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Route · CLT → DSM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Charlotte to Des Moines

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CLT to DSM (Charlotte to Des Moines) ranks #2500 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

79.8%
On-time
+0.8 pts
vs US avg
71 min
Delay when late
4,931
Flights
#2500 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.0%

Best Month

Nov 2024 92%

Worst Month

May 2024 50%

Distance

815 mi

Carriers

13

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 79 26 5 0 OH,AA
Nov 2025 86 16 7 0 OH,AA
Oct 2025 84 11 0 0 AA,OH
Sep 2025 62 14 0 0 OH,AA
Aug 2025 81 22 0 0 AA,OH
Jul 2025 61 25 0 1 AA
Jun 2025 60 25 2 0 AA
May 2025 62 17 1 0 AA
Apr 2025 60 17 0 2 AA
Mar 2025 64 16 3 0 AA
Feb 2025 56 17 0 0 AA
Jan 2025 63 11 2 0 AA
Dec 2024 61 14 0 0 AA
Nov 2024 59 5 0 0 AA
Oct 2024 61 10 0 1 AA
Sep 2024 60 23 1 0 AA
Aug 2024 61 26 2 1 AA
Jul 2024 61 26 4 1 AA
Jun 2024 60 26 0 1 AA
May 2024 62 31 1 0 AA
Apr 2024 60 15 0 0 AA
Mar 2024 62 14 0 0 AA
Feb 2024 58 12 0 0 AA
Jan 2024 62 21 3 0 AA

CLT–DSM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (88.2%) · weakest: July (70.8%)

65%70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.9%

Strongest calendar month

October

88.2% on-time · ~74 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~74 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.8% on-time · ~67 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.0%

31 of 1,545 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

7 of 1,545 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among CLT departures

From CLT, this corridor sits with 116 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 129 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (5 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 8 below 75%). Destination: Des Moines · fleet on-time rank #3213 of 4927.

What the Data Says About CLT to DSM

4,931 tracked flights put the CLT to DSM pairing (Charlotte to Des Moines) at a 79.8% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 71.3 minutes on average. Across the 815-mile route and its 13 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 2.0% cancelled and 0.5% diverted (1,545 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 50% - a 42-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CLT–DSM peaks in October at 88.2% on-time ; the softest month is July at 70.8%, a 17.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CLT to DSM rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CLT to DSM ranks #2500 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from CLT to DSM?
Flights from Charlotte to Des Moines have a 79.8% on-time rate based on 4,931 flights. The average delay is 71.3 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CLT to DSM?
Over the last 24 months, 2.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (31 of 1,545 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CLT to DSM?
The flight distance from Charlotte (CLT) to Des Moines (DSM) is approximately 815 miles. This route is served by 13 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from CLT to DSM?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (50% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Using CLT–DSM data

CLT–DSM is mid-pack at 79.8% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare CLT and DSM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CLT airport
  • If your dates flex, October (88.2% on-time) beats July (70.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 79.8% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.