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 → LGA (2h 49m), on time 4 times in 5. Southwest via Midway (5h 10m) is more reliable, 92%, but takes 2h 21m longer.

Nonstops (seasonal or thin)


American	DSM	LGA	2h 49m	82%	2.7%	261	Flying now
Delta	DSM	LGA	2h 44m	74%	4.5%	484	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach New York on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (New York 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 35m Chicago	MDW 08:05 → LGA 11:20WN 2038	5h 10m	95%	92%
Delta Details →	DSM 05:35 → ATL 08:44DL 2727	2h 46m Atlanta	ATL 11:30 → LGA 13:44DL 467	7h 09m	98%	80%
American Details →	DSM 07:04 → CLT 10:30AA 2854	2h 37m Charlotte	CLT 13:07 → LGA 15:05AA 2036	7h 01m	97%	77%
United Details →	DSM 05:50 → DEN 06:59UA 4777 · flown by SkyWest	2h 50m Denver	DEN 09:49 → LGA 15:46UA 2446	8h 56m	96%	77%
United Details →	DSM 06:00 → ORD 07:40UA 1856	2h 23m Chicago	ORD 10:03 → LGA 13:26UA 669	6h 26m	96%	76%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:08 → DTW 08:59DL 5414 · flown by Endeavor	1h 06m Detroit	DTW 10:05 → LGA 11:50DL 2589	4h 42m	90%	73%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:50 → MSP 08:12DL 5402 · flown by Endeavor	1h 53m Minneapolis	MSP 10:05 → LGA 13:46DL 2764	5h 56m	91%	73%
American Details →	DSM 05:00 → ORD 06:39AA 4519 · flown by Republic	1h 21m Chicago	ORD 08:00 → LGA 11:19AA 2079	5h 19m	93%	72%
Tight connection: often missed
Delta Details →	DSM 17:34 → DTW 20:27DL 5305 · flown by Endeavor	1h 23m Detroit	DTW 21:50 → LGA 23:41DL 2603	5h 07m	74%	50%
Delta Details →	DSM 10:25 → DTW 13:13DL 5048 · flown by Endeavor	49m Detroit	DTW 14:02 → LGA 15:55DL 2602	4h 30m	65%	48%
United Details →	DSM 11:23 → ORD 13:03UA 1410	57m Chicago	ORD 14:00 → LGA 17:22UA 1821	4h 59m	62%	37%

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%

ATL · 46m · leaves 05:35 9%

DEN · 1h 10m · leaves 09:14 10%

Afternoon and evening

ORD · 1h 13m · leaves 13:35 15%

IAH · 1h 06m · leaves 15:01 18%

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.


United UA 1856 DSM 06:00 → ORD Delta DL 2252 ORD 09:35 → LGA Connection details →	1h 55m	5h 56m	96%	80%
American AA 4519 DSM 05:00 → ORD United UA 669 ORD 10:03 → LGA Connection details →	3h 24m	7h 26m	97%	75%
Southwest WN 1769 DSM 06:10 → DEN United UA 2446 DEN 09:49 → LGA Connection details →	2h 49m	8h 36m	90%	73%

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