Des Moines to Chicago: what the flight costs
In the last 60 days we checked this route 12 times. The typical return was £519 per person and the lowest £365, taxes and fees included.
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| Lowest seen | £365 |
| Typical (median) | £519 |
| Price checks, 60 days | 12 |
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Trips we picked on this route
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.
Every fare we found in the last 30 days
| Checked | Trip dates | Per person | Airline | Stops | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £380 | Frontier | with a stop | 27h 59m | Google Flights |
| 14 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £551 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 14 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £548 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £457 | G4 + F9 | with a stop | 35h 42m | Kiwi.com |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £365 | Frontier | with a stop | 27h 59m | Google Flights |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £372 | Frontier | with a stop | 27h 59m | Google Flights |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £548 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £548 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 13 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £548 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 12 Oct 2026 | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £491 | UA | nonstop | 1h 34m | Kiwi.com |
| 12 Oct 2026 | 16 – 18 Oct 2026 | £548 | UA | nonstop | 1h 36m | Kiwi.com |
| 12 Oct 2026 | 23 – 25 Oct 2026 | £491 | UA | nonstop | 1h 34m | Kiwi.com |
About Chicago
Chicago offers skyscraper architecture, a lakefront of beaches and parks, blues clubs, deep-dish pizza and museums of world rank.
Chicago from every city: when to go, where to stay, what to do
Questions about Des Moines to Chicago
What does a return from Des Moines to Chicago usually cost?
Over the last 60 days the typical price we found was £519 per person, taxes and fees included, across 12 checks; the lowest was £365.
When is the best time to fly from Des Moines to Chicago?
Chicago is at its best in May, June, July, August, September and October. Avoid December, January, February, March: Bitter cold and wind off the lake
Do I need a passport to fly from Des Moines to Chicago?
No passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Chicago.
Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.