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Route · DSM → IAH · 2020–2025 BTS data

Des Moines to Houston

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DSM to IAH (Des Moines to Houston) ranks #3365 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85%
On-time
+6 pts
vs US avg
86 min
Delay when late
2,854
Flights
#3365 of 4927
Corpus placement

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

DSM–IAH seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (88.5%) · weakest: December (78.2%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.2%

Strongest calendar month

November

88.5% on-time · ~52 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

April

~58 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

78.2% on-time · ~48 flights/mo

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.

DSM on-time profile

IAH - Houston

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Houston, TX.

IAH on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DSM vs IAH

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among DSM's stronger departures

DSM → IAH posts a 85% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 6 of 13 BTS-tracked routes leaving Des Moines. The same hub also shows 7 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1208 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

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.

On the multi-year calendar, DSM–IAH peaks in November at 88.5% on-time while April carries the heaviest traffic (~58 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 78.2%, a 10.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DSM to IAH rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DSM to IAH ranks #3365 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 IAH? ▼
Flights from Des Moines to Houston have a 85% on-time rate based on 2,854 flights. The average delay is 85.9 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2023 with 88% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DSM to IAH? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (18 of 951 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DSM to IAH? ▼
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Houston (IAH) is approximately 802 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DSM to IAH? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2023 (88% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (72% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DSM Airport

Des Moines
IAH Airport

Houston
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–IAH data

DSM–IAH runs 6 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 IAH airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DSM airport
  • If your dates flex, November (88.5% on-time) beats December (78.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85% 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.