Des Moines (DSM) to Las Vegas (LAS): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DSM to LAS matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in June 2025 to just 66% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 1.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,216 mi
Best airline from DSM to LAS
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 8 min | 0.4% | 730 |
| Allegiant Air | 74% | 26 min | 0.7% | 449 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DSM to LAS
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 87% | 6 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 26 min |
| Friday | 83% | 10 min |
| Saturdaybest | 89% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft28%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather12%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DSM to LAS delayed?
- 18% of DSM–LAS flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DSM to LAS?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 730 flights. 2 airlines flew DSM–LAS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DSM to LAS?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (68%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DSM to LAS?
- The scheduled DSM–LAS flight time averages 3h 13m over 1,216 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are DSM to LAS flights cancelled?
- 0.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DSM to LAS?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was June 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,179 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.