Economy award flights from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)
In the last 30 days AwardTool saw economy award space on 2 programs for DSM→LAX. Lowest: 9,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed economy award space on 28 dates. Nonstop economy space was seen via American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Atmos Rewards.
Prices observed – ; newest observation .
Page regenerated from the Nov 12, 2026 data snapshot (normally daily). Summary last changed . Seats change quickly.
- Lowest observed
- 9,500 miles + $5.60
- American Airlines AAdvantage
- Programs with space
- 2 of 2
- programs seen on this route
- Most dates seen
- 28 of 28
- dates checked · American Airlines AAdvantage
- Nonstop
- Seen
- from 9,500 miles + $5.60
In economy, the lowest award seen was a nonstop for 9,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage, against 12,500 points + $25.60 with Alaska Atmos Rewards, the next-lowest program. With Alaska Atmos Rewards, first class started at 25,000 points + $25.60, about 2 times the points of its lowest economy award (12,500 points + $25.60).
Compare programs for economy
The lowest one-way economy award each program showed on DSM→LAX, sorted by points.
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 9,500 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop |  AA AS | — | 28 | See dates | |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 pts + $25.60 | Nonstop | AA | 9+ | 12 | See dates |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats. Dates seen counts departure dates with an open award in that cabin at any price; newest observation is the latest time AwardTool saw one of them. Seats is the count the program reported when we observed it; some programs report at most 9.
Observed economy award examples
| Departure | Program | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 9,500 pts + $5.60 | — | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 9,500 pts + $11.20 | — | 2 stops | Check this date | ||
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 pts + $25.60 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 pts + $25.60 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
How often economy award space showed up
Departure dates in the next 365 days that AwardTool checked for each program in the last 30 days, how many had economy award space at any price, and the latest departure with space.
| Program | Dates with space | Share of dates checked | Latest departure with space |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 28 of 28 | 100% | |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12 of 21 | 57% |
Nonstop and connecting economy awards
Each program's lowest economy award with its stops, its lowest nonstop award, and on how many of its departure dates with economy space a nonstop award was open.
| Program | Lowest award | Lowest nonstop award | Dates with nonstop space |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 9,500 miles + $5.60Nonstop | 9,500 miles + $5.60 | 25 of 28 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 points + $25.60Nonstop | 12,500 points + $25.60 | 6 of 12 |
Economy compared with first class, by program
Each program's lowest one-way economy and first-class awards on DSM→LAX, in its own points or miles, and how many times the economy points the first-class award needed. — in the last column means one of the two is a mixed-cabin award or was not seen on 2 or more dates.
| Program | Economy | First | First ÷ economy points |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 9,500 miles + $5.60 | 25,500 miles + $5.60 | 2.7× |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 points + $25.60 | 25,000 points + $25.60 | 2× |
Best months for economy from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)
| Month | Lowest observed | Program | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,500 pts + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 9 | |
| 9,500 pts + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 10 | |
| 10,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 2 | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 9,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 4 | |
| 10,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 |
A month's taxes are those of an award AwardTool recorded at that month's lowest price for a departure that month. “Taxes not reported” means the data has none for that month; the award still has taxes and fees.
Lowest economy award by month and program
Each program's lowest one-way economy award by departure month, in its own points or miles, with the taxes of that month's lowest award and the program's open dates that month under it. A price without taxes had none reported for that month. — means the program showed no economy space that month.
| Program | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantagemiles | 9,500+ $5.60 · 9 dates | 9,500+ $5.60 · 10 dates | 10,5002 dates | 9,5001 date | 9,5001 date | 9,5004 dates | 10,5001 date |
| Alaska Atmos Rewardspoints | 12,500+ $25.60 · 8 dates | 12,5004 dates | — | — | — | — | — |
Airlines seen in economy
Airlines that appeared on the award itineraries AwardTool observed, and the programs that showed them.
- American Airlines (AA): American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Atmos Rewards
- Alaska Airlines (AS): American Airlines AAdvantage
Economy on nearby routes
The lowest economy award AwardTool observed on related routes, as each route's page shows it: the return direction, other airports in the same cities, and more routes from Des Moines (DSM) and to Los Angeles (LAX). One way, in the program's points or miles, with that award's taxes when the data has them.
| Route | Lowest observed | Program | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (LAX) to Des Moines (DSM)Return direction | 9,500 miles + $5.60Nonstop | American Airlines AAdvantage | 22 |
| Des Moines (DSM) to Brisbane (BNE)Also from DSM | 35,000 miles + $29.70 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 302 |
| Des Moines (DSM) to New York LaGuardia (LGA)Also from DSM | 7,000 miles + $5.60Nonstop | American Airlines AAdvantage | 37 |
| Des Moines (DSM) to Orlando (MCO)Also from DSM | 8,000 miles + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 42 |
| Des Moines (DSM) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)Also from DSM | 4,500 points + $25.60Nonstop | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 299 |
| London Heathrow (LHR) to Los Angeles (LAX)Also to LAX | 9,000 points + $352.36Nonstop | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 326 |
| Amsterdam (AMS) to Los Angeles (LAX)Also to LAX | 11,600 miles + taxes not reported | GOL Smiles | 329 |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Los Angeles (LAX)Also to LAX | 12,300 miles + $368.59 | Lufthansa Miles & More | 300 |
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | — | 1:1 · ~1 day | — | — | — | — |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | — | — | — | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed.
Questions about economy award flights from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)
How many points for economy from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
The lowest economy award AwardTool has seen was 9,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage. Seen Oct 29, 2026, 02:41 UTC for a Dec 24, 2026 departure. American Airlines AAdvantage showed economy award space on 28 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 9, 2026, 21:05 UTC). Search live before transferring points.
Which programs had economy award space from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
American Airlines AAdvantage (28 dates) and Alaska Atmos Rewards (12 dates), in the last 30 days.
Can you fly economy nonstop from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX) on points?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop economy award space via American Airlines AAdvantage and Alaska Atmos Rewards. The lowest nonstop award was 9,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed nonstop economy space on 25 dates.
How much are taxes and fees on economy award flights from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX)?
Taxes and fees on each program's lowest award ranged from $5.60 with AAdvantage (9,500 miles + $5.60) to $25.60 with Atmos (12,500 points + $25.60). Amounts are one way per traveler in USD and can differ on other dates and routings.
What's the best month to fly economy from Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX) on points?
Counting only month prices from programs with award space on 2 or more dates that month, and leaving out unusually low outliers, the lowest economy award AwardTool observed was for Dec 2026 departures: 9,500 miles + $5.60 with AAdvantage (10 dates). The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.