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Route · LGA → DSM · 2020–2025 BTS data

New York to Des Moines

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), LGA to DSM (New York to Des Moines) ranks #4007 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.1%
On-time
+5.1 pts
vs US avg
75 min
Delay when late
1,701
Flights
#4007 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.9%

Best Month

Sep 2024 96%

Worst Month

Jul 2023 71%

Distance

1,031 mi

Carriers

5

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Apr 2025 30 11 0 0 YX
Mar 2025 31 5 2 0 YX
Jan 2025 31 6 0 0 YX
Dec 2024 76 16 0 0 9E,YX
Nov 2024 79 8 0 0 9E,YX
Oct 2024 82 7 0 0 YX,9E
Sep 2024 80 3 0 0 YX,9E
Aug 2024 79 18 12 1 YX,9E
Jul 2024 75 22 5 1 9E,YX
Jun 2024 76 18 4 0 9E,YX
May 2024 84 13 4 0 9E,YX
Apr 2024 82 8 2 0 9E,YX
Mar 2024 83 6 0 0 9E,YX
Feb 2024 81 11 1 0 9E,YX
Jan 2024 83 23 8 0 9E,YX
Dec 2023 74 4 1 0 YX,9E
Nov 2023 77 8 0 0 9E,YX
Oct 2023 76 4 0 0 9E,YX
Sep 2023 67 12 8 0 9E,YX
Aug 2023 77 22 1 0 9E,YX
Jul 2023 68 20 10 0 9E,YX
Jun 2023 72 14 5 0 9E,YX
Dec 2021 46 5 1 0 9E
Nov 2021 48 3 0 0 9E

LGA–DSM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (93.0%) · weakest: July (70.6%)

65%70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 87.2%

Strongest calendar month

October

93.0% on-time · ~79 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~84 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.6% on-time · ~72 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.9%

64 of 1,657 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 1,657 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

LGA - New York

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for New York, NY.

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

Compare LGA vs DSM

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among LGA departures

From LGA, this corridor sits with 64 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 75 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (8 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 3 below 75%). Destination: Des Moines · fleet on-time rank #1538 of 4927.

What the Data Says About LGA to DSM

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show New York to Des Moines (LGA to DSM) running a 84.1% on-time rate over 1,701 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 74.9 minutes. The 1,031-mile corridor is served by 5 carriers, and over the last 24 months 3.9% of 1,657 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Jul 2023 came in at just 71% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, LGA–DSM peaks in October at 93.0% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~84 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.6%, a 22.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does LGA to DSM rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, LGA to DSM ranks #4007 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 LGA to DSM? ▼
Flights from New York to Des Moines have a 84.1% on-time rate based on 1,701 flights. The average delay is 74.9 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for LGA to DSM? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (64 of 1,657 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from LGA to DSM? ▼
The flight distance from New York (LGA) to Des Moines (DSM) is approximately 1,031 miles. This route is served by 5 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from LGA to DSM? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (96% on-time). The worst was Jul 2023 (71% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

LGA Airport

New York
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 LGA–DSM data

LGA–DSM runs 5.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare LGA and DSM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. LGA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (93.0% on-time) beats July (70.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.1% 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.