Nonstop flight route between Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from DSM to YVR:
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- About this route
- DSM Airport Information
- YVR Airport Information
- Facts about DSM
- Facts about YVR
- 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 YVR
- List of Nearest Airports to YVR
- Map of Furthest Airports from YVR
- List of Furthest Airports from YVR
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States and Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,516 miles (or 2,440 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 Vancouver International 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: | YVR / CYVR |
Airport Name: | Vancouver International Airport |
Location: | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
GPS Coordinates: | 49°11'40"N by 123°11'2"W |
Area Served: | Metro Vancouver |
Operator/Owner: | Transport Canada |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 14 feet (4 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from YVR |
More Information: | YVR Maps & Info |
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- In 2012, the airport had 1,038,484 enplanementsFederal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 919,990 passenger boardings in calendar year 2008, 853,596 in 2009 and 932,828 in 2011.
- The Des Moines Terminal has 2 concourses.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
- 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.
- On December 1, 2007, a United Express plane carrying 44 passengers slid off a taxiway while taxiing to the runway for takeoff.
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
Facts about Vancouver International Airport (YVR):
- The closest airport to Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Vancouver Harbour Water Airport (CXH), which is located only 8 miles (12 kilometers) NNE of YVR.
- The International and Domestic terminals are one very large building divided into two sections, while the South terminal is located in a remote part of the airport.
- Low resistance carpeting and other materials such as laminate flooring have been utilized throughout the airport to make it easier for people using wheelchairs and walkers to move throughout the airport.
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has 3 runways.
- Passengers traveling through YVR are no longer required to pay a separate airport improvement fee.
- In 1927, Charles Lindbergh refused to include Vancouver in his North American tour because of the lack of a proper airport.
- Its proximity to Asia in relation to the rest of Canada, as well as the large Asian population and Canadian-Asian business connections in the region, make Vancouver International Airport the major gateway between Canada and Asia.
- Since 1992, the Vancouver Airport Authority has been working with an independent accessibility consultant to eliminate the physical barriers in the built environment, and is "committed to providing fully accessible terminal facilities for people of all backgrounds and capabilities".
- Because of Vancouver International Airport's relatively low elevation of 14 feet, planes can take off or land at Vancouver 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 Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,685 miles (17,196 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.