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Des Moines International Airport

DSM · KDSM · Des Moines, IA · 958 ft elevation · var 1E · Towered

Airport information

ICAO / IATA
KDSM / DSM
Coordinates
41.5340, -93.6567
Elevation
958 ft MSL
Magnetic variation
1E
Sectional chart
OMAHA
Airport use
Public
Control tower
Yes
ARTCC
MINNEAPOLIS (ZMP)
Flight service (FSS)
FORT DODGE
NOTAM facility
DSM
Attendance
ALL ALL
Beacon
white-green (SS-SR)
Segmented circle
No
Wind indicator
lighted
Activated
1940/04
Distance from city
3 SW

Weather

METAR observed

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TAF forecast

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Sun & FAA night 2026-06-21

EventLocal (CDT)UTC
Morning civil twilight
Loggable night ends
05:07 AM10:07Z
Sunrise05:41 AM10:41Z
Sunset08:52 PM01:52Z
Evening civil twilight
Loggable night begins
09:26 PM02:26Z
Loggable night (§1.1)
09:26 PM → 05:07 AM
Night currency (§61.57)
09:52 PM → 04:41 AM

Plan a flight from KDSM

Night operations

Rotating beacon
white-green · SS-SR
Pilot-controlled lighting
Usually keyed on CTAF 122.95 — confirm the click sequence in the Chart Supplement ↗

Runway lighting aids — 05: 4-light PAPI (left) + MALSR · 23: 4-light PAPI (left) · 13: 4-light PAPI (right) + MALSR · 31: 4-light PAPI (left) + ALSF2.

FAA night windows (civil twilight, loggable night §1.1, currency §61.57) are in the live weather panel above.

Traffic pattern

05TPANSEW
LEFT traffic
Landing
Rwy 05 · 053°
Pattern
left (turns left)
TPA
2,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
CTAF
122.95

Enter the left downwind for Rwy 05 at 2,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) on a 45°. TPA estimated at 1,000 ft AGL (not charted for this field).

Runway 05/23

9,004 ft × 150 ft · Concrete (Excellent)

Edge lights: High. Weight bearing: Single wheel 100k, Double wheel 190k, Dual tandem 360k, Double dual tandem 850k.

05
Heading
053° mag · 54° true
Markings
nonprecision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Approach lights
MALSR
Instrument landing
ILS/DME · CAT I · LOC 111.5 (DWW) · GS 3.00°
Traffic pattern
Left
23
Heading
233° mag · 234° true
Markings
nonprecision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Traffic pattern
Left
Approach obstacle
Pole, 67 ft, 2,322 ft from threshold, 375 ft L of centerline — 34:1 slope to clear

Runway 13/31

9,001 ft × 150 ft · Concrete (Excellent)

Edge lights: High. Weight bearing: Single wheel 100k, Double wheel 200k, Dual tandem 360k, Double dual tandem 850k.

13
Heading
131° mag · 132° true
Markings
precision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (right) (3°)
Approach lights
MALSR
Instrument landing
ILS/DME · CAT I · LOC 111.9 (VGU) · GS 3.00°
Traffic pattern
Left
31
Heading
311° mag · 312° true
Markings
precision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Approach lights
ALSF2
Instrument landing
ILS/DME · CAT III · LOC 110.3 (DSM) · GS 3.00°
Traffic pattern
Right
ft · ≥1.5× comfortable, under 1.25× tight · saved across airports

Communication frequencies

ServiceFrequencyNotes
A/D118.6APP/DEP
ATIS119.55
CLD134.15CLNC DEL
GND121.9
OPS138.15ANG OPS MAINT
RDO122.65FORT DODGE RDO
TWR118.3
UNIC122.95UNICOM

Nearby navigation aids

NavAidTypeFreqRadial / Dist magnetic
DSM · Des MoinesVORTAC117.50r349° / 5.8 NM
TNU · NewtonVOR-DME112.50r236° / 28.8 NM

Airport diagram

Open PDF ↗
Preview diagram Open the airport diagram PDF

Procedures at a glance

⚠ Hot spots published at this airport — review the hot-spot chart before you taxi ↗
Lowest mins: ILS · vertical guidance Takeoff mins / ODP ↗ Non-std alternate mins ↗

Approaches10

Departures

Minimums & Hot Spots

Chart Supplement FAA A/FD

Open PDF ↗
Preview Chart Supplement Open the Chart Supplement PDF

VFR sectional

Open KDSM on the VFR sectional (SkyVector) ↗

Services

Fuel available
100LL, Jet A
Bottled oxygen
HIGH/LOW
Bulk oxygen
HIGH/LOW
Airframe service
MAJOR
Powerplant service
MAJOR
Parking
tiedowns, hangars
Other services
Air freight, Air ambulance, Avionics, Cargo, Charter, Aircraft sales, Survey

Ownership & management

Owner
DES MOINES AIRPORT AUTHORITY
5800 FLEUR DRIVE, SUITE 207, ROOM 201, DES MOINES, IA
515-256-5100
Manager
MR. BRIAN MULCAHY
5800 FLEUR DRIVE, SUITE 207, DES MOINES, IA
515-256-5100

Remarks FAA

  • CONTR FUEL - 515-256-5330.
  • BIRDS ON & INVOF ARPT.
  • INFORMAL NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES IN EFFECT. EXPECT ATC TO ASSIGN PREFERRED RY.
  • IANG SOUTH RAMP PCN 78 R/B/W/T. IANG WEST RAMP PCN 87 R/B/W/T.
  • MAX ACFT WT SOUTH GA APRN 170,000 LBS ALL OTHER FBO APRN 80,000 LBS.
  • RWY 05 APCH END HAS LTD VIS FROM THE TWR. TWR CANNOT EASILY ID IF AN ACFT IS OVER THE HOLD SHORT LINE AT TWY P7. RWY 05 ARRIVALS - USE CTN AND ENSURE YOU ARE CORRECTLY LINED UP WITH RWY 05 AND NOT TWY P.
  • CROSS BLEED ENGINE STARTS ON AIR CARRIER RAMP PROHIBITED.
  • USE CAUTION WHEN LNDG OVER RAISED LIGHTS IN THE OVERRUNS AND RWY THLDS AT DSM.
  • ARNG RAMP AVBL FOR MIL AND MIL-CONTRACTED ACFT FOR OFFL BUS ONLY WITH LTD SUPPORT. PPR; CTC DSN 261-8360/8361, C515-261-8360/8361. FBO WILL PROVIDE CONTRACT FUEL. MIL CREWS CAN CTC HAWKI ON 252.9
  • A321 AIRCRAFT LTD TO 190,000 LBS ON RWY 5-23 AND TWY P. A321 EXCEEDING 190,000 LBS WO ARPT AUTH WAIVER REQ ATCT PRVD 13-31.
  • UPDTD: SKED A321 ACFT OVER 200,000 LBS RQR AN OVERWEIGHT ACFT PMT; CTC ARPT AUTH 515-256-5000
  • MODERN AVIATION FBO LCTD AT NORTH GA APRON.
  • TERMINAL APRON TAXILANE ADG III AC ONLY, ADG IV AC AT GATE A4 ONLY.
  • TRML APRON TAXILANE ADG III (ACFT WINGSPAN LESS THAN 118 FT) ONLY, ADG IV (ACFT WINGSPAN LESS THAN 172 FT) ACFT AT GATE A4 ONLY.
  • TERMINAL APRON DE-ICE SPOT N2 AND ASSOCIATED TAXILANE LIMITED TO ADGII UNLESS COORDINATED WITH IDS 129.875.
  • NO TAXI BETWEEN GATES A5A AND A5B.
  • NO TAXI TO TRML GATES A2/A4 FROM TXY D1 WHEN AN AIRCRAFT IS PARKED AT REMOTE SPOT R6 - REQUEST TXY E.
  • ENTER TERMINAL DE-ICE PAD QUEUE FROM TAXILANE N, DO NOT ENTER PAD FROM TAXILANE N4.
  • TWY P E OF TWY D WINGTIP CLEARANCE LIMITED TO 121.5 FT, CAUTION ADVISED FOR ADG V AND LARGER AIRCRAFT.
  • FLIGHT NOTIFICATION SERVICE (ADCUS) AVBL MON-FRI 0830-1700. FOR SAT; SUN; HOLS & NIGHT CUSTOMS SVC MAKE APPOINTMENTS MON-FRI 0830-1700. AT LEAST 3 HR ADVANCE NOTICE RQRD.
  • EXEC DIR
  • PCR VALUE: 696/R/D/W/T
  • PCR VALUE: 696/R/D/W/T
  • PAPI UNUSBL BYD 9 DEGS RIGHT OF CNTRLN.

Nearby airports

20IA · Hobbes FieldPrivate (7 NM)Y76 · Morningstar Field (7 NM)IA85 · Tuinstra AirfieldPrivate (8 NM)IA41 · Laverty FieldPrivate (8 NM)KIKV · Ankeny Regional Airport (10 NM)IA20 · Agrivation FieldPrivate (12 NM)

Weather is live from the Aviation Weather Center; airport facility data is from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle). For planning and education only; always verify against official sources. Open KDSM in a full tool: METAR/TAF decoder, crosswind calculator, sun & night times, or the density altitude calculator. Planning from here? Find the nearest airport with fuel or an approach, or check whether an IFR alternate is required.

About KDSM

Des Moines International Airport (DSM · KDSM) is an airport in Des Moines, IA, at 958 ft MSL. It has 2 runways, the longest 9,004 ft, with a control tower. This page shows live METAR/TAF weather, runway crosswinds, frequencies, navaids, and FAA charts for KDSM, refreshed from the Aviation Weather Center and FAA NASR.

Does KDSM have a control tower?

Yes. Des Moines International Airport has an operating FAA control tower. Check the Comms & NavAids tab for tower and ground frequencies.

What is the longest runway at KDSM?

Des Moines International Airport has 2 runways; the longest is 9,004 ft. See the Runways tab for headings, surface, and lighting.

Where is KDSM?

Des Moines International Airport is in Des Moines, IA, at an elevation of 958 ft MSL. Coordinates: 41.5340, -93.6567.

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