There are 8 ways to get from Iowa to California by plane, bus (Greyhound), 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 Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport
best- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane DSM - LAX
5h 1m$155–634Fly Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Omaha (OMA) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane OMA - LAX
7h 19m$150–666Bus (Greyhound)
- 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 Stationbus
37h 45m$279–535Bus, train
- Take the bus from Des Moines to Kansas Citybus Jefferson 803 / ...
- Take the train from Kansas City to Los Angelestrain Southwest Chief
40h 49m$539–1,185Drive 1,682.8 mi
- Drive from Des Moines to Los Angelescar 1,682.8 mi
26h 2m$308–444Fly Omaha to San Diego International Airport
- Fly from Omaha (OMA) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane OMA - SAN
6h 40m$235–1,108Fly Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Fly from Des Moines (DSM) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane DSM - SNA
6h 53m$224–927Fly Omaha to San Francisco International Airport
- Fly from Omaha (OMA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane OMA - SFO
7h 22m$153–716
Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Iowa to California is to bus which costs $270 - $550 and takes 37h 45m.
The fastest way to get from Iowa to California is to fly which takes 5h 1m and costs $150 - $650.
The distance between Iowa and California is 1475 miles. The road distance is 1692.6 miles.
The best way to get from Iowa to California without a car is to bus which takes 37h 45m and costs $270 - $550.
It takes approximately 5h 1m to get from Iowa to California, including transfers.
The best way to get from Iowa to California is to fly which takes 5h 1m and costs $150 - $650. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $270 - $550 and takes 37h 45m.
California is 2h behind Iowa. It is currently 5:54 AM in Iowa and 3:54 AM in California.
Yes, the driving distance between Iowa to California is 1693 miles. It takes approximately 26h 2m to drive from Iowa to California.
There are 4200+ hotels available in California.
What companies run services between Iowa, USA and California, USA?
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and two other airlines fly from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) every 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Des Moines to Los Angeles Union Station via Des Moines, Denver Union Station, and Las Vegas Bus Terminal in around 37h 45m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–650
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 7m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 16m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 37m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–950
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 57m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 47m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–700
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–750
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–700
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–650
Flights from Omaha to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Thursday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–950
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Omaha to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 34m
- When
- Thursday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $140–700
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Des Moines to Los Angeles International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–700
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 9m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,100
Flights from Omaha to San Francisco International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Des Moines to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 46m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–900
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
- $480–1,100
- 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
- 14h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $110–210
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Denver Union Station to Las Vegas Bus Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–230
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Des Moines to Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Adult
- $50–75
Want to know more about travelling around United States
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide











