Des Moines International Airport (DSM / KDSM) is a large airport serving Des Moines, Iowa. It sits 958 feet above sea level and has 2 runways, the longest 9,004 feet. The largest population centre nearby is Des Moines, IA — the airport lies about 5.2 miles south-west of it in a straight line.
The 10 largest population centres within 90 miles of DSM. Distances below are straight-line; the road route is always longer. Select a city to calculate its real driving time and distance to the airport.
| City | Straight line | Airport lies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Des Moines, IA | 4.1 mi | south-east | Get drive time → |
| Des Moines, IA | 5.2 mi | south-west | Get drive time → |
| Urbandale, IA | 7.0 mi | south-east | Get drive time → |
| Clive, IA | 8.1 mi | south-east | Get drive time → |
| Waukee, IA | 13 mi | south-east | Get drive time → |
| Ankeny, IA | 14 mi | south | Get drive time → |
| Ames, IA | 35 mi | south | Get drive time → |
| Oskaloosa, IA | 55 mi | west | Get drive time → |
| Fort Dodge, IA | 72 mi | south | Get drive time → |
| Ottumwa, IA | 74 mi | north-west | Get drive time → |
Within 200 miles, straight-line. A slightly farther airport is sometimes the shorter drive — check both before you book.
Airport, runway and elevation figures come from the OurAirports open database. Routes are calculated to the airport's map reference point, which at a large airport may sit a few minutes from your specific terminal.
Leave home drive time + 2 hours before a domestic departure from DSM, or drive time + 3 hours before an international one.
Those buffers cover bag drop, security and the walk to the gate, but not getting from your car to the terminal — at a large airport like DSM, allow another 15–30 minutes to park and ride in, or 30–45 if you are returning a rental car. The drive estimate above is free-flow and does not model live traffic. Full guide to timing your departure →
It depends on your starting point. Enter your address in the calculator on this page and you'll get a road-distance driving estimate to Des Moines International Airport, plus the option to start from any of the 10 nearby cities listed above.
Des Moines International Airport uses the IATA code DSM and the ICAO code KDSM. It is classified as a large airport and sits at 958 feet above sea level.
Des Moines, IA is about 5.2 miles from DSM in a straight line. Road distance is longer — use the calculator above with Des Moines as your starting point for the actual driving time.
Within 200 miles: FOD (76 mi), ALO (96 mi), CID (103 mi), MCW (114 mi). Distances are straight-line, so compare the actual drive times before choosing — a closer airport is not always a shorter drive.
Work backwards from your departure time: subtract two hours for a domestic flight (three for international), then subtract your drive time to DSM. The calculator on this page does that arithmetic for you once you enter your starting address, and adds the parking and shuttle time you should allow on top.