Direct Flights from Washington to Des Moines
Des Moines · Iowa
Nonstop service from DCA to DSM on American. Here's the schedule at a glance — plus what to do once you land.
How rare is this nonstop?
32 cities have a nonstop to Des Moines, Washington among them.
How long to go to Des Moines for, from Washington
2h 15m in the air, 895 miles — a Friday-evening departure still leaves you most of the evening in Des Moines. Two nights works.
About Des Moines
Des Moines, capital of Iowa, is in the western region of the American Midwest. Des Moines is the largest city in Iowa and the annual site of the Iowa State Fair and numerous cultural festivals during warm weather months. History enthusiasts will find 110 historic sites in and around the city as part of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area. The city appeals to travelers with an interest in the arts who marvel at the architecture of the State Capitol with its five domes, including the large main dome with its gleaming 23-karat gold surface. The city has a good art museum, a symphony that performs in the downtown Civic Center, and a big annual arts festival that draws visitors from across Iowa and beyond.
Summary from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).
Top things to do in Des Moines
- The Iowa State Capitol, commonly called the Iowa Statehouse, is in Iowa's capital city, Des Moines.
- The Des Moines Art Center is an art museum with an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, modern art and mixed media. It was established in 1948 in Des Moines, Iowa.
- St. Ambrose Cathedral is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. It serves as a parish church and as the seat of the Diocese of Des Moines in the Catholic Church.
- Adventureland Resort is a theme park in Altoona, Iowa. It is marketed as the Home of Iowa's Best Thrills.
- Blank Park Zoo is a 49-acre zoological park on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States, near historic Fort Des Moines. The zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
- Reiman Gardens is a 17-acre (6.9 ha) university-owned public garden located immediately south of Jack Trice Stadium on the Iowa State University (ISU) campus in Ames, Iowa.
- The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden is a 12-acre (5-hectare) botanical garden located near Downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States, on the east bank of the Des Moines River and north of I-235.
- The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a 4.4-acre (1.8 ha) park within Western Gateway Park in Des Moines, Iowa. It opened in 2009 with 24 sculptures, with four more acquired later.
- Winterset City Park is a public, city-owned park in Winterset, Iowa, United States. The first acres of land was bought on May 21, 1869, for cattle to graze on.
- Living History Farms is a 500-acre open-air museum located in Urbandale, Iowa, United States. The museum's mission is to educate and connect all peoples to the many stories of Midwestern rural heritage.
- The Iowa Arboretum & Gardens is a nonprofit Arboretum located in Madrid, Iowa that encompasses 170 acres (69 ha).
- Lake Ahquabi State Park is a state park in Warren County, Iowa, United States, featuring a 115-acre (47 ha) reservoir. Ahquabi means "resting place" in the Fox language.
Attraction descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); place data from Wikidata (CC0).
Des Moines weather, compared with Washington
6° cooler than Washington on average across the year, on daytime highs:
- January
- Des Moines 31°F · Washington 43°F · 12° colder
- April
- Des Moines 62°F · Washington 67°F · 5° colder
- July
- Des Moines 86°F · Washington 88°F · 2° colder
- October
- Des Moines 64°F · Washington 68°F · 4° colder
January bottoms out near 31°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 Des Moines
- Best time to visit
- The best time to visit Des Moines is April–June and September–October, when daytime highs are a comfortable 62–82°F.
- How long to stay
- Des Moines rewards a longer visit — a full week lets you explore its many sights, from Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines Art Center, and St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines, Iowa) and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a direct flight from Washington to Des Moines?
- Yes — you can fly nonstop from Washington (DCA) to Des Moines (DSM) on American.
- Which airlines fly nonstop from Washington to Des Moines?
- American flies nonstop between Washington (DCA) and Des Moines (DSM).
- How many nonstop flights are there from Washington to Des Moines?
- There are about 2 nonstop departures per day (roughly 14 per week) from Washington to Des Moines.
- How far is Des Moines from Washington?
- Des Moines is about 895 miles from Washington by air.
- What is there to do in Des Moines?
- Popular things to do include Iowa State Capitol, Des Moines Art Center, St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines, Iowa), Adventureland (Iowa), and more.
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