FlightRecord

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Des Moines (DSM): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

The biggest risk when flying DFW to DSM isn't a late arrival — it's not departing at all. 3.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled, several times the typical US rate. When flights do go, 67% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Envoy Air has been the safer pick, arriving on time 87% of the time.

On-time
67%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
31 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.2%
Flights/day
3.9
last 12 months
Duration
1h 56m
scheduled
Distance
624 mi

Best airline from DFW to DSM

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Envoy Airmost reliable87%7 min1.6%644
PSA Airlines81%15 min3.3%182
American Airlines59%40 min3.7%1,983

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DFW to DSM flights50%75%100%August 2024: 49% on-time (117 flights)49Aug 2024September 2024: 79% on-time (97 flights)79October 2024: 81% on-time (113 flights)81November 2024: 77% on-time (107 flights)77Nov 2024December 2024: 73% on-time (95 flights)73January 2025: 73% on-time (105 flights)73February 2025: 74% on-time (88 flights)74Feb 2025March 2025: 74% on-time (119 flights)74April 2025: 68% on-time (93 flights)68May 2025: 71% on-time (94 flights)71May 2025June 2025: 58% on-time (116 flights)58July 2025: 61% on-time (118 flights)61August 2025: 69% on-time (118 flights)69Aug 2025September 2025: 67% on-time (119 flights)67October 2025: 68% on-time (121 flights)68November 2025: 66% on-time (116 flights)66Nov 2025December 2025: 57% on-time (122 flights)57January 2026: 62% on-time (123 flights)62February 2026: 67% on-time (112 flights)67Feb 2026March 2026: 72% on-time (123 flights)72April 2026: 79% on-time (120 flights)79May 2026: 77% on-time (123 flights)77May 2026June 2026: 53% on-time (119 flights)53July 2026: 61% on-time (120 flights)61

Best time to fly from DFW to DSM

Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (47%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DFW to DSM7 a.m.: 88% on-time (357 flights)78 a.m.: 75% on-time (180 flights)89 a.m.: 93% on-time (44 flights)910 a.m.: 79% on-time (184 flights)1012 p.m.: 80% on-time (139 flights)121 p.m.: 60% on-time (358 flights)132 p.m.: 57% on-time (183 flights)143 p.m.: 76% on-time (274 flights)154 p.m.: 57% on-time (309 flights)168 p.m.: 64% on-time (207 flights)209 p.m.: 54% on-time (376 flights)2110 p.m.: 47% on-time (190 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday62%34 min
Tuesdaybest73%23 min
Wednesday67%26 min
Thursday62%40 min
Friday71%25 min
Saturday65%35 min
Sunday67%33 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft59%
  • Airline operations29%
  • National airspace system7%
  • Weather5%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DFW to DSM delayed?
33% of DFW–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 31 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DFW to DSM?
Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 644 flights. 3 airlines flew DFW–DSM frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DFW to DSM?
Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (47%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DFW to DSM?
The scheduled DFW–DSM flight time averages 1h 56m over 624 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 33% of the time.
How often are DFW to DSM flights cancelled?
3.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from DFW to DSM?
July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 45% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 81%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,819 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.