Nonstop flight route between Jackson, Mississippi, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from HKS to DSM:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- HKS Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about HKS
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to HKS
- List of Nearest Airports to HKS
- Map of Furthest Airports from HKS
- List of Furthest Airports from HKS
- Map of Nearest Airports to DSM
- List of Nearest Airports to DSM
- Map of Furthest Airports from DSM
- List of Furthest Airports from DSM
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Hawkins Field (HKS), Jackson, Mississippi, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 663 miles (or 1,067 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 Hawkins Field and Des Moines International Airport, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | HKS / KHKS |
Airport Names: |
|
Location: | Jackson, Mississippi, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 32°20'4"N by 90°13'20"W |
Area Served: | Jackson, Mississippi |
Operator/Owner: | City of Jackson |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 341 feet (104 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from HKS |
More Information: | HKS Maps & Info |
Arrival 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 |
Facts about Hawkins Field (HKS):
- In addition to being known as "Hawkins Field", another name for HKS is "(former Jackson Army Air Base)".
- Aviation in Jackson began in 1928 with the purchase of 151 acres of pasture land in the City of Jackson known then as Davis Stock Farm, for $53,500.
- The United States Army continues to operate from Hawkins Field via the Mississippi Army National Guard and the 185th Theater Aviation Brigade.
- Hawkins Field (HKS) has 2 runways.
- Third Air Force operated the airfield as an Air Force Reserve training center until March 31, 1949 when the United States Air Force excessed Hawkins Field and returned it to civil control.
- The closest airport to Hawkins Field (HKS) is Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) E of HKS.
- Because of Hawkins Field's relatively low elevation of 341 feet, planes can take off or land at Hawkins Field 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 Hawkins Field (HKS) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 10,975 miles (17,662 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
- What is known today as the 172d Airlift Wing of the Mississippi Air National Guard began in 1953 as the Tactical Air Command's 183d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, an Air National Guard unit at Hawkins Field equipped with RB-26 Invaders for night photo reconnaissance missions.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
- 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 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.
- 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 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.