Nonstop flight route between Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from AAZ to DSM:
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- About this route
- AAZ Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about AAZ
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to AAZ
- List of Nearest Airports to AAZ
- Map of Furthest Airports from AAZ
- List of Furthest Airports from AAZ
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ), Quetzaltenango, Guatemala and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,847 miles (or 2,973 kilometers).
A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the relatively short distance between Quetzaltenango Airport and Des Moines International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | AAZ / MGQZ |
Airport Name: | Quetzaltenango Airport |
Location: | Quetzaltenango, Guatemala |
GPS Coordinates: | 14°51'56"N by 91°30'6"W |
Operator/Owner: | Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil |
Airport Type: | Joint |
Elevation: | 7779 feet (2,371 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from AAZ |
More Information: | AAZ Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | DSM / KDSM |
Airport Name: | Des Moines International Airport |
Location: | Des Moines, Iowa, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W |
Area Served: | Des Moines, Iowa |
Operator/Owner: | City of Des Moines |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 958 feet (292 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from DSM |
More Information: | DSM Maps & Info |
Facts about Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ):
- Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) is Quiché Airport (AQB), which is located 26 miles (41 kilometers) ENE of AAZ.
- On 13 October 1999 a private Bell 206 helicopter crashed near Quetzaltenango.
- Because of Quetzaltenango Airport's high elevation of 7,779 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at AAZ. Combined with a high temperature, this could make AAZ a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- On 1 November 1998 a Douglas DC-3 carrying 18 crew and passengers crashed near the airport into mountainous terrain.
- Quetzaltenango Airport serves the city of Quetzaltenango also known as "Xelajú" or "Xela" and western Guatemala.
- The airport is currently undergoing massive construction works, as part of a nationwide airport rehabilitation program.
- The furthest airport from Quetzaltenango Airport (AAZ) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,847 miles (19,066 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- Because of Des Moines International Airport's relatively low elevation of 958 feet, planes can take off or land at Des Moines International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
- The closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,789 miles (17,363 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- Des Moines International Airport covers 2,625 acres at an elevation of 958 feet above mean sea level.