Getting around · Des Moines
Getting to and from DSM: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Des Moines airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a metered taxi gets you to Downtown Des Moines, and Uber & Lyft pick up at TNC/Rideshares zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check DSM TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- No
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from DSM — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
Metered
to Downtown Des Moines
Drive time
10–15 min
5 mi to Downtown Des Moines
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Fares to Downtown Des Moines are on the meter, so the total depends on traffic and your exact address.
Curbside on the lower (arrivals) level in the Ground Transportation area. Taxis wait curbside on the lower level; there is no standardized airport tariff, so confirm the rate with the driver. Taxis generally cost more than rideshare for the short downtown trip.
The DSM cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. On the airport access road off Fleur Drive, across from the Blue economy lot. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Free lot across from the Blue Lot; wait there until your passenger calls, then drive to the terminal, remaining with your vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare DSMparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at DSM
Rideshare pickups at DSM run through TNC/Rideshares zone. Uber and Lyft pick up in the designated TNC/Rideshare zone on the lower level, just past the far end of baggage claim. The pickup point sits past the far door of baggage claim rather than at the main curb, and a roughly $3 airport surcharge is added per pickup.
Dropping off? Drop departing passengers at the upper-level (departures) curb. Des Moineshas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to DSM — routes & drive time
DSM sits about 5 miles from Downtown Des Moines, a drive of roughly 10–15 minutes via Fleur Drive to and from I-235; Fleur also links to Army Post Rd and IA-5/US-65 — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to DSM by train or transit
DART Route 8 (Fleur Drive) links the airport area with DART Central Station on weekdays with limited frequency; there is no rail service.
Fare: $1.75 one-way, exact fare, as operators cannot make change.
Hotel and city shuttles to DSM
A free shuttle runs about every 15 minutes between the terminal and the Cell Phone/Blue economy lot; many area hotels run their own courtesy shuttles arranged by phone. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to DSM?
The rule of thumb: a round-trip ride is one fixed cost, while parking adds up by the day. For a quick 1–2 day trip, parking usually costs less; for a longer trip, a round-trip taxi or rideshare often comes out ahead.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare DSMparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at DSM
The terminal is a single compact building with lower-level ground transport; DART offers ADA paratransit service in the metro for eligible riders.
Late or overnight arrival? Route 8 runs weekday daytime hours only, so late-night or weekend arrivals should plan on rideshare or taxi.
Returning a rental on the way out? Return at the on-airport rental lot next to the terminal; counters are on the lower level in the Ground Transportation area. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: DART launched a new, smaller bus network on June 14, 2026; confirm the current Route 8 Fleur Drive schedule and airport stop. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified DSM's ground-transport details as of July 1, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is CID (Cedar Rapids), about 104 miles from DSM in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from DSM — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go DSM
DSM TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ DSM
How much is a taxi to or from DSM?
Taxis to Downtown Des Moines are metered, so the fare depends on traffic and the exact address. Curbside on the lower (arrivals) level in the Ground Transportation area.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at DSM?
Uber and Lyft pick up in the designated TNC/Rideshare zone on the lower level, just past the far end of baggage claim. The pickup point sits past the far door of baggage claim rather than at the main curb, and a roughly $3 airport surcharge is added per pickup. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the DSM cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — On the airport access road off Fleur Drive, across from the Blue economy lot. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is DSM from Downtown Des Moines?
DSM is about 5 miles from Downtown Des Moines — roughly 10–15 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Fleur Drive to and from I-235; Fleur also links to Army Post Rd and IA-5/US-65.
Is there a train from DSM to Downtown Des Moines?
Not directly. DART Route 8 (Fleur Drive) links the airport area with DART Central Station on weekdays with limited frequency; there is no rail service.