, 23 – 25 Oct 2026 from £335 Just found
- Kyoto & Osaka, 14 – 23 Nov 2026 from £1,203 Just found
Questions about flying from Des Moines
Which airports do the trips from Des Moines use?
Des Moines International (DSM). Fares are the cheapest return we found across them for the exact dates, per person, taxes and fees included.
How often do the Des Moines picks change?
Around the clock: we check live prices every few minutes across the cities and new picks from Des Moines land on this page as they are published. A pick stays until its departure date, then moves to the archive with the price it had.
What are the cheapest places to fly from Des Moines right now?
In the last 30 days: Phoenix & Scottsdale from £180, Orlando from £237, Los Angeles from £253, Nashville from £277, Las Vegas from £335, per person return.
Can I ask for a specific trip?
Yes. Use the Ask box: say the destination or the kind of trip and the dates, and a page with live prices appears under Des Moines within a few minutes.
Planning something from Des Moines?
Tell us what the trip is for and we pick the one that’s worth it.
Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.