Des Moines (DSM) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Des Moines (DSM) to Houston (IAH) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 346 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 88% arrived on time, comfortably above the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 0.95
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 32m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 802 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DSM to IAH
Departure time makes little difference on this route — on-time rates stay within a few points across the day.
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 87% | 5 min |
| Tuesday | 87% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 92% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 85% | 20 min |
| Friday | 89% | 7 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 89% | 7 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft9%
- Airline operations59%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DSM to IAH delayed?
- 12% of DSM–IAH 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 10 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DSM to IAH?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 7 a.m. have the worst (87%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DSM to IAH?
- The scheduled DSM–IAH flight time averages 2h 32m over 802 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are DSM to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DSM to IAH?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 77% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 20-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from DSM
Other ways to fly to Houston (IAH)
Related guides
Based on 667 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.