Nonstop flight route between Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from AEL to DSM:
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- About this route
- AEL Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about AEL
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to AEL
- List of Nearest Airports to AEL
- Map of Furthest Airports from AEL
- List of Furthest Airports from AEL
- 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 Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL), Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 149 miles (or 240 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 Albert Lea Municipal 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: | AEL / KAEL |
Airport Name: | Albert Lea Municipal Airport |
Location: | Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 43°40'51"N by 93°22'5"W |
Area Served: | Albert Lea, Minnesota |
Operator/Owner: | City of Albert Lea |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1261 feet (384 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from AEL |
More Information: | AEL 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 Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL):
- The closest airport to Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) is Austin Municipal Airport (AUM), which is located 22 miles (35 kilometers) E of AEL.
- From 1990-2008 Albert Lea was the host site for the International Aerobatic Club Doug Yost Challenge Aerobatic Competition.
- Albert Lea Municipal Airport was recently granted over $3 million in federal economic stimulus funds to relocate the main runway.
- Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) has 2 runways.
- The furthest airport from Albert Lea Municipal Airport (AEL) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,773 miles (17,338 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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.
- During the 1920s the Des Moines area had several small private airports for general aviation and airmail.
- In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
- 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.
- On December 2, 1978, Douglas C-47A N41447 of SMB Stage Line crashed short of the runway while on a cargo flight from Chicago, Illinois.