PlainFlights

Route · DSM → CLT · 2020–2025 BTS data

Des Moines to Charlotte

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DSM to CLT (Des Moines to Charlotte) ranks #2501 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.2%
On-time
+4.2 pts
vs US avg
106 min
Delay when late
4,929
Flights
#2501 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.1%

Best Month

Sep 2025 90%

Worst Month

Jan 2024 55%

Distance

815 mi

Carriers

13

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 79 20 5 0 OH,AA
Nov 2025 86 12 6 0 OH,AA
Oct 2025 84 9 0 0 AA,OH
Sep 2025 62 6 0 0 OH,AA
Aug 2025 81 20 0 0 AA,OH
Jul 2025 61 15 1 0 AA
Jun 2025 60 15 2 1 AA
May 2025 62 13 2 0 AA
Apr 2025 60 7 0 0 AA
Mar 2025 64 7 3 0 AA
Feb 2025 56 6 0 0 AA
Jan 2025 63 8 2 0 AA
Dec 2024 62 16 0 0 AA
Nov 2024 59 9 0 0 AA
Oct 2024 61 14 0 0 AA
Sep 2024 60 12 1 0 AA
Aug 2024 61 18 2 0 AA
Jul 2024 61 25 4 1 AA
Jun 2024 60 22 0 0 AA
May 2024 62 21 1 0 AA
Apr 2024 60 13 0 0 AA
Mar 2024 62 16 0 0 AA
Feb 2024 58 12 0 0 AA
Jan 2024 62 28 3 0 AA

DSM–CLT seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (89.4%) · weakest: January (74.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

89.4% on-time · ~66 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~74 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

74.8% on-time · ~73 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.1%

32 of 1,546 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 1,546 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DSM - Des Moines

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

DSM on-time profile

CLT - Charlotte

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Charlotte, NC.

CLT on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DSM vs CLT

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DSM departures

From DSM, this corridor sits with 7 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 13 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (6 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Charlotte · fleet on-time rank #1862 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DSM to CLT

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Des Moines to Charlotte (DSM to CLT) running a 83.2% on-time rate over 4,929 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 105.6 minutes. The 815-mile corridor is served by 13 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.1% of 1,546 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2025 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jan 2024 came in at just 55% - a 36-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DSM–CLT peaks in September at 89.4% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~74 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 74.8%, a 14.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DSM to CLT rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DSM to CLT ranks #2501 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 DSM to CLT? ▼
Flights from Des Moines to Charlotte have a 83.2% on-time rate based on 4,929 flights. The average delay is 105.6 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2025 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DSM to CLT? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (32 of 1,546 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DSM to CLT? ▼
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Charlotte (CLT) is approximately 815 miles. This route is served by 13 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DSM to CLT? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2025 (90% on-time). The worst was Jan 2024 (55% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DSM Airport

Des Moines
CLT Airport

Charlotte
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 DSM–CLT data

DSM–CLT runs 4.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DSM and CLT airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DSM airport
  • If your dates flex, September (89.4% on-time) beats January (74.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.2% 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.