Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

The nonstop is quickest: American DSM → DCA (2h 30m), on time 3 times in 4. Southwest via Midway (5h 00m) is more reliable, 86%, but takes 2h 30m longer.

Nonstops (seasonal or thin)


American	DSM	DCA	2h 30m	78%	5.1%	702	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Washington on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Washington is 1 h ahead of Des Moines). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest Details →	DSM 05:10 → MDW 06:30WN 1772	1h 45m Chicago	MDW 08:15 → DCA 11:10WN 2569	5h 00m	95%	86%
United Details →	DSM 05:50 → DEN 06:59UA 4777 · flown by SkyWest	2h 31m Denver	DEN 09:30 → DCA 14:59UA 789	8h 09m	96%	85%
United Details →	DSM 06:00 → ORD 07:40UA 1856	2h 20m Chicago	ORD 10:00 → DCA 13:04UA 1381	6h 04m	96%	80%
United Details →	DSM 06:20 → IAH 08:49UA 1982	58m Houston	IAH 09:47 → DCA 13:57UA 2670	6h 37m	90%	77%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:50 → MSP 08:12DL 5402 · flown by Endeavor	2h 14m Minneapolis	MSP 10:26 → DCA 13:48DL 2983	5h 59m	93%	77%
Delta Details →	DSM 05:35 → ATL 08:44DL 2727	2h 16m Atlanta	ATL 11:00 → DCA 12:42DL 737	6h 07m	98%	75%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:08 → DTW 08:59DL 5414 · flown by Endeavor	1h 06m Detroit	DTW 10:05 → DCA 11:34DL 2476	4h 26m	90%	75%
American Details →	DSM 05:18 → DFW 07:28AA 2326	2h 28m Dallas-Fort Worth	DFW 09:56 → DCA 13:59AA 1624	7h 40m	95%	74%
Tight connection: often missed
American Details →	DSM 13:41 → CLT 17:11AA 1763	1h 11m Charlotte	CLT 18:22 → DCA 20:00AA 2386	5h 19m	72%	39%
United Details →	DSM 11:23 → ORD 13:03UA 1410	57m Chicago	ORD 14:00 → DCA 17:12UA 1314	4h 49m	62%	34%
American Details →	DSM 16:48 → DFW 18:59AA 2421	1h 01m Dallas-Fort Worth	DFW 20:00 → DCA 23:59AA 2077	6h 11m	47%	28%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Morning

ORD · 1h 20m · leaves 06:00 4%

IAH · 58m · leaves 06:20 10%

DTW · 1h 06m · leaves 06:08 10%

Afternoon and evening

CLT · 1h 11m · leaves 13:41 28%

DTW · 57m · leaves 17:34 39%

DFW · 1h 01m · leaves 16:48 53%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.


Southwest WN 1769 DSM 06:10 → DEN United UA 789 DEN 09:30 → DCA Connection details →	2h 30m	7h 49m	88%	80%
American AA 4519 DSM 05:00 → ORD United UA 1381 ORD 10:00 → DCA Connection details →	3h 21m	7h 04m	97%	79%
United UA 1856 DSM 06:00 → ORD American AA 4809 ORD 10:45 → DCA Connection details →	3h 05m	6h 59m	96%	76%

Rank all connections, any airlines →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON