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SFO - DSM

$92 Find cheap flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines departing on 7/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
0 bags
jue. 7/11
jue. 7/18

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Des Moines

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Des Moines, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Des Moines, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 44,212,782 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

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Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines (SFO-DSM)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Des Moines that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
12:59 am - 12:18 pmSFO-DSM
9h 19m1 stop
9:15 pm - 7:42 amDSM-SFO
12h 27m1 stop
$142Frontier
Find Deal
dom., ago. 11 - mié., ago. 14
12:58 am - 3:09 pmSFO-DSM
12h 11m1 stop
2:37 pm - 11:59 pmDSM-SFO
11h 22m1 stop
$188Frontier
Find Deal
mar., jul. 16 - vie., jul. 26
5:20 am - 3:17 pmSFO-DSM
7h 57m1 stop
6:15 pm - 10:36 pmDSM-SFO
6h 21m1 stop
$311American Airlines
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mié., jul. 10 - mié., jul. 17
3:42 pm - 11:56 pmSFO-DSM
6h 14m1 stop
7:36 pm - 12:25 amDSM-SFO
6h 49m1 stop
$316American Airlines
Find Deal
lun., ago. 12 - mié., ago. 14
12:59 am - 12:18 pmSFO-DSM
9h 19m1 stop
3:02 pm - 9:00 pmDSM-SFO
7h 58m1 stop
dom., ago. 11 - mar., ago. 13
7:05 pm - 10:52 pmSFO-DSM
25h 47m2 stops
12:49 pm - 10:58 amDSM-SFO
24h 09m2 stops
mié., jul. 17 - vie., jul. 26
12:12 am - 10:14 amSFO-DSM
8h 02m1 stop
5:08 pm - 12:56 amDSM-SFO
9h 48m2 stops
$452United Airlines
Find Deal
mar., jul. 9 - mié., jul. 17
7:15 am - 8:45 pmSFO-DSM
11h 30m2 stops
5:08 pm - 12:56 amDSM-SFO
9h 48m2 stops
$457United Airlines
Find Deal
mié., jul. 10 - mié., jul. 17
6:35 am - 2:10 pmSFO-DSM
5h 35m1 stop
10:11 am - 8:19 pmDSM-SFO
12h 08m2 stops
$689Delta
Find Deal
sáb., ago. 3 - vie., ago. 9
12:51 am - 11:12 amSFO-DSM
8h 21m1 stop
7:00 am - 4:39 pmDSM-SFO
11h 39m2 stops
$862Delta
Find Deal
dom., ago. 11 - mié., ago. 14

Flights from San Francisco to Des Moines - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Francisco to Des Moines to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Des Moines?

The average price of all flights from San Francisco to Des Moines clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
When flying from San Francisco to Des Moines, you should consider leaving on a Wednesday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to San Francisco, you’ll find the best rates on Wednesdays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Des Moines?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines is September, where tickets cost $396 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are November and June, where the average cost of tickets is $567 and $564 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Des Moines, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 65 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
The best deals for a one-way ticket found by KAYAK users over the last 3 days were on Frontier ($92) and Delta ($138). The cheapest round-trip tickets were found on Frontier ($142) and American Airlines ($311).

Good to know

Low season

February

High season

June

Cheapest flight

$92
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 6% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 11% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Des Moines

When to book flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Des Moines based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines was $92 for a one-way ticket and $142 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between San Francisco and Des Moines?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between San Francisco and Des Moines, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Des Moines from San Francisco?

    Denver is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Des Moines.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines, Delta or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $527 and an overall rating of 8.0, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $546 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San Francisco to Des Moines.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Des Moines from San Francisco is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Des Moines with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline. Booking your flights between San Francisco and DSM can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to Des Moines?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Des Moines from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top 4 airlines serving from San Francisco to Des Moines

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Des Moines. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Des Moines? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 10277 reviews
7.4Food
8.0Entertainment
7.9Comfort
8.6Crew
8.2Boarding
Airline reviews

There was plenty of overhead room but half of the passengers were told they had to check their carryon bags. My partner and I checked in as early as possible and our seats were split across the aisle.

4.0 OkayBrooke, Jun 2024SFO - MSP
Read more about Delta reviews

There was plenty of overhead room but half of the passengers were told they had to check their carryon bags. My partner and I checked in as early as possible and our seats were split across the aisle.

Flew first class so everything was great. But maybe because the flights were red eye, no meals were served, just chips. I flew Alaska Air 1st class at 9PM (2 hour flight) and they served beef short rib sliders!

There was a loud squeaky sound the whole time we were flying.

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

The landing was bad and the hostess came two times and i was sleeping but when she served the person that nexts to me I woke up and she didn’t even asked me if I need any drink or snacks two times!!!!

Plane was late because of a mechanical malfunction and the food listed as available was not. Flight attendants seem over worked and under paid. They just done seem happy. And that can be seen in their faces.

Waited 3 hours on a plane to de-ice due to manpower issues. Waited another hour and a half once we landed because of a gate issue. Missed my connections. Created. A total of 13 hours of delay.

Great, on time departure, friendly and accommodating crew, great leg room, Smith flight

Plane was turned around due to fog half way into the flight, Delta did not properly direct passengers to stay on same flight and instead failed to properly rebook on Alaska

Like most domestic flights in the US, you are basically on your own with this airline when it comes to food, so be sure to purchase meals and drinks ahead of time or expect to arrive starving and dehydrated (like I was).

The entertainment wasn’t playing in the app or online.

Horrible, the flights kept delaying, so it is obvious that we won't be able to make it to the next connection. No easier/real agent on site to help you figure this out. UA agent on other counters refuse to assist you and direct us to use the QR code/call customer service. So inefficient and poor. While technology seems convenient, but it's not the best interest/experience for customers need help while there is active issue need assistance.

Flight was delayed due to the late arrival of the catering truck, which is quite unacceptable. There was a beverage service, but no pretzel, or cookie, or nuts were served in coach.

On time take off…US cabins look tired and need of refresh!

Crew was great and did their best to make us comfortable and captain came out at the beginning to announce why the flight was delayed, weather situation up ahead, and kept us updated throughout the flight.

United WiFi is consistently unusable (it can take 10 mins to load a single web page). If you need Wifi to do work, be prepared to lose half a day of productivity.

Awful. I got stuck next to a person carrying a dog and behind someone with a dog. People need to board these dogs downstairs. The cabin is crowded enough with your pets

Packed in like sardines, very uncomfortable. Sitting the aisle my shoulder was rammed into numerous times by rushing flight attendants. Also flight was very cold.

Airline did not explain reasons why flight was delayed two hours. Explanations were badly needed and rarely provided. Problem seemed to clearly be the airline’s fault and not the fault of the weather or airport.

Very uncomfortable seats and seat backs, and I am only 5’9”. Delayed due to crew issues, spent a long time with no ventilation. Teeny overhead bins. Wifi worked well. Arrived safely.

The flight was delayed several times without explanation. The seats were terribly uncomfortable and wifi isn’t included. All these make for a less than ideal flight.

Internet service was erratic. Crew service was poor and slow. My luggage on this non-stop flight was lost and not recovered

Flight was 1/2 hour delayed leaving Phoenix. Otherwise it was an average flight. Flight crew on this trip was very nice.

Horrible - they lied to me about baggage & boarding, even though I specifically spoke to their agents the day before my flight about my issue. When I showed up they did not let me board and stranded me at my airport until I bought a new flight with money I did not have to spend.

The experience was great and much better than the flight going out. of course I was in first class but the service was excellent

Comfort of seats, ease of boarding. Food selection could be better

Food options were limited which is absolutely embarrassing for a Flight of this size The staff did not come around as much and I am not accustomed to such poor service from American Airlines Drinks I believe were limited to soda and water

Crew were attentive and friendly. Flight was smooth and early! I enjoyed the less crowded plane. Thank you!

We are gluten free, there were not any available complimentary gluten free options.

No meal on a cross country flight? SFO-MiA is pretty much the definition of a coast to coast flight. No meal provided. Sky high wi-fi rates too. Stop nickel and diming your customers.

I strongly dislike Frontier. I find them barebones, the seats not particularly comfortable, the nickel and diming is maddening, the app is TERRIBLE - super confusing to navigate, and the last 4 frontier flights I have flown have been on AVERAGE 2 hours late, one ruining a fancy night out in Vegas with reservations made well in advance, which was nodded to with a measly 5000 miles, which translates to almost nothing. At least credit a free checked bag or something.

8 hr delay. had to buy another ticket with another airline

Four and a half hour delay in total. What frustrates me most is the poor communication and disorganization.

I appreciated the upgrade to free cary-on bag and seat selection at no charge

FRONTIER SUCKS! The agent downstairs tricked me into booking, just to get to the gate. At the gate, they told me they couldn't help. I then called Customer Service. They and the gate attendants kept blaming each other. Neither side was willing to help the customer.

The agent at check-in was strident, unwelcoming, and condescending to customers ahead of me.

Flight was delay 9hrs and nothing was provided at airport, had to go and get a room to sleep in, paid for Uber back and fort with no offers until we landed back home a 1hr later for a $75 voucher for a future flight.

Our flight was delayed an hour, then when we got to board our flight finally, we were waiting in our seats for take off for 45 minutes before it was communicated that there was a maintenance issue therefore we waited on the plane for over an hour while that was resolved. We did not get to Phoenix until almost 3 hours after we were originally supposed to. This was the first and last time I will be flying Frontier.

There were 3 leg for the trip and each leg was delayed by 90 minutes or more. The boarding process takes forever with people waiting on the jetway even though most folks do not have carry-on. The whole process is poorly managed.

They cancelled the flight then did nothing to help us rebook. It was awful - I won’t fly with them again

Book cheap flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from San Francisco to Des Moines found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
7/9mar.
1 stopFrontier
10h 32mSFO-DSM
$92
7/23mar.
1 stopFrontier
12h 11mSFO-DSM
$95
7/22lun.
1 stopDelta
8h 26mSFO-DSM
$138
7/8lun.
1 stopAmerican Airlines
7h 42mSFO-DSM
$157
7/17mié.
2 stops
25h 47mSFO-DSM
$173
7/23mar.
2 stopsUnited Airlines
12h 46mSFO-DSM
$188
7/10mié.
2 stops
26h 24mSFO-DSM
$206
7/7dom.
1 stopDelta
8h 26mSFO-DSM
$228
7/3mié.
1 stopAmerican Airlines
8h 59mSFO-DSM
$229
7/23mar.
2 stopsUnited Airlines
11h 30mSFO-DSM
$249

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Last minute flights from San Francisco to Des Moines

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from San Francisco to Des Moines that are departing in the next 10 days.
6/16dom.
multi-stopFrontier
17h 15mSFO-DSM
6/21vie.
multi-stopFrontier
18h 52mDSM-SFO
$446
6/12mié.
multi-stopFrontier
10h 34mSFO-DSM
6/17lun.
multi-stopFrontier
11h 55mDSM-SFO
$624
6/12mié.
multi-stopFrontier
10h 34mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stopFrontier
19h 55mDSM-SFO
$684
6/13jue.
multi-stop
26h 07mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stop
22h 01mDSM-SFO
$706
6/13jue.
multi-stop
26h 07mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stop
27h 19mDSM-SFO
$711
6/13jue.
multi-stop
26h 07mSFO-DSM
6/17lun.
multi-stop
30h 27mDSM-SFO
$718
6/13jue.
multi-stopUnited Airlines
11h 11mSFO-DSM
6/17lun.
multi-stopUnited Airlines
8h 18mDSM-SFO
$837
6/13jue.
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
12h 33mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
6h 23mDSM-SFO
$843
6/13jue.
multi-stopDelta
6h 51mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stopDelta
8h 01mDSM-SFO
$847
6/12mié.
multi-stopUnited Airlines
11h 43mSFO-DSM
6/16dom.
multi-stopUnited Airlines
7h 50mDSM-SFO
$1,093

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San Francisco - Des Moines Flights

Departure:

San Francisco (SFO)United States

Destination:

Des Moines (DSM)United States

Return flight deals:

Des Moines - San Francisco

Cabin classes: