There are 9 ways to get from Des Moines to California by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), bus, train, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to San Diego International Airport
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane DSM - SAN
6h 4m$330–1,526Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Des Moines to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Las Vegas Bus Terminalbus
- Take the bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Los Angeles Union Station Arrivalsbus
35h 35m$168–356Bus, train
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus Jefferson 803 / ...
- Take the train from Kansas City to Los Angelestrain Southwest Chief
40h 52m$168–368Drive 1,682.7 mi
- Drive from Des Moines to Los Angelescar 1,682.7 mi
26h 1m$308–444Fly to Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane DSM - LAX
5h 40m$179–785Fly to Burbank Bob Hope Airport
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR)plane DSM - BUR
5h 32m$244–1,131Fly to Long Beach Airport
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Long Beach Airport (LGB)plane DSM - LGB
7h 3m$220–973Fly to Fresno Yosemite International Airport
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)plane DSM - FAT
7h 33m$329–1,522Fly to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane DSM - SNA
6h 59m$274–1,227
Des Moines to California by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Des Moines to California is to bus which costs $160 - $360 and takes 35h 35m.
The fastest way to get from Des Moines to California is to fly which takes 5h 32m and costs $240 - $1,200.
No, there is no direct bus from Des Moines to California station. However, there are services departing from Des Moines and arriving at Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals via Denver Union Station and Las Vegas Bus Terminal. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 35h 35m.
The distance between Des Moines and California is 1447 miles. The road distance is 1692.6 miles.
The best way to get from Des Moines to California without a car is to bus which takes 35h 35m and costs $160 - $360.
It takes approximately 6h 4m to get from Des Moines to California, including transfers.
Des Moines to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Des Moines station.
The best way to get from Des Moines to California is to fly which takes 6h 4m and costs $330 - $1,600. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $160 - $360 and takes 35h 35m.
Des Moines to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Denver Union Station.
California is 2h behind Des Moines. It is currently 8:58 AM in Des Moines and 6:58 AM in California.
What companies run services between Des Moines, IA, USA and California, USA?
Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Des Moines (DSM) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) hourly. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Des Moines to Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals via Denver Union Station and Las Vegas Bus Terminal in around 35h 35m.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $370–1,700
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–750
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–750
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 26m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 51m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,300
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,600
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $390–1,700
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,300
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 46m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,400
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 52m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Monday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $370–1,700
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–750
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $150–750
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–750
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 37m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,300
Flights from Des Moines to Long Beach Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 37m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $210–1,000
Flights from Des Moines to Long Beach Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–950
Flights from Des Moines to Long Beach Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $200–950
Flights from Des Moines to Long Beach Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,200
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,200
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,200
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,300
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–750
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 58m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $400–1,800
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,200
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $360–1,700
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 37m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–850
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Des Moines to Burbank Bob Hope Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 42m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $220–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to Fresno Yosemite International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 7m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 47m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,200
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Des Moines to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 36m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,500
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Kansas City to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 35h 40m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $150–280
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Des Moines to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–110
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Denver Union Station to Las Vegas Bus Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $70–160
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–90
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Adult
- $30–90
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Des Moines to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $18–90
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Des Moines to California is 1693 miles. It takes approximately 26h 1m to drive from Des Moines to California.
Book your Des Moines to California bus tickets online with FlixBus.
There are 3303+ hotels available in California.












