Direct Flights from Des Moines to Washington
Washington · District of Columbia
Nonstop service from DSM to DCA on American. Here's the schedule at a glance — plus what to do once you land.
How rare is this nonstop?
Washington is one of the best-connected places in the country: 136 cities fly there nonstop, Des Moines among them.
How long to go to Washington for, from Des Moines
2h 15m in the air, 895 miles — a Friday-evening departure still leaves you most of the evening in Washington. Two nights works.
About Washington
Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States of America and the seat of its three branches of government, has an unparalleled collection of free, public museums, and the lion's share of the nation's most treasured monuments and memorials. The vistas on the National Mall between the Capitol, Washington Monument, White House, and Lincoln Memorial are iconic throughout the world.
Summary from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).
Top things to do in Washington
- The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the de facto national library of the United States.
- The Smithsonian Institution is a group of museums, education and research centers, created by the United States federal government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge".
- The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, a Founding Father of the United States and the nation's first president.
- Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army.
- The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW.
- The Lincoln Memorial is a U.S. national memorial honoring Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, located on the western end of the National Mall of Washington, D.C.
- The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States.
- The National Mall is a landscaped park near the downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States.
- The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and hist…
- The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Episcopal Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral or National Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church.
- The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C., built in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the nation's third president.
- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) is the United States' official memorial and museum dedicated to the history and legacy of the Holocaust. Opened in Washington, D.C.
Attraction descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); place data from Wikidata (CC0).
Washington weather, compared with Des Moines
6° warmer than Des Moines on average across the year, on daytime highs:
- January
- Washington 43°F · Des Moines 31°F · 12° warmer
- April
- Washington 67°F · Des Moines 62°F · 5° warmer
- July
- Washington 88°F · Des Moines 86°F · 2° warmer
- October
- Washington 68°F · Des Moines 64°F · 5° warmer
January bottoms out near 43°F — a real coat, not a layer.
Average daily highs, 1991–2020 station normals from Meteostat (CC BY 4.0), measured at each city's airport.
Planning a trip to Washington
- Best time to visit
- The best time to visit Washington is April–May and September–October, when daytime highs are a comfortable 67–79°F.
- How long to stay
- Washington rewards a longer visit — a full week lets you explore its many sights, from Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, and Washington Monument and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a direct flight from Des Moines to Washington?
- Yes — you can fly nonstop from Des Moines (DSM) to Washington (DCA) on American.
- Which airlines fly nonstop from Des Moines to Washington?
- American flies nonstop between Des Moines (DSM) and Washington (DCA).
- How many nonstop flights are there from Des Moines to Washington?
- There are about 2 nonstop departures per day (roughly 14 per week) from Des Moines to Washington.
- How far is Washington from Des Moines?
- Washington is about 895 miles from Des Moines by air.
- What is there to do in Washington?
- Popular things to do include Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery, and more.
More nonstop destinations from Des Moines near Washington
Airports near Des Moines
The closest other departure airports to Des Moines — each opens up more nonstop destinations.