Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Durango, Colorado, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to DRO:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- DRO Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about DRO
- 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 DRO
- List of Nearest Airports to DRO
- Map of Furthest Airports from DRO
- List of Furthest Airports from DRO
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO), Durango, Colorado, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 810 miles (or 1,304 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 Des Moines International Airport and Durango–La Plata County Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
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: | DRO / KDRO |
Airport Name: | Durango–La Plata County Airport |
Location: | Durango, Colorado, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 37°9'5"N by 107°45'14"W |
Area Served: | Durango, Colorado |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 6685 feet (2,038 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from DRO |
More Information: | DRO 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.
- Des Moines International Airport is a civil-military public airport three miles southwest of Des Moines, in Polk County, Iowa.
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- 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.
- 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 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 closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of DSM.
Facts about Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO):
- The closest airport to Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) is Animas Air Park (AMK), which is located only 7 miles (12 kilometers) WNW of DRO.
- The furthest airport from Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,121 miles (17,897 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- Several airlines flew mainline jets to Durango.
- Because of Durango–La Plata County Airport's high elevation of 6,685 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at DRO. Combined with a high temperature, this could make DRO a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- Durango–La Plata County Airport (DRO) currently has only 1 runway.