Nonstop flight route between Columbia, Missouri, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from COU to DSM:
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- About this route
- COU Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about COU
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to COU
- List of Nearest Airports to COU
- Map of Furthest Airports from COU
- List of Furthest Airports from COU
- 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 Columbia Regional Airport (COU), Columbia, Missouri, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 203 miles (or 326 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 Columbia Regional 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: | COU / KCOU |
Airport Name: | Columbia Regional Airport |
Location: | Columbia, Missouri, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 38°49'5"N by 92°13'10"W |
Area Served: | Columbia, Missouri |
Operator/Owner: | City of Columbia |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 889 feet (271 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from COU |
More Information: | COU 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 Columbia Regional Airport (COU):
- In August 2012, Frontier Airlines announced plans to have twice weekly flights from Columbia to Orlando.
- The closest airport to Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is Jefferson City Memorial Airport (JEF), which is located only 16 miles (26 kilometers) SSE of COU.
- The furthest airport from Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 10,886 miles (17,519 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Because of Columbia Regional Airport's relatively low elevation of 889 feet, planes can take off or land at Columbia Regional 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 2013 Federal sequester will result in the closure of the airport's contract control tower and will require pilots to rely on air traffic controllers from other area airports.
- Columbia Regional Airport (COU) has 2 runways.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
- 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 covers 2,625 acres at an elevation of 958 feet above mean sea level.
- 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.
- 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.