Des Moines International
DSM · KDSM · Des Moines, Iowa · Polk County · map
Des Moines International is a public-use airport owned by Des Moines Airport Authority, 3 miles southwest of Des Moines, Iowa, 958 feet above sea level. It has 2 runways; the longest, 05/23, is 9,004 feet of concrete. It has a control tower, fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A) and about 105 based aircraft. The FAA counts about 90,798 takeoffs and landings a year. About 1,553,013 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Weather right now KDSM · observed 5:54 pm CDT (22:54 UTC), 37 minutes ago
VFR good flying weather
- Wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 13 knots
- Visibility 10 miles or more
- Temperature 80°F (27°C), dew point 56°F (13°C)
- Altimeter 29.84 inHg
The forecast issued Tue 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC), good until Wed 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC)
- From Tue 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
- From Wed 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies VFR
- From Wed 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet VFR
- From Wed 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet VFR
The codes as issued (METAR and TAF)
METAR KDSM 062254Z 20013KT 10SM CLR 27/13 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP100 T02670133
TAF KDSM 062328Z 0700/0724 21010KT P6SM SKC FM070700 VRB02KT 6SM BR SKC FM071300 32004KT P6SM FEW200 FM071400 31008KT P6SM FEW200
From the National Weather Service's aviation weather service, refreshed every few minutes; times are local to the airport with UTC in brackets. For a flight, get your briefing from Flight Service or an approved provider.
The airport
- Codes
- FAA DSM · ICAO KDSM
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- Des Moines Airport Authority
- Elevation
- 958 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- A control tower with a TRACON · around the clock
- Attended
- around the clock
- Lights
- beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A
- Repairs
- airframe: major repairs; engine: major repairs
- Parking
- hangar, tiedown
- Notes
- certified for airline service (Part 139)
- On the chart
- Omaha sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 1E
- In the FAA's files since
- April 1940
Runways 2
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/23 | 9,004 × 150 ft | Concrete, excellent | High-intensity lights |
| 13/31 | 9,001 × 150 ft | Concrete, excellent | High-intensity lights |
- Runway 05: ILS with DME, PAPI, four lights on the left, medium-intensity approach lights with runway alignment lights (MALSR)
- Runway 23: PAPI, four lights on the left, pole 67 ft high 2,322 ft from the end
- Runway 13: ILS with DME, PAPI, four lights on the right, medium-intensity approach lights with runway alignment lights (MALSR)
- Runway 31: ILS with DME, PAPI, four lights on the left, approach lights with sequenced flashers (ALSF-2), right-hand traffic pattern
Radio frequencies
| UNICOM | 122.95 | |
| ATIS (recorded airport information) · Dsm and automated weather (ASOS) | 119.55 | Des Moines |
| Approach and departure · Clearance delivery | 120.9 | |
| Clearance delivery | 126.0 | |
| Clearance delivery | 126.3 | |
| Clearance delivery | 126.65 | |
| Clearance delivery | 134.15 | Des Moines |
| Ground | 121.9 | Des Moines |
| Tower | 118.3 | Des Moines |
| Approach and departure | 118.9 | Waterloo |
| Approach (secondary) Departure (secondary) · Class C (secondary) | 120.45 | Des Moines |
| Approach and departure · Class C airspace | 123.9 | Des Moines |
| Approach (secondary) · Class C (secondary) | 135.2 | Des Moines |
| Emergency | 121.5 | Des Moines |
| Dsm and vot | 109.2 | |
| Des Moines Rco | 122.5 | Des Moines |
Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 515-218-1035.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Takeoffs and landings a year about 90,798, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates.
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
Aircraft registered in Des Moines from the FAA register
108 aircraft are registered to owners in Des Moines, Iowa: 70 piston singles, 15 turboprops, 8 balloons, 6 piston twins, 6 business jets. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Companies and organisations in town with two or more aircraft:
Individuals are counted, never named. All aircraft registered in Iowa.
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 28 since 1982, 4 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English.
Nearby within 30 nautical miles
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file
- Flight notification service (adcus) available MON-FRI 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. For Saturday; Sunday; holidays and night customs service make appointments MON-FRI 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. At least 3 hour advance notice required.
- Exec dir
- PAPI unusable beyond 9 degreess right of centerline.
- Birds on and in the vicinity of airport.
- Informal noise abatement procedures in effect. Expect air traffic control to assign preferred runway.
- Iang south ramp pcn 78 R/B/west/T. iang west ramp pcn 87 R/B/west/T.
- Maximum aircraft WT south general aviation apron 170,000 pounds all other the FBO (fixed-base operator) apron 80,000 pounds.
- Runway 05 approach end has ltd visibility from the tower. Tower cannot easily ID if an aircraft is over the hold short line at taxiway P7. Runway 05 arrivals - use ctn and ensure you are correctly lined up with runway 05 and not taxiway P.
- Cross bleed engine starts on air carrier ramp prohibited.
- Use caution when landing over raised lights in the overruns and runway thlds at dsm.
- Arng ramp available for military and MIL-CONTRACTED aircraft for offl bus only with ltd support. Prior permission required; contact dsn 261-8360/8361, C515-261-8360/8361. The FBO (fixed-base operator) will provide contract fuel. Military crews can contact hawki on 252.9
- A321 aircraft ltd to 190,000 pounds on runway 5-23 and taxiway P. A321 exceeding 190,000 pounds WO airport authorized waiver required the control tower provide 13-31.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 5, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.