Nonstop flight route between Lamu, Kenya and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from LAU to DSM:
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- About this route
- LAU Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about LAU
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to LAU
- List of Nearest Airports to LAU
- Map of Furthest Airports from LAU
- List of Furthest Airports from LAU
- 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 Manda Airport (LAU), Lamu, Kenya and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,528 miles (or 13,725 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 Manda Airport and Des Moines International 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 Manda Airport and Des Moines International Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
IATA / ICAO Codes: | LAU / HKLU |
Airport Name: | Manda Airport |
Location: | Lamu, Kenya |
GPS Coordinates: | 2°14'45"S by 40°54'35"E |
Area Served: | Lamu |
Operator/Owner: | Government of Kenya |
Airport Type: | Public, Civilian |
Elevation: | 20 feet (6 meters) |
# of Runways: | 2 |
View all routes: | Routes from LAU |
More Information: | LAU 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 Manda Airport (LAU):
- Because of Manda Airport's relatively low elevation of 20 feet, planes can take off or land at Manda 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 14 October 2003 at about 9.00 am, local time, a Cessna 208 Caravan I owned ans operated by Airkenya Express, with one pilot and no passengers, took off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi, headed for Manda Airport in Lamu, approximately 450 kilometres, by air, to the southeast.
- Manda Airport is a small civilian airport on Manda Island, serving the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya.
- The furthest airport from Manda Airport (LAU) is Atuona Airport (AUQ), which is located 11,607 miles (18,679 kilometers) away in Atuona, Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.
- The closest airport to Manda Airport (LAU) is Kiwayu Airport (KWY), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) NE of LAU.
- Manda Airport (LAU) has 2 runways.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- 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.
- On December 18, 2010, a small red Beechcraft Bonanza crashed while performing an emergency landing at DSM.
- 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.