Nonstop flight route between Portland, Oregon, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:

Arrival Airport:

Distance from PDX to DSM:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- PDX Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about PDX
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to PDX
- List of Nearest Airports to PDX
- Map of Furthest Airports from PDX
- List of Furthest Airports from PDX
- 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 Portland International Airport (PDX), Portland, Oregon, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,467 miles (or 2,361 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 Portland International Airport 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: | PDX / KPDX |
Airport Name: | Portland International Airport |
Location: | Portland, Oregon, United States |
GPS Coordinates: | 45°35'18"N by 122°35'50"W |
Area Served: | Portland metropolitan area |
Airport Type: | Public |
Elevation: | 30 feet (9 meters) |
# of Runways: | 3 |
View all routes: | Routes from PDX |
More Information: | PDX 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 Portland International Airport (PDX):
- Portland International Airport handled 1,502,956 passengers last year.
- The "super airport" had a terminal on the north side, off Marine Drive, and five runways.
- Portland's main airport has been in two other incarnations.
- Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S.
- By 1935 it was becoming apparent to the Port of Portland that the Swan Island Airport was becoming obsolete.
- During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces.
- The furthest airport from Portland International Airport (PDX) is Tôlanaro Airport (FTU), which is located 10,903 miles (17,546 kilometers) away in Tôlanaro, Madagascar.
- The early 1990s saw a food court and extension added to Concourse C, and the opening of the new Concourse D in 1994.
- Because of Portland International Airport's relatively low elevation of 30 feet, planes can take off or land at Portland 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.
- Meanwhile, local travel businesses had begun recruiting other carriers.
- Portland International Airport (PDX) has 3 runways.
- Portland Airport has five concourses as well as a business aviation terminal.
- The closest airport to Portland International Airport (PDX) is Portland-Troutdale Airport (TTD), which is located only 10 miles (16 kilometers) ESE of PDX.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport covers 2,625 acres at an elevation of 958 feet above mean sea level.
- 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.
- During the 1920s the Des Moines area had several small private airports for general aviation and airmail.
- The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines' Parks Department.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
- 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.