Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Vila Real, Portugal:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to VRL:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- VRL Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about VRL
- 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 VRL
- List of Nearest Airports to VRL
- Map of Furthest Airports from VRL
- List of Furthest Airports from VRL
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Vila Real Airport (VRL), Vila Real, Portugal would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,249 miles (or 6,838 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 Vila Real 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 Vila Real 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: | VRL / LPVR |
Airport Names: |
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Location: | Vila Real, Portugal |
GPS Coordinates: | 41°16'39"N by 7°43'10"W |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 1831 feet (558 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from VRL |
More Information: | VRL Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- 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.
- 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.
- As of March 2014, Delta Air Lines handled of DSM passengers, followed by United Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
- 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.
Facts about Vila Real Airport (VRL):
- In addition to being known as "Vila Real Airport", another name for VRL is "Aeródromo Municipal de Vila Real".
- Vila Real Airport (VRL) currently has only 1 runway.
- The furthest airport from Vila Real Airport (VRL) is Takaka Aerodrome (KTF), which is nearly antipodal to Vila Real Airport (meaning Vila Real Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Takaka Aerodrome), and is located 12,399 miles (19,955 kilometers) away in Takaka, New Zealand.
- The closest airport to Vila Real Airport (VRL) is Braga Airport (BGZ), which is located 43 miles (70 kilometers) WNW of VRL.