Nonstop flight route between Rockford, Illinois, United States and Des Moines, Iowa, United States:
Departure Airport:
Arrival Airport:
Distance from RFD to DSM:
Share this route:
Jump to:
- About this route
- RFD Airport Information
- DSM Airport Information
- Facts about RFD
- Facts about DSM
- Map of Nearest Airports to RFD
- List of Nearest Airports to RFD
- Map of Furthest Airports from RFD
- List of Furthest Airports from RFD
- 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 Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), Rockford, Illinois, United States and Des Moines International Airport (DSM), Des Moines, Iowa, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 239 miles (or 385 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 Chicago Rockford 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: | RFD / KRFD |
| Airport Name: | Chicago Rockford International Airport |
| Location: | Rockford, Illinois, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 42°11'43"N by 89°5'49"W |
| Area Served: | Rockford, Illinois |
| Operator/Owner: | Greater Rockford Airport Authority |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 742 feet (226 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from RFD |
| More Information: | RFD 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 Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD):
- RFD has two cargo aprons in use.
- The closest airport to Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (JVL), which is located 30 miles (47 kilometers) N of RFD.
- Because of Chicago Rockford International Airport's relatively low elevation of 742 feet, planes can take off or land at Chicago Rockford 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 Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,008 miles (17,716 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
- Several airlines have previously served the airport including United Express, Hooters Air, Frontier, Midwest Connect, Midway Connection, Trans Meridian, American Eagle, TWA, Ozark, McClain, Direct Air, Northwest Airlink, etc.
- Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) has 2 runways.
- Following the war, the state of Illinois adopted the Airport Authority Act.
Facts about Des Moines International Airport (DSM):
- The airport hosts the Des Moines Air National Guard Base and 132d Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard.
- In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority.
- On December 2, 1978, Douglas C-47A N41447 of SMB Stage Line crashed short of the runway while on a cargo flight from Chicago, Illinois.
- 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.
- As of March 2014, Delta Air Lines handled of DSM passengers, followed by United Airlines, American Airlines, US Airways, Southwest Airlines, Allegiant Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
- 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.
- Des Moines International Airport (DSM) has 2 runways.
