DSM - SAN

$55 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to San Diego

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Des Moines to San Diego departing on 4/14. 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.
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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Des Moines to San Diego, 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 Des Moines to San Diego, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Cheap Flight Deals from Des Moines to San Diego (DSM-SAN)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Des Moines to San Diego 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.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Des Moines to San Diego

Recommended round-trip deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from Des Moines to San Diego.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
8:17 pm - 12:20 amDSM-SAN
6h 03m1 stop
6:55 am - 7:17 pmSAN-DSM
10h 22m1 stop
$150Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Mar 19 - Wed, Mar 26
8:17 pm - 12:20 amDSM-SAN
6h 03m1 stop
6:25 am - 7:45 pmSAN-DSM
11h 20m1 stop
$190Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, Mar 7 - Sun, Mar 9
5:00 pm - 10:48 pmDSM-SAN
7h 48m1 stop
10:00 pm - 9:37 amSAN-DSM
9h 37m1 stop
$335Delta
Find Deal
Wed, Apr 2 - Mon, Apr 7
10:22 am - 5:57 pmDSM-SAN
9h 35m1 stop
10:00 pm - 9:37 amSAN-DSM
9h 37m1 stop
$336Delta
Find Deal
Wed, Apr 2 - Sat, Apr 5
6:20 pm - 11:34 pmDSM-SAN
7h 14m1 stop
1:00 pm - 10:53 pmSAN-DSM
7h 53m2 stops
$340American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Apr 3 - Tue, Apr 8
5:29 pm - 11:58 pmDSM-SAN
8h 29m1 stop
2:48 pm - 11:59 pmSAN-DSM
7h 11m1 stop
$360American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Mar 11 - Fri, Mar 14
12:10 pm - 5:55 pmDSM-SAN
7h 45m1 stop
11:05 am - 9:30 pmSAN-DSM
8h 25m2 stops
$397Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, Mar 25 - Sat, Apr 26
3:40 pm - 9:25 pmDSM-SAN
7h 45m1 stop
11:55 am - 10:10 pmSAN-DSM
8h 15m2 stops
$421Southwest
Find Deal
Fri, May 2 - Mon, May 5
3:28 pm - 10:40 pmDSM-SAN
9h 12m2 stops
7:00 am - 4:09 pmSAN-DSM
7h 09m1 stop
$422United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Mar 18 - Tue, Mar 25
7:45 am - 2:03 pmDSM-SAN
8h 18m1 stop
8:49 pm - 10:43 amSAN-DSM
11h 54m2 stops
$423United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Mar 19 - Wed, Mar 26

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Des Moines to San Diego 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 Des Moines to San Diego?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Des Moines to San Diego clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to San Diego on a Monday and more expensive on a Sunday. On your return trip to Des Moines, you should consider flying back on a Sunday, and avoid Wednesdays for better deals.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to San Diego, 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 Des Moines to San Diego is June, where tickets cost $257 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $481 and $475 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Des Moines to San Diego, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.
To get a below average price on the flight from Des Moines to San Diego, you should book around 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$55
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 2% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 24% lower on average.
Flight from Des Moines to San Diego

When to book flights from Des Moines to San Diego

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Des Moines to San Diego 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 Des Moines to San Diego

  • Where can I park at DSM before my flight to San Diego?

    The Long-Term Premium and Long-Term Parking Lots are close enough that you can walk to the terminal. However, the more affordable options, the Blue Lot Economy 2, the Green Lot Economy 3, and the Gray Lot Economy 4, are not within walking distance. But you can take a free shuttle from the Economy Lots to the terminals. At DSM, you cannot reserve parking in advance, but the homepage on the DSM website keeps track of how much space is available in each lot and the Live Shuttle Tracker tells you when the next shuttle is coming.

  • Does DSM provide facilities for nursing moms?

    Yes. There is a Mamava lactation suite located just after the TSA checkpoint near the DSM police desk. Regardless of which concourse you're going to, everyone passes through the same security checkpoint in the main terminal. Each freestanding Mamava unit contains a fold-down table, bench seating on either side, a USB port, an electrical outlet, a coat hook, and a mirror.

  • Does SAN have a military lounge?

    Yes. The USO at SAN is in Terminal 2, landslide. If you are traveling soldier or a member of a military family who wants to relax, regroup, or refresh after your flight from Des Moines, you can visit the USO and enjoy its benefits and facilities free of charge. Amenities include showers, comfortable seating, refreshments, TV, unlimited domestic calls, and much more.

  • Where can I pick up my rental car at SAN?

    All car rental companies are located in a separate building outside the SAN airport. At the Arrivals curb, you can catch a free shuttle to whichever car rental agency you need to go to. Some car rental agencies at San Diego Airport include Avis, Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, Hertz, Firefly, National, and more.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Des Moines to San Diego was $55 for a one-way ticket and $150 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Des Moines to San Diego.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Des Moines to San Diego?

    When flying out of Des Moines you will be using Des Moines. You will be landing at San Diego, also known as San Diego.

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

    The Airbus A320-100/200 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Des Moines to San Diego flight route.

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

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

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

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

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Des Moines to San Diego, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Des Moines to San Diego are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $470 and an overall rating of 8.1, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $424 and an overall rating of 8.0.

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

    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 Des Moines to San Diego.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Diego from Des Moines 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 Des Moines to San Diego?

    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 San Diego with an airline and back to Des Moines with another airline. Booking your flights between Des Moines and SAN 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 Des Moines to San Diego?

    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 San Diego from Des Moines up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Des Moines to San Diego

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $187 or less round-trip.
  • Located virtually in the center of the state of Iowa, the Des Moines International Airport (DSM) serves as a focus city for Allegiant Air. The San Diego International Airport (SAN), located on the Pacific coast in California just north of the Mexican border, is a hub for Southwest, Alaska Airlines, and other smaller airlines.
  • Though is unlikely you will find a direct flight from Des Moines to San Diego, you can find one-stop flights on several airlines, such as United, often with a stop in Denver. Southwest, American, and Delta also have one-stop flights with layovers in cities such as Dallas, Phoenix, Minneapolis, in Atlanta. United, American, and Delta are among the airlines offering two-stop flights as well.
  • There is one animal relief area at DSM located outside the terminal. So, remember to make sure that your service animal or your pet goes to the bathroom before you enter the airport and go through security. This animal relief area is north of the Skywalk next to the parking garage.
  • A baggage claim at SAN, you can find the service Traveler’s Aid. Open every day from 8 am to 11 pm, Travelers Aid helps passengers who are stranded or distressed. For example, if your accommodation plans have fallen through, if your money has been lost or stolen, or if you need transportation assistance, Travelers Aid is there to help.
  • If you feel stiff and sore after your flight from Des Moines, consider getting a massage at one of the two Be Relax Spa locations at the San Diego Airport. There is one spa location at Gate 26 in Terminal 2 and another location atG ate 36 in Terminal 2. These spas are open daily from 7 am to 8 pm.
See more tips

Top 5 airlines serving from Des Moines to San Diego

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Des Moines to San Diego. 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 Des Moines to San Diego? 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.
8.1
SouthwestOverall score based on 4411 reviews
8.1Comfort
7.6Entertainment
8.2Boarding
8.7Crew
7.1Food
Airline reviews

Fine, but how to board on SW versus othrr airlines, is just lame. Goood staff though and all was solid otherwise.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Dec 2024AUS - OAK
Read more Southwest reviews

Fine, but how to board on SW versus othrr airlines, is just lame. Goood staff though and all was solid otherwise.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a not a great airport.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a hell hole of an airport. It is the new LaGuardia. Everything Cobbled together. Security gates closed. Terri directional signage

I will be flying again Southwest Airlines. Friendly crew, comfortable and affordable.

The plane arrived 25 minutes late, and the Wi-Fi was slower than it usually is.

Forget beverage, they didn't even have water for half the passangers?

Can not wait for seating change to reduce the amount of pre boards - it’s disheartening the abuse. And then then deplaning

The crew was nice. Boarding sucked. Instead of loading from the back to the front people just sat wherever and you had to wait for them to move to get to a seat. And the flight was 25 minutes delayed.

I boarded last because of my boarding assignment and was given a middle seat at the back of the plane. I’m 6”1” so it was really tight. I wish I just had a seat assignment instead of a general boarding group. My bag was way at the front and my seat at the back. Was never offered a beverage and had no room to move.

The open seating makes passengers boarding ahead of you think they also have the right to the empty middle seat. Trumper next to me refused to move her laptop bag from my leg area. I did not make a fuss since it was a short flight.

The agents was very rude and they charged me $50 for a carry-on bag saying that it was too big and then I saw someone going on a plane with the same size bag as me

For the most part united was a good experience, how ever when they came by with the snacks and water, they completely passed by my wife and I. As we were in separate rows. On a 5 hr flight we were not offered water

Fantastic crew. Flight was delayed at last minute but we were given updates every 20 minutes and the crew was so friendly and considerate. I miss the touch screens on the back of the seats, wish they would bring that back though.

Awful. Worst airline I have ever been on. Crew were among the rudest people I have ever dealt with. United staff members were rude and disrespectful. My flight was delayed, causing me to miss a connecting flight. I understand things happen, but when staff start lying about what actually happened, that is when I have an issue. Just be honest, really it isn’t that hard. I’m being very honest with this review and I don’t find this difficult what so ever. In fact, because of United Airlines, my Christmas holiday was off to a really rocky start. As someone who has traveled across the world, it has only been United that I have had a truly awful experience.

Boarding always seems a bit chaotic. Seat spacing could leave more for leg room.

Good flight. On time. Boarding and seating was easy. Crew were really friendly, yet professional. Bathroom (by cockpit) was small but serviceable. Some the seats were showing some notable wear & tear, but were comfy. Very happy UA customer. TY! 🤛🏽💗

We arrived early and finally made it to our gate almost an hour after.

We were delayed 3x and because I didn’t purchase my tickets directly from United Airlines I was told I Have to take care of it myself so I called Underpricer and they helped me but before I changed my flights I took the risk of sticking by what my tickets were and was lucky to have gotten on the original all flight with only 15 mins before take off. not sure if I will do this again

Everything good until we waited for jet bridge at SFO. Then pilot gets on speaker & said it won’t reach plane- too short, need to go to different gate. Then 5 min later, adjusted plane/jetbridge & all ok?!?

Was a pain having to leave the plane and reboard but glad the plane was fixed

Terrible. Still have not received the refund from them. They sent it to some account that I don't even know. Spoke with costumer service and they are unable to help.

I didn’t like it at all. I miss my second flight because of the delay on Allegiant Air now I m stuck in MCO.

Good, but a bit late on take off after loading. Don't like charging for carry ons!

First time flying with them and will definitely fly again in the future. Crew was so nice and friendly, fought was seamless. They are simple planes, no entertainment, but it’s fine for a short flight or if you have personal devices Rates are competitive, and they did so well with keeping the flight on time after a tropical storm, where other airlines had delays and cancellations.

They boarded passengers that sat in the back of the plane first, making boarding very efficient.

I didn't even take this flight. My plans changed and I couldn't get ahold of customer service and the website kept breaking down during the attempt to change the flight. I wound up taking another airline entirely and eating the cost.

The worst flying experience ever 3 delays. No accommodations. Had to deboard the plane after being delayed.

Posted a 20minute delay but didn’t delay at all. Caused boarding issues and confusion. Also, didn’t release baggage. Took over an hour and 20 minutes to get luggage.

Flight was good, boarding was a breeze, flight attendants were friendly and professional. There was a medical issue with another passenger and the crew handled it in a calm and professional way.

The net issue I had was with the gate agent. We had added a carryon to our boarding pass when we checked bags. When I got to the boarding gate the agent was rude asking why I had a backpack - I said I added it - even had an orange tag on it. She ripped my tag off and swung her monitor around to show me how she was right- saying it isn’t wasn’t listed - only a checked bag. I explained again that I wasn’t sure what the issue was but I wouldn’t have an orange tag if I hadn’t added it. Then she finally checked my husband’s boarding pass and found that the agent at checkin had added my carryon to his boarding pass instead of mine. She sent me on my way without my orange tag. Was a bit embarrassing for me the tone she used with me assuming I was trying to get away with something.

Extraordinary service in business class, and very good breakfast and snacks. A really lovely flight.

This flight didn’t happen because AA agents didn’t let us board the flight

Plane was pretty clean, staff was friendly and helpful, flight left about on time arrived early. Took a long time to board and get off the plane - carry on items didn't have enough room so people had to move all around to find places.

The service and food needs to improve to catch up with other international flights

Would have been good to have a meal since it was a 5.5 hour flight

We boarded after several delays due to mechanical failure and a gate change. The seat cushion in the exit row was very compressed and offered no cushion, making the four-hour journey reasonably uncomfortable. The WiFi worked for a few people, but for most, it did not, and you cannot get entertainment unless you can connect—American Airlines flights do not have seatback screens, and you must use your mobile phone.

Terrible. Internet/kiosk glitch prevented baggage checkin. Line at ticket co in Ter was under serviced and did not move. Agents did not call for flight but rather allowed time to pass. Then told each person as they reached the front if line that it was too late to check bags so they’d have to rebook flights. At least 15 people missed the flight as a result of this incompetence.

AA is always pretty solid. Was on time all the way around today so can’t complain!

My boarding pass wouldn't pull up in the app very easily and had to really dig through my email. That caused a delay in TSA..

It was exactly what I expected, actually arriving sooner than scheduled.

The check in process was a mess for no reason. I spent an hour waiting in line trying to get them to print my boarding pass and as a result I missed my flight.

The airline used deceptive tactics to charge us more for our trip. Search Frontier Class Action Lawsuit to find out more or read the hundreds of reviews that have nearly identical stories.. don't fly this airline.. you've been warned.

Check in at Philadelphia international was absolutely terrible! I fly 2 to 3 times a month and avoid frontier at all cost and will never fly Frontier again! The night before travel, I tried checking in however, the app was giving me an error, so I went to the desktop, which instructed you that you need to use the app. The next day I presented at the check-in gate after trying at least a half dozen times prior to getting into the airport and continuing to getting the error in the app. I actually had rebooted my phone numerous times and reinstall the app just in case. My phone is only one generation older than the current model. It has no problems completing a frontier flight purchase or any other app issues. There was only three frontier employees working at check-in and a huge line while I was in line I continued to try and check in via the app. As I approach the desk, I was dreading dealing with the agent. He was extremely unprofessional, anti-semantic & very ignorant, and mean to the people in front of me, as well as the people who ended up being behind me. He literally told people “Man I don’t care bout y’all” in his native dialect! Maintaining my composure I approached and explained the situation. To which he replied, you’re gonna have to pay then! I don’t understand. It’s an issue with their app not allowing me to check in! Not my issue! He told me if I pay cash it would be $15, $25 if I pay credit card. I don’t understand a $10 difference for paying with a credit card? I am completely cashless so I continued to try using the app to avoid the $25 fee, Which I still don’t believe that I should be responsible for since it was Frontier’s technical issue!!! I continued to check in via the app a couple more times after he verified I was doing everything right he proceeded to continue to belittle the people behind me. Yelling at them saying I don’t care about you people! I cannot believe that this is the way that businesses would treat its customers! Unfortunately, the black mail with dreadlocks did not have a name tag all he had was a frontier sweater on! For the $25 fee that I ended up getting charged on my credit card. I should’ve just booked originally with Spirit or any other carrier! I have no problem paying fees that I should be responsible for, but when it’s due to a technical failure of a company, the customer should not be responsible for it! I cannot believe that it’s not frontier going out of business!

they delayed my flight which ended up, causing my layover flight to leave without me, resulting in me missing a flight and having to stay overnight in Houston international. I got no compensation other than a flight to my original location only a day later. i’ve never experienced such a unprofessional situation

Very easy with the app to board and staff skills

After waiting several minutes to be acknowledged by 3 employees on their phones, was told we had missed our flight because the doors were closed at that literal moment. Had they given any actual service or help while we were standing there we would have been on with time to spare. More than 10 people were turned away in this fashion claiming there was no way they could let us on the plane, even though it was still sitting connected to the terminal. After the desk agents let us know they didn't care about the situation we were forced to pay more than twice the price of our original tickets as no credits were given for the price of the "missed" flight. And the icing on the cake was after being treated poorly, fleeced for another few hundred dollars for new tickets? We waited on the next plane for 25 minutes passed the "doors closed" time, letting almost an extra dozen passengers on board. You're company has lazy, disinterested employees and your lack of any real help will ensure this was the first and last time we fly Frontier. Awful.

My experience with the phoenix airport was terrible, the personnel lay the ticket counter charged me for a carry on that fit in the carry on size box, and the two women I spoke with were terribly rude and not willing to help.,,, there was one lady “candy” on the flight crew that was amazing and is the only reason I stayed on the flight at all, because the other stewards helping people to get seated on the plane were terrible

I loked walking out on the tarmac to board and no first class. I didn't like that they have no snacks or onboard wifi to bide your time.

The plane was clean, the crew was friendly and helpful. It’s a low cost airline so there was no food, drinks or in flight entertainment but we didn’t expect any of these things. In the room for improvement department, they should install USB ports in seats to charge mobile devices.

The seats were extremely hard and uncomfortable, even for a budget airline.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Des Moines to San Diego

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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