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Route · DCA → DSM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Des Moines

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to DSM (Washington to Des Moines) ranks #3109 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.4%
On-time
-0.6 pts
vs US avg
72 min
Delay when late
3,516
Flights
#3109 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

4.6%

Best Month

Mar 2024 90%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 53%

Distance

897 mi

Carriers

14

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 45 11 4 0 YX,OH,MQ
Nov 2025 55 10 5 0 MQ,OH,YX
Oct 2025 62 14 0 0 OH,YX
Sep 2025 60 14 1 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 62 15 0 0 YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 61 16 13 1 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 59 23 4 0 OH,YX,MQ
May 2025 61 18 1 0 OH
Apr 2025 56 16 4 0 OH
Mar 2025 62 11 5 0 OH
Feb 2025 55 26 12 0 OH
Jan 2025 56 15 4 0 OH
Dec 2024 46 19 0 0 OH
Nov 2024 54 8 0 0 OH
Oct 2024 61 8 0 1 MQ,YX,OH
Sep 2024 60 9 0 0 YX,OH,MQ
Aug 2024 62 13 2 0 MQ,YX,OH
Jul 2024 62 17 0 0 YX
Jun 2024 60 19 0 1 MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 62 24 0 1 MQ,OH
Apr 2024 59 7 0 1 OH,YX
Mar 2024 62 6 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 58 9 0 0 OH
Jan 2024 62 13 9 0 OH

DCA–DSM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (84.3%) · weakest: December (70.4%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 70.4%

Strongest calendar month

March

84.3% on-time · ~66 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~69 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

70.4% on-time · ~54 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

4.6%

64 of 1,402 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

5 of 1,402 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

DCA - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

DCA on-time profile

DSM - Des Moines

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Des Moines, IA.

DSM on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DCA and DSM side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DCA vs DSM

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DCA departures

From DCA, this corridor sits with 77 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 91 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Des Moines · fleet on-time rank #3715 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to DSM

The Washington to Des Moines corridor (DCA to DSM) posts a 78.4% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 3,516 tracked flights. Late flights run 72.4 minutes behind on average. 14 carriers cover the 897-mile route; over the last 24 months, 64 of 1,402 flights were cancelled (4.6%) and 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 53% - a 38-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–DSM peaks in March at 84.3% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~69 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 70.4%, a 13.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to DSM rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to DSM ranks #3109 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 DCA to DSM? ▼
Flights from Washington to Des Moines have a 78.4% on-time rate based on 3,516 flights. The average delay is 72.4 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to DSM? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 4.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (64 of 1,402 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to DSM? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Des Moines (DSM) is approximately 897 miles. This route is served by 14 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to DSM? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (53% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
DSM Airport

Des Moines
Data source

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

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using DCA–DSM data

DCA–DSM is mid-pack at 78.4% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and DSM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, March (84.3% on-time) beats December (70.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.4% 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.