Best Time to Fly DEN to DSM: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Des Moines International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,331 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Des Moines (DSM) in the last 12 months, and 80.4% of those that flew arrived on time, 2.8 points above the US average of 77.6%.
SkyWest Airlines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 88.2%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 66.4%.
October has been the best month (87% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (77%).
0.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DEN to DSM on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 88.2% | 68 min | 1.0% | 929 |
| Frontier Airlines | 83.0% | 61 min | 0.0% | 159 |
| United Airlines | 80.8% | 71 min | 0.1% | 684 |
| Southwest Airlines | 66.4% | 62 min | 0.4% | 559 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to DSM
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,534 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 10 | |
| 7am–8am | 95.5% | 0.0% | 244 |
| 9am–10am | 88.1% | 0.5% | 761 |
| 10am–11am | 86.0% | 0.4% | 236 |
| 11am–12pm | 87.2% | 0.0% | 149 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.2% | 0.0% | 38 |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.2% | 0.5% | 741 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.0% | 0.0% | 30 |
| 3pm–4pm | 78.1% | 0.0% | 64 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.6% | 1.2% | 170 |
| 5pm–6pm | 70.0% | 0.4% | 745 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.3% | 0.0% | 279 |
| 7pm–8pm | 46.4% | 0.5% | 196 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.5% | 0.9% | 526 |
| 9pm–10pm | 74.1% | 1.5% | 338 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 7 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN to DSM
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 78.6% | -2.7 pts | 4.0% | 74 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.9% | -0.4 pts | 0.6% | 164 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.8% | -10.5 pts | 0.6% | 895 |
| All other days | 81.3% | — | 0.5% | 3,401 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).