Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Atar, Mauritania:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to ATR:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- ATR Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about ATR
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to ATR
- List of Nearest Airports to ATR
- Map of Furthest Airports from ATR
- List of Furthest Airports from ATR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Atar Airport (ATR), Atar, Mauritania would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,817 miles (or 7,753 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 large distance between Des Moines International Airport and Atar Airport, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.
Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Des Moines International Airport and Atar Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure 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 |
Arrival Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | ATR / GQPA |
Airport Name: | Atar Airport |
Location: | Atar, Mauritania |
GPS Coordinates: | 20°30'24"N by 13°2'35"W |
Operator/Owner: | Government |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 758 feet (231 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from ATR |
More Information: | ATR Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- On December 18, 2010, a small red Beechcraft Bonanza crashed while performing an emergency landing at DSM.
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
- 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 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
Facts about Atar Airport (ATR):
- The closest airport to Atar Airport (ATR) is Akjoujt Airport (AJJ), which is located 102 miles (164 kilometers) WSW of ATR.
- Atar Airport (ATR) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Atar Airport's relatively low elevation of 758 feet, planes can take off or land at Atar 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 furthest airport from Atar Airport (ATR) is Maré Airport (MEE), which is nearly antipodal to Atar Airport (meaning Atar Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Maré Airport), and is located 12,340 miles (19,859 kilometers) away in Maré, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia.