Flights Des Moines → Los Angeles
As of November 2026, economy flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles have a typical range USD 177–1115, median USD 264. Full range across all 145 offers: USD 133–3790. We analyzed 145 offers from 9 airlines in a single price check.
Preview snapshot — prices change. Search for live results.
Data collected by LetsFG's multi-source price checks — every airline and the major booking sites checked for this route. How we collect data →
Best offers by airline: Des Moines → Los Angeles
Based on 145 offers · November 2026. Prices and availability change — run a live search to confirm.
Bag & seat fees: Des Moines → Los Angeles
Add-on pricing from the cheapest available offer per airline · November 2026 · USD
| Airline | Carry-on | Checked bag | Seat selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | — | — | — |
| Southwest Airlines | — | — | — |
| United | — | — | — |
| Southwest | — | USD 40 | — |
| United | — | USD 50 | — |
| Allegiant Air | — | — | — |
| American | — | USD 55 | — |
| Delta | — | — | — |
| Qatar Airways | — | — | — |
Fees are estimates from the prices we checked and may not reflect your specific itinerary, booking class, or payment method. Run a live search for exact pricing.
How much do flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles cost?
Based on 145 offers · November 2026
Des Moines to Los Angeles flights ranged from USD 133 to USD 3790 across 145 offers analyzed in November 2026. The chart below shows how prices distributed across all 145 offers.
These 145 offers (November 2026) span multiple departure dates and booking windows — your travel dates may fall anywhere in this distribution. Only a live search shows where your specific trip lands.
50% of offers priced between USD 208 and USD 774
What hidden fees do Des Moines to Los Angeles flights charge?
Ancillary fees — bags, seat selection, and payment surcharges — can add 10–25% to the base fare on Des Moines to Los Angeles routes. The breakdown below is based on 145 offers analyzed in November 2026.
| Carrier | Avg fee (USD) | % of base fare |
|---|---|---|
| AA | 33 | 10% |
| WN | 11 | 5% |
| UA | 14 | 2% |
| Southwest | 45 | 21% |
| United | 49 | 25% |
| G4 | 12 | 7% |
| American | 55 | 26% |
| DL | 10 | 1% |
| QR | 20 | 1% |
American: base ~USD 159 + fees USD 55 = ~USD 214 total. Delta Air Lines: base ~USD 1278 + fees USD 10 = ~USD 1288 total.
American's USD 55 ancillary fees narrow the gap with Delta Air Lines's lower-fee model — the USD 1119 base difference shrinks to USD 1074 after fees. Always compare total cost, not just the advertised base fare.
Estimates based on median total minus average ancillary fee. Actual base fares vary by itinerary.Fee levels vary significantly across carriers on this route — some carriers charge 50%+ above the base fare in ancillary fees.
Run your search to see itemized fees for your itineraryWhich airline is cheapest from Des Moines to Los Angeles?
9 airlines flew Des Moines to Los Angeles in this dataset. Knowing the airline isn't enough — the typical fare range below shows how far prices swing on each one. Median and range include all fees we recorded.
| Airline | Offers | Typical range (USD) | Median (USD) | Fees (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Allegiant Air | 1 | — | 173 | 12 (7%) |
 Southwest | 26 | 203–219 | 208 | 45 (22%) |
 United | 7 | 154–216 | 214 | 49 (23%) |
 American | 3 | — | 214 | 55 (26%) |
 Southwest Airlines | 20 | 139–333 | 236 | 11 (5%) |
 American Airlines | 28 | 198–452 | 363 | 33 (9%) |
 United Airlines | 39 | 143–1115 | 774 | 14 (2%) |
 Delta Air Lines | 19 | 451–2700 | 1288 | 10 (1%) |
 Qatar Airways | 2 | — | 1914 | 20 (1%) |
Where do the best Des Moines → Los Angeles prices come from?
We checked direct airlines, travel agencies, and meta-search for this route. On this route the lowest median came from travel agency sources, but the cheapest channel shifts by route and date — which is exactly why a live search across all of them wins.
We compare every airline and the major booking sites but never disclose which — that's our edge. Prices are the ones we observed and aren't official data from any platform. Run a live search and we bring you the cheapest, wherever it is.
Key facts: Des Moines to Los Angeles flights
- Full-service carriers on Des Moines–Los Angeles cost 3.9x more than budget airlines (USD 794 vs USD 206 median; overall median USD 264).
- American charges 5.5x more in ancillary fees than DL — USD 55 vs USD 10 avg per booking.
- The same route priced USD 2341 apart depending on where it was booked — the lowest median was USD 214. We search every airline and the major booking sites at once so you always see that lowest price.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a flight from Des Moines to Los Angeles cost?
- Based on 145 offers analyzed, Des Moines to Los Angeles flights range from USD 133 to USD 3790, with a median price of USD 264. Search for your specific dates →
- What hidden fees should I expect on Des Moines to Los Angeles flights?
- On average, ancillary fees (bags, seat selection) add USD 25 to the base fare on Des Moines to Los Angeles flights. See itemized fees for your itinerary →
- Which airline is cheapest on Des Moines to Los Angeles including all fees?
- Allegiant Air has the lowest median fare on Des Moines to Los Angeles at USD 173 (median across 1 offers in our snapshot). Check which airline wins on your dates →
- Which booking site has the cheapest Des Moines–Los Angeles flights?
- It depends on your dates — no single site is always cheapest. We search every airline and the major booking sites at once (travel agencies and meta-search included) and surface whichever is lowest; the best median in this snapshot was USD 214. Run a live search and we'll find the cheapest for you →
- Why do prices vary so much on Des Moines to Los Angeles routes?
- Des Moines to Los Angeles has 9 airlines competing, creating a price range from USD 133 to USD 3790 across 145 offers. Prices on this route change with booking timing, advance purchase, and ancillary add-ons. Find where your trip lands in the distribution →
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