Departure
97%
vs 95% ▲ 2
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Des Moines International Airport lies at the southwestern edge of Des Moines, Iowa, and is a joint civilian-military field operated by the Des Moines Airport Authority. Two long, hard-surfaced runways with full ILS coverage and a busy Class C tower environment make it a substantial destination for both airline traffic and the Iowa Air National Guard's 132nd Wing.
Des Moines International Airport is a joint civilian-military airport serving the Des Moines metropolitan area, owned by the City of Des Moines and operated under a long-term lease by the Des Moines Airport Authority. It hosts six commercial airlines alongside the 132nd Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard, giving the field a mix of scheduled jet traffic, general aviation and military operations that makes it a worthwhile study for any sim pilot flying into the American Midwest.
The airport sits within Class C controlled airspace and is tagged for customs and landing-rights handling, reflecting its status as an international port of entry. It lies to the southwest of the city of Des Moines itself, at the western edge of a large residential area, a geography that the FAA notes can make the field a little tricky to pick out visually at night.
Des Moines International has two paired hard-surfaced runways. Runway 13/31 is 8,980 feet long, lit, and equipped with an ILS. Runway 05/23 is 8,968 feet long and lit, with an ILS serving runway 05. Field elevation is 928 feet.
Air traffic is worked by Des Moines Tower on 118.3 MHz, with approach and departure control on 118.6 MHz. ATIS broadcasts on 119.55 MHz, ground control operates on 121.9 MHz, and clearance delivery is available separately. Airport operations can be reached on 138.15 MHz, and there is a dedicated Air National Guard operations and maintenance frequency, Fort Dodge Radio, on 122.65 MHz. UNICOM is on 122.95 MHz for use outside tower hours or by non-towered traffic types.
To improve safety and orderliness for VFR traffic arriving and departing the airport for flight training, the DSM Air Traffic Control Tower has worked with local flight schools to develop unpublished practice areas and transition fixes for VFR aircraft. These are available to any pilot wishing to use them, though they are supplementary to official NOTAMs, VFR charts and airport diagrams, which should always be consulted for current procedures. Pilots should also be aware that where intersection take-offs are authorised at the airport, there is a recognised risk of aircraft turning the wrong way onto the runway.
The airport lies southwest of the city of Des Moines at the edge of a large residential area, a feature that can make it harder to locate visually, particularly at night.
The Des Moines area had several small general aviation and airmail fields in the 1920s. Following a 1929 Iowa law permitting cities to fund municipal airports through bonds and assessments, more than eighty potential sites were considered before 160 acres of farmland south of the city were chosen; construction began in 1932 and was completed in 1933. The first passenger terminal was built shortly afterwards and replaced by a new terminal in 1950, which was itself expanded and renamed with new concourses built in 1970. The airport was run by the city's Parks Department before a separate Aviation Department was created in the 1960s and an Aviation Policy Advisory Board followed in 1982. It was renamed Des Moines International Airport in 1986 to reflect the presence of a United States Customs Service office. In 2011 the City of Des Moines transferred operational control to the newly formed Des Moines Airport Authority under a 99-year lease, while retaining land ownership. Passenger numbers rose steadily through the following decade, reaching a record 2.48 million in 2016. Runway 05/23 underwent complete reconstruction during 2022 and 2023, with runway 13/31 also closed for construction work during that period.
Des Moines International today is served by six commercial airlines - American, Allegiant, Delta, Frontier, Southwest and United - and is an operating base for Allegiant Air, alongside its role hosting the Iowa Air National Guard's 132nd Wing. The airport is in the midst of the multi-year LiftDSM programme, a major reconfiguration of its terminal and airfield; construction on a new, larger terminal began in October 2023 and the facility, initially planned with eighteen gates, is scheduled to open in 2026. Centralised de-icing pads were also under construction, with completion targeted for October 2025, intended to move aircraft de-icing away from the gates to improve efficiency and reduce taxiing delays in winter weather.
