Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and San Diego, California, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to NKX:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- NKX Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about NKX
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
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- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to NKX
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About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and MCAS Miramar, (NKX), San Diego, California, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,418 miles (or 2,282 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 MCAS Miramar,, 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: | NKX / KNKX |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | San Diego, California, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 32°52'4"N by 117°8'30"W |
Operator/Owner: | United States Marine Corps |
Airport Type: | Military |
Elevation: | 478 feet (146 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from NKX |
More Information: | NKX Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- 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.
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- 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.
- 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 (DSM) has 2 runways.
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
- On December 18, 2010, a small red Beechcraft Bonanza crashed while performing an emergency landing at DSM.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
Facts about MCAS Miramar, (NKX):
- Because of MCAS Miramar,'s relatively low elevation of 478 feet, planes can take off or land at MCAS Miramar, 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 MCAS Miramar, (NKX) is Montgomery Field (MYF), which is located only 4 miles (6 kilometers) S of NKX.
- MCAS Miramar, (NKX) has 3 runways.
- The big Privateers proved too heavy for the asphalt concrete runway the Army had installed in 1936 and the longer runways built in 1940, so the Navy added two concrete runways in 1943.
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, formerly Naval Auxiliary Air Station Miramar and Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
- In 1993, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended that Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and Marine Corps Air Station Tustin be closed down and that NAS Miramar be transferred to the Marine Corps.
- The furthest airport from MCAS Miramar, (NKX) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,530 miles (18,556 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
- In addition to being known as "MCAS Miramar,", another name for NKX is "Mitscher Field".
- To lessen the noise impact to the community, MCAS Miramar has made adjustments to their operations over the years, including the use of hush-houses, limitations on engine run-ups, and modification to flight plans.
- In 1947, the Marines moved to MCAS El Toro in Orange County, California, and Miramar was redesignated as NAAS Miramar.
- In 2006, the San Diego County Proposition A proposed obtaining 3000 acres at MCAS Miramar to develop a commercial airport.
- During World War I, the U.S.