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Route · IAH → DSM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Houston to Des Moines

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAH to DSM (Houston to Des Moines) ranks #3353 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

77%
On-time
-2 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
2,883
Flights
#3353 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.4%

Best Month

Nov 2023 88%

Worst Month

May 2024 51%

Distance

802 mi

Carriers

13

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Nov 2025 30 12 0 1 OO,UA
Oct 2025 31 5 0 0 UA
Sep 2025 30 7 0 0 UA
Aug 2025 31 14 1 0 UA
Jul 2025 31 10 1 0 UA
Jun 2025 30 14 0 0 UA
May 2025 31 11 0 0 UA
Oct 2024 38 4 0 0 UA,OO
Jul 2024 33 17 3 0 OO,UA
Jun 2024 32 16 1 1 OO,UA
May 2024 53 26 4 0 OO,UA
Apr 2024 60 14 0 0 OO,UA
Mar 2024 31 10 0 0 UA
Dec 2023 40 11 0 0 OO,UA
Nov 2023 60 7 0 0 OO,UA
Oct 2023 62 21 0 0 OO,UA
Sep 2023 56 20 0 0 OO,UA
Aug 2023 31 17 1 0 UA
Jul 2023 40 17 0 0 OO,UA
Jun 2023 31 21 2 0 OO,UA
May 2023 35 14 0 1 OO,UA
Apr 2023 60 20 0 1 UA,OO
Mar 2023 37 18 0 0 OO,UA
Feb 2023 37 6 0 0 OO,UA

IAH–DSM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (85.2%) · weakest: June (60.7%)

50%60%70%80%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.9%

Strongest calendar month

February

85.2% on-time · ~53 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

April

~58 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

60.7% on-time · ~42 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.4%

13 of 950 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

4 of 950 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

IAH - Houston

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

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

Compare IAH vs DSM

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among IAH departures

From IAH, this corridor sits with 79 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 102 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (17 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 6 below 75%). Destination: Des Moines · fleet on-time rank #4094 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAH to DSM

The Houston to Des Moines corridor (IAH to DSM) posts a 77% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 2,883 tracked flights. Late flights run 67.2 minutes behind on average. 13 carriers cover the 802-mile route; over the last 24 months, 13 of 950 flights were cancelled (1.4%) and 0.4% diverted.

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 51% - a 37-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAH–DSM peaks in February at 85.2% on-time while April carries the heaviest traffic (~58 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 60.7%, a 24.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAH to DSM rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAH to DSM ranks #3353 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 IAH to DSM? ▼
Flights from Houston to Des Moines have a 77% on-time rate based on 2,883 flights. The average delay is 67.2 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2023 with 88% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAH to DSM? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (13 of 950 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAH to DSM? ▼
The flight distance from Houston (IAH) to Des Moines (DSM) is approximately 802 miles. This route is served by 13 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAH to DSM? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2023 (88% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (51% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

IAH Airport

Houston
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 IAH–DSM data

IAH–DSM is mid-pack at 77% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare IAH and DSM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAH airport
  • If your dates flex, February (85.2% on-time) beats June (60.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 77% 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.