Des Moines (DSM) Airport Guide

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What You'll Like About Des Moines Airport

This is a relatively small, quiet airport with just two concourses (interestingly, A and C, but not B). A couple of the check-in areas have padded benches large enough to accommodate at least two persons; a handy option for late night travelers who may be arriving in pairs. There are certain carpeted areas open to passengers which may be warmer and slightly more comfortable in terms of sleeping arrangements. We would still recommend a travel sleeping bag though. There are a fair amount of shopping and dining options as well, and we'll give you some of our favorites a little later. The airport also offers free Wi-Fi, though you'll need to refresh the sessions.

Some Downsides

There are currently no 24-hour dining options in the airport, and therefore late-night travelers will be restricted to whatever happens to be in the vending machines at night. We recommend planning ahead when possible to grab food and drinks before bedding down if you arrive early enough. There are no paid lounges available either, and while Des Moines does stock a supply of cots, these are strictly for stranded passengers in the event of inclement weather. Passengers who simply wish to stay the night won't have access to the cots. There are no dedicated rest zones and no showers, either, which can be bothersome for weary passengers.

Shopping and Dining in Des Moines

Capitol News and Gifts as well as the Capitol Marketplace both provide a plethora of shop options under one roof--okay, two roofs in this case. From these locations, you can purchase a variety of gift items, books, entertainment, Iowa-centric college apparel, snack food and more. Capitol News is in the lobby, and the Marketplace is airside. Dining is mostly standard fare, but it will be satisfying nonetheless to any travelers who are looking for a proper meal. You can choose from a Pizza Hut Express, True Burger, or perhaps an American Grill for a little variety. There are also various locations for Fredrich's Coffee if you need to get extra caffeine or just put your feet up while reading the paper.

Past and Present

As you might imagine, DSM is the busiest airport in the state of Iowa. In 2016, it was a great year for Des Moines; they recorded a record number of commuters, with a total of 2.48 million passengers passing through for that year. Before the airport was built, several smaller airports had been used for general purposes and mail delivery, though these were mostly private in ownership. Once the city decided to build an airport for commercial traffic in 1929, they scouted over eighty different locations were scouted before they finally settled on one. Over the next several years, the airport will see both expansion and modernization of many systems.