Des Moines Airports
The Des Moines International Airport (DSM), on Fleur Drive in the southern part of Des Moines, offers nonstop service to destinations within the United States. The only international service is cargo service, but there have been discussions about adding an international terminal.
Des Moines International Airport (ICAO: KDSM, FAA LID: DSM) is a civil-military public airport three miles southwest of Des Moines, in Polk County, Iowa, United States. It has 21 connections to major airline hubs.
This airport is in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, which called it a primary commercial service airport. In 2016, a record 2.48 million passengers used the airport, up 5 percent from 2015.
The airport hosts the 132nd Wing (132 WG) of the Iowa Air National Guard.
During the 1920s the Des Moines area had several small private airports for general aviation and airmail. In 1929, the Iowa General Assembly passed a law allowing cities to sell bonds and levy assessments in order to build municipal airports. Over 80 sites were considered for the Des Moines Airport until a decision was made to build on 160 acres (0.65 km²) of farmland south of the city. Construction of the airport began in 1932 and was completed in 1933. The airport’s first passenger terminal was built shortly after the airport was completed. It was replaced by a new terminal in 1950 that has been expanded and renovated several times since then. The present concourses were built in 1970, along with the remodeling of the terminal. The airport itself has expanded several times from its original 160-acre (0.65 km2) site and now covers 2,625 acres (10.6 km²) of land.
The airport was originally governed by the City of Des Moines’ Parks Department. A separate Aviation Department was established by the city during the 1960s, and in 1982, a separate Aviation Policy Advisory Board was established. The airport was renamed the Des Moines International Airport in 1986 to acknowledge the presence of a United States Customs Service office at the airport.
In 2011, the City of Des Moines transferred control from the city to the Des Moines Airport Authority. The city retains ownership of the land but transfers title to all property and equipment to the public authority. In turn, the authority agreed to a 99-year lease on the land.
In 2016, a record 2.48 million passengers used the airport, up 5 percent from 2015. Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 919,990 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 853,596 in 2009 and 932,828 in 2011.
Interior renovation work began in 2009 on the airport and concluded in 2010. The project, designed by Brooks Borg Skiles AE LLP, includes new carpets, paint, gate counters, seating, a new ceiling, signage, and a fire sprinkler system. Also included in the upgrade is a common-use project allowing any airline to use any gate at the airport. A new restroom is also being added to the C concourse to allow for future concourse expansion. The airport is modernizing baggage handling capabilities with expanded processing facilities as well.
In addition to work inside the passenger terminal, the airport is building a rental car facility and new parking facilities. It is also planning a new 5,000-foot runway (to be extended to 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in a later phase), and a new General Aviation (GA) apron. The new GA apron is partially in response to the failure of a reliever proposal in Adel, Iowa and restricted space in the current GA area.