Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom:
Departure Airport:
(41°32'2"N by 93°39'47"W)
Arrival Airport:
(55°52'18"N by 4°25'59"W)
Distance from DSM to GLA:
3,891.51 miles (6,262.76 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- GLA Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about GLA
- 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 GLA
- List of Nearest Airports to GLA
- Map of Furthest Airports from GLA
- List of Furthest Airports from GLA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Glasgow International Airport (GLA), Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 3,892 miles (or 6,263 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 Glasgow International 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 Glasgow International 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: | GLA / EGPF |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| GPS Coordinates: | 55°52'18"N by 4°25'59"W |
| Area Served: | Glasgow, Scotland and UK |
| Operator/Owner: | Heathrow Airport Holdings |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 26 feet (8 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GLA |
| More Information: | GLA Maps & Info |
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.
- 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.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- 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.
- 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.
- In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities.
Facts about Glasgow International Airport (GLA):
- Currently, the airport is easily accessed by road due to the adjoining M8 motorway and is served by a frequent and dedicated express bus from the city centre.
- The furthest airport from Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,739 miles (18,892 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
- Glasgow International Airport handled 7,363,764 passengers last year.
- Because of Glasgow International Airport's relatively low elevation of 26 feet, planes can take off or land at Glasgow 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 closest airport to Glasgow International Airport (GLA) is Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK), which is located 26 miles (42 kilometers) SSW of GLA.
- Passenger traffic at Glasgow Airport peaked in 2006 when over 8.8 million passengers passed through the airport.
- Glasgow International Airport (GLA) currently has only 1 runway.
- In 1940, a torpedo training unit was formed, which trained both RAF and Royal Navy crews.
- In the 1960s, Glasgow Corporation decided that a new airport for the city was required.
- A dedicated international departure lounge and pier was added at the western side of the building, leaving the facility with a total of 38 gates, bringing its capacity up to nine million passengers per year.
- In 1975, the BAA took ownership of Glasgow Airport.
- In addition to being known as "Glasgow International Airport", another name for GLA is "Port-adhair Eadar-nàiseanta Ghlaschu".
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11.96 miles (19.24 km) NNE | Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV) | Ankeny, Iowa, United States |     |
| 2 | 31.72 miles (51.05 km) N | Ames Municipal Airport (AMW) | Ames, Iowa, United States | |
| 3 | 32.71 miles (52.64 km) NW | Perry Municipal Airport (PRO) | Perry, Iowa, United States | |
| 4 | 34.53 miles (55.57 km) ENE | Newton Municipal Airport (TNU) | Newton, Iowa, United States | |
| 5 | 36.87 miles (59.33 km) NNW | Boone Municipal Airport (BNW) | Boone, Iowa, United States | |
| 6 | 50.75 miles (81.68 km) SW | Creston Municipal Airport (CSQ) | Creston, Iowa, United States | |
| 7 | 63.25 miles (101.79 km) N | Webster City Municipal Airport (EBS) | Webster City, Iowa, United States | |
| 8 | 67.94 miles (109.34 km) WNW | Arthur N. Neu Airport (CIN) | Carroll, Iowa, United States | |
| 9 | 69.61 miles (112.03 km) ESE | Ottumwa Regional Airport (OTM) | Ottumwa, Iowa, United States | |
| 10 | 72.18 miles (116.16 km) W | Atlantic Municipal Airport (AIO) | Atlantic, Iowa, United States | |
| 11 | 75.34 miles (121.25 km) NNW | Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD) | Fort Dodge, Iowa, United States | |
| 12 | 88.26 miles (142.04 km) NNW | Humboldt Municipal Airport (HUD) | Humboldt, Iowa, United States | |
| 13 | 93.36 miles (150.25 km) ESE | Fairfield Municipal Airport (FFL) | Fairfield, Iowa, United States | |
| 14 | 93.88 miles (151.09 km) WNW | Denison Municipal Airport (DNS) | Denison, Iowa, United States | |
| 15 | 95.89 miles (154.31 km) NE | Waterloo Regional Airport (Livingston Betsworth Field) (ALO) | Waterloo, Iowa, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,788.59 miles (17,362.52 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 2 | 10,765.59 miles (17,325.49 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 3 | 10,745.72 miles (17,293.52 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 4 | 10,741.55 miles (17,286.81 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 5 | 10,702.16 miles (17,223.42 km) WSW | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 6 | 10,688.11 miles (17,200.80 km) WSW | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,679.91 miles (17,187.60 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,678.27 miles (17,184.97 km) WSW | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,663.64 miles (17,161.42 km) WSW | Jurien Bay Airport (JUR) | Jurien Bay, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,650.61 miles (17,140.45 km) W | Katanning Airport (KNI) | Katanning, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,620.66 miles (17,092.25 km) WSW | Geraldton Airport (GET) | Geraldton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,595.70 miles (17,052.09 km) WSW | Kalbarri Airport (KAX) | Kalbarri, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,572.70 miles (17,015.07 km) WSW | Morawa Airport (MWB) | Morawa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 14 | 10,567.93 miles (17,007.39 km) WSW | Mullewa Airport (MXU) | Mullewa, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,547.73 miles (16,974.88 km) WSW | Shark Bay Airport (MJK) | Monkey Mia, Western Australia, Australia | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 25.82 miles (41.56 km) SSW | Glasgow-Prestwick Airport (PIK) | Prestwick (near Glasgow), Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 2 | 41.42 miles (66.66 km) E | Edinburgh Airport (EDI) | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | |
| 3 | 56.63 miles (91.14 km) NE | Perth Airport (PSL) | Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 4 | 57.39 miles (92.37 km) WSW | Campbeltown Airport (CAL) | Campbeltown, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 5 | 67.38 miles (108.44 km) NE | Dundee Airport (DND) | Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 6 | 69.49 miles (111.83 km) ENE | RAF Leuchars (ADX) | St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 7 | 71.16 miles (114.52 km) W | Colonsay Airport (CSA) | Colonsay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 8 | 72.17 miles (116.14 km) W | Islay Airport (ILY) | Islay, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 9 | 90.70 miles (145.96 km) SE | Carlisle Lake District Airport (CAX) | Carlisle, England, United Kingdom | |
| 10 | 97.88 miles (157.52 km) WNW | Coll Island Airport (COL) | Coll, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 11 | 103.20 miles (166.09 km) WNW | Tiree Airport (TRE) | Tiree, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 12 | 103.53 miles (166.62 km) SW | George Best Belfast City Airport (BHD) | Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 13 | 109.39 miles (176.04 km) SW | Belfast International Airport (BFS) | Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| 14 | 116.35 miles (187.24 km) N | Inverness Airport (INV) | Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom | |
| 15 | 121.28 miles (195.18 km) WSW | City of Derry Airport (LDY) | Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,739.22 miles (18,892.39 km) SSE | Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS) | Stewart Island, New Zealand | |
| 2 | 11,712.41 miles (18,849.25 km) SSE | Invercargill Airport (IVC) | Invercargill, New Zealand | |
| 3 | 11,711.55 miles (18,847.86 km) SSE | Dunedin International Airport (DUD) | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | |
| 4 | 11,658.51 miles (18,762.51 km) SSE | Oamaru Airport (OAM) | Oamaru, North Otago, New Zealand | |
| 5 | 11,652.41 miles (18,752.68 km) SSE | Alexandra Aerodrome (ALR) | Alexandra, New Zealand | |
| 6 | 11,630.07 miles (18,716.74 km) SSE | Queenstown Airport (ZQN) | Queenstown, New Zealand | |
| 7 | 11,618.31 miles (18,697.82 km) SSE | Wanaka Airport (WKA) | Wanaka, New Zealand | |
| 8 | 11,615.01 miles (18,692.51 km) SSE | Richard Pearse Airport (Timaru Airport) (TIU) | Timaru, New Zealand | |
| 9 | 11,593.84 miles (18,658.43 km) SSE | Milford Sound Airport (MFN) | Milford Sound, New Zealand | |
| 10 | 11,593.31 miles (18,657.58 km) SSE | Ashburton Aerodrome (ASG) | Ashburton, New Zealand | |
| 11 | 11,576.02 miles (18,629.76 km) SSE | Glentanner Aerodrome (GTN) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 12 | 11,570.78 miles (18,621.31 km) S | Christchurch International Airport (CHC) | Christchurch, New Zealand | |
| 13 | 11,566.75 miles (18,614.83 km) SSE | Mount Cook Airport (MON) | Mount Cook, New Zealand | |
| 14 | 11,544.91 miles (18,579.69 km) SSE | Fox Glacier Aerodrome (FGL) | Fox Glacier, New Zealand | |
| 15 | 11,532.20 miles (18,559.23 km) SSW | Chatham Islands (CHT) | Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand | |