The Des Moines International Airport has dozens of non-stop flight destinations, but plenty of travelers still wish for more.
We recently asked readers which destinations they would most like to see added to the schedule at the Des Moines International Airport. Here’s a look at which destinations were among the most requested.
Which cities do Iowans want to see as a non-stop destination at the Des Moines International Airport?
Here are the top 5 cities Iowans voted for:
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Cancun, Mexico: 1,900 votes
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Seattle, Washington: 1,814 votes
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Maui, Hawaii: 1,282 votes
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Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: 1,111 votes
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New Orleans, Louisiana: 822 votes
More: Flying from the Des Moines airport in January? Here are the cheapest destinations.
Has the Des Moines International Airport ever had non-stop flights to these destinations?
The Des Moines International Airport has never had direct service to any of the top five destinations Iowans voted for, said Sarah Hoodjer, communications, marketing and air service development manager.
One other requested destination — Salt Lake City, Utah — previously had service on Delta. The flights helped connect flyers to other popular routes in the western United States.
How does the Des Moines airport get new routes?
Airport leaders regularly meet with current and prospective airlines to expand air service from Des Moines, Hoodjer said. The airport is always advocating for new routes, but the decision ultimately rests with the airlines, she said.
Important considerations for adding a new route include:
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Enough demand from passengers to fill at least 80% of seats on each flight.
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The availability of aircraft and crew.
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The operational costs and logistics of the route.
More: Des Moines International Airport has back-to-back record years for passenger traffic
What were the Des Moines airport’s most popular flight destinations in 2024?
Traffic data from the Des Moines International Airport isn’t fully loaded for 2024, Hoodjer said. But, from January to June, the most popular destinations were:
All five can be reached with non-stop service, some from multiple airlines.
What non-stop destinations are available from the Des Moines International Airport?
The airport recently hit a record 33 non-stop routes when Allegiant announced two new routes and American Airlines announced the return of an east coast route.
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Austin, Texas:* Allegiant
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Charlotte, North Carolina: American Airlines
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Chicago (O’Hare International Airport): American Airlines and United
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Dallas: American Airlines
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Denver: Frontier, Southwest and United
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Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida*: Allegiant
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Fort Lauderdale, Florida*: Allegiant
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Houston: Allegiant (William P. Hobby Airport) and United (George Bush International Airport)
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Las Vegas: Allegiant and Southwest
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Miami*: American Airlines
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Nashville, Tennesse*: Allegiant
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New York (LaGuardia Airport): American Airlines and Delta
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Newark, New Jersey*: Allegiant
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Orange County, California*: Allegiant
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Orlando, Florida*: Allegiant (Orlando Sanford International Airport) and Frontier (Orlando International Airport)
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Phoenix: Allegiant (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway), American Airlines and Southwest (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport)
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Portland, Oregon*: Allegiant
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Punta Gorda, Florida*: Allegiant
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Sarasota, Florida*: Allegiant
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St. Petersburg, Florida: Allegiant
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Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport): American Airlines
* Seasonal flights
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Will the Des Moines airport add new routes? Here’s what readers want