Des Moines International Airport Article Index for
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Information About

Des Moines International Airport




  IATA DSM
  ICAO KDSM
  Type Public
  Run By City of Des Moines
  Opened 1921
  Closest Town Des Moines
  Distance From Town 3 miles SW
  Elevation Ft 958
  Elevation M 292


  Runway Angle 5/23
  Runway Length F 9,003
  Runway Length M 2,744
  Runway Surface asphalt/concrete


  Runway Angle 13/31
  Runway Length F 9,001
  Runway Length M 2,744
  Runway Surface asphalt


The Des Moines International Airport is a commercial Airport located in the southern part of the city of Des Moines , Iowa USA . The airport serves residents of the Des Moines metropolitan area and is the closest airport with connections to major airline hubs for people who live throughout much of east-central, north-central, and southern Iowa.


HISTORY

During the 1920s, the Des Moines area had several small private airports that catered to General Aviation and Air Mail . 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 different sites were considered for the Des Moines Airport until a decision was made to build on 160 acres (0.65 km&2) of farmland on the south side 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 airport itself has expanded several times from its original 160-acre site and now covers 2,300 acres (9.3 km&2) 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. Even though the airport does not offer passenger service to destinations outside of the United States, the airport was renamed the Des Moines International Airport in 1986 as a way to acknowledge the presence of a United States Customs Service office at the airport.

Many passengers in the Des Moines area choose to fly out of Eppley Airfield in Omaha or the Kansas City International Airport instead of Des Moines since both airports offer discount airlines lacking in the Des Moines market. In recent years the Des Moines International Airport has aired Television Commercial s pointing out that passengers who choose to fly out of Omaha or Kansas City prevent Des Moines from attracting new airlines. Nonetheless, the airport handled a record 1,990,167 passengers in 2004; that figure dropped to 1,903,573 in 2005. {Link without Title}


CONCOURSES


Concourse A



Concourse C



REFERENCES



EXTERNAL LINKS