Denver (DEN) to Des Moines (DSM): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–DSM. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 67% — a gap of 21 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 6.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 589 mi
Best airline from DEN to DSM
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 10 min | 0.8% | 1,590 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80% | 12 min | 0.6% | 355 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 0.7% | 1,685 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67% | 23 min | 0.3% | 1,116 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to DSM
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (46%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 16 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 16 min |
| Friday | 77% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system12%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to DSM delayed?
- 21% of DEN–DSM flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to DSM?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 1,590 flights. 4 airlines flew DEN–DSM frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to DSM?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (46%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to DSM?
- The scheduled DEN–DSM flight time averages 1h 48m over 589 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are DEN to DSM flights cancelled?
- 0.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DEN to DSM?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 21-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,746 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.