Route · DSM → IAH · 2020–2025 BTS data
Des Moines to Houston
The DSM–IAH corridor (Des Moines, IA → Houston, TX) runs ahead of the national average, served by 15 carriers across roughly 802 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 85%
- On-time
- +6 pts
- vs US avg
- 86 min
- Delay when late
- 2,854
- Flights
Cancelled
1.9%
Best Month
Nov 2023 88%
Worst Month
May 2024 72%
Distance
802 mi
Carriers
15
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2025 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Oct 2025 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Sep 2025 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Aug 2025 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Jul 2025 | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | UA |
| Jun 2025 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| May 2025 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Oct 2024 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 0 | UA,OO |
| Jul 2024 | 33 | 6 | 4 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Jun 2024 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 0 | OO,UA |
| May 2024 | 53 | 15 | 4 | 1 | OO,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 60 | 11 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Mar 2024 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | UA |
| Dec 2023 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Nov 2023 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Oct 2023 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Sep 2023 | 56 | 9 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Aug 2023 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 0 | UA |
| Jul 2023 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Jun 2023 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | OO,UA |
| May 2023 | 35 | 6 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Apr 2023 | 60 | 13 | 0 | 0 | UA,OO |
| Mar 2023 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
| Feb 2023 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 0 | OO,UA |
Cancellation Rate
1.9%
18 of 951 flights
Diversion Rate
0.1%
1 of 951 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.
Origin airport →IAH - Houston
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Houston, TX.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DSM and IAH side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DSM–IAH.
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What the Data Says About DSM to IAH
Des Moines to Houston (DSM to IAH) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85% on-time rate across 2,854 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 85.9 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 802 miles and is served by 15 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 18 of 951 flights were cancelled (1.9%) and 1 diverted (0.1%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2023 posted the strongest performance at 88% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 72% - a 17-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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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.
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.