Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to YVQ:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- YVQ Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about YVQ
- 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 YVQ
- List of Nearest Airports to YVQ
- Map of Furthest Airports from YVQ
- List of Furthest Airports from YVQ
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Norman Wells Airport (YVQ), Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,085 miles (or 3,356 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 Norman Wells 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: | YVQ / CYVQ |
Airport Name: | Norman Wells Airport |
Location: | Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada |
GPS Coordinates: | 65°16'53"N by 126°47'54"W |
Operator/Owner: | Government of the Northwest Territories |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 238 feet (73 meters) |
# of Runways: | 1 |
View all routes: | Routes from YVQ |
More Information: | YVQ Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- 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 closest airport to Des Moines International Airport (DSM) is Ankeny Regional Airport (IKV), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) NNE of 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.
- This airport is in in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which called it a primary commercial service airport.
- On March 13, 2008, an Atlanta-bound ASA flight was delayed more than five hours when a mouse was discovered shortly before take-off from DSM.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
Facts about Norman Wells Airport (YVQ):
- Norman Wells Airport (YVQ) currently has only 1 runway.
- Because of Norman Wells Airport's relatively low elevation of 238 feet, planes can take off or land at Norman Wells 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 Norman Wells Airport (YVQ) is Tulita Airport (ZFN), which is located 44 miles (71 kilometers) SE of YVQ.
- The furthest airport from Norman Wells Airport (YVQ) is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ), which is located 9,990 miles (16,078 kilometers) away in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.