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$57 Find Cheap Flights from California to Santa Barbara - Compare and Save

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Cheap Flights from California to Santa Barbara

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from California to Santa Barbara

Sun, Dec 13 - Sun, Dec 20
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 1:48 pmSAN  San Diego-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 15mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:07 am - 7:20 amSBA  Santa Barbara-SAN San Diego
1h 13mnonstop
$110Alaska Airlines
Thu, Dec 3 - Mon, Dec 7
Southwest Logo
9:05 am - 10:20 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 15mnonstop
Southwest Logo
5:45 pm - 7:05 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 20mnonstop
$115Southwest
Sat, Dec 12 - Mon, Dec 14
Southwest Logo
9:00 am - 10:20 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 20mnonstop
Southwest Logo
5:45 pm - 7:05 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 20mnonstop
$115Southwest
Wed, Dec 9 - Wed, Dec 16
Southwest Logo
9:05 am - 10:20 amSMF  Sacramento Intl-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 15mnonstop
Southwest Logo
5:45 pm - 7:05 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SMF Sacramento Intl
1h 20mnonstop
$115Southwest
Wed, Dec 2 - Fri, Dec 4
United Airlines Logo
4:40 pm - 5:55 pmSFO  San Francisco-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 15mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
9:35 am - 10:49 amSBA  Santa Barbara-SFO San Francisco
1h 14mnonstop
$117United Airlines
Wed, Dec 2 - Wed, Dec 2
United Airlines Logo
10:51 am - 12:04 pmSFO  San Francisco-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 13mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
6:30 pm - 8:01 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SFO San Francisco
1h 31mnonstop
$117United Airlines
Mon, Jan 4 - Fri, Jan 8
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:31 pm - 1:48 pmSAN  San Diego-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 17mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:14 pm - 3:13 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SAN San Diego
0h 59mnonstop
$117Alaska Airlines
Thu, Jan 7 - Fri, Jan 8
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:28 pm - 11:39 pmSAN  San Diego-SBA Santa Barbara
1h 11mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:14 pm - 3:13 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-SAN San Diego
0h 59mnonstop
$117Alaska Airlines
Tue, Nov 24 - Tue, Nov 24
American Airlines Logo
7:20 am - 12:00 pmSTS  Santa Rosa Sonoma County-SBA Santa Barbara
4h 40m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
7:12 pm - 11:59 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-STS Santa Rosa Sonoma County
4h 47m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
$928American Airlines
Sat, Nov 21 - Sun, Nov 22
Delta Logo
4:47 pm - 10:10 pmSTS  Santa Rosa Sonoma County-SBA Santa Barbara
5h 23m1 stop Salt Lake City
Delta Logo
5:41 am - 10:43 amSBA  Santa Barbara-STS Santa Rosa Sonoma County
5h 02m1 stop Salt Lake City
$1,215Delta
Useful Info

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$57
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 9% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 6% increase in price.
Flight from San Diego to Santa Barbara

FAQs for booking flights from California to Santa Barbara

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from California to Santa Barbara?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from California to Santa Barbara.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from California to Santa Barbara?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Santa Barbara from California is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from California to Santa Barbara?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Santa Barbara with an airline and back to California with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from California to Santa Barbara?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Santa Barbara from California up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from California to Santa Barbara

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from California to Santa Barbara? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.9
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 13135 reviews
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
7.0Entertainment
Airline reviews

Alaska prevented me from selecting a seat and was only assigned a seat at the gate. This gave me unnecessary anxiety prior to boarding. Several 15-minute delays (probably weather though no explanation was provided) eventually pushed departure back by one hour.

6.0 GoodDAVID, Oct 2026
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Alaska prevented me from selecting a seat and was only assigned a seat at the gate. This gave me unnecessary anxiety prior to boarding. Several 15-minute delays (probably weather though no explanation was provided) eventually pushed departure back by one hour.

It was friendly. Also, we had some turbulence due to the wing of a plane in front of us, and I was grateful the pilot explained that reason to us. It made me feel like we were safer than if there were no explanation and it was inherently interesting to learn.

Our original flight was cancelled and we were rebooked on a flight the next afternoon. Finally gotten it straightened out at guest services and we were able to get on a delayed flight that departed about an hour later that our original flight. The Guest Services and Gate staff were very helpful!!

Smooth boarding process and comfy seats! Will definitely fly Alaska Airlines again!

Trip from SNA to SFO and back was riddled with DELAYS.

I love the service! I was hoping they would keep the Ontario to Santa Rosa route.

Gate agent and flight crew were amazing! Only issue was landing and waiting on the run way for 30 mins to deplane.

On time, good seats, not overly full, up beast positive crew.

Check-in was easy, I did it from the app. Boarding was easy, the crew was great. Santa Barbara airport had a disabled plane so we had to land in Burbank to refuel. They kept us well informed, and everyone was great. A very entertaining person from the Burbank airport got on and told a few jokes.

Had to show boarding pass twice. Otherwise flight was excellent.

Not exactly Southwest’s problem, but the new Burbank airport is not great. No restaurants open and tons of work still to be completed. Can’t believe they opened the airport in that condition.

I liked how it boarded fast. I do not like how the seats are just too narrow, and I’m not a big person.

Despite paying for an ‘upgraded’ seat in row 1, I had to put my luggage in the middle of the plane. Snacks were bleh and seat was small and uncomfortable and I am not large. Attendants were fine but not super helpful. Plane just seemed outdated.

Seated at front bulkhead for a smidge extra leg room away from home and on flight back home. Away crew was very proactive about assuring our carryons had space close behind us (because no seat in front of us our personal items had to be in a small bin overhead). They actively required passengers place overhead luggage on its side so more items could fit in bins. Home crew made no such efforts. I had to struggle back rows to get overhead bags upon landing, no crew help then either, and some disgruntled passengers as I and others retrieved our bags. There was a system that worked pretty well. The home bound crew just didn't feel like working.

This leg was much better, but we did have to have a 3 hour lay o er after coming from a very exhausting hiccup with our flight from BNA to Den

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

Crew was great but because of fog they diverted us to Ontario instead of our Santa Barbara destination. Instead of cancelling the flight as soon as we landed in Ontario, they instead held us in Ontario for almost 4 hours before cancelling the flight. I had to rent a car in Ontario to get back to ventura on time to get an elderly relative his medication and take over his caretaking… otherwise if I had taken the buses you offered from Ontario I wouldn’t have even arrived to Santa Barbara till at least midnight (according to southwest airlines employees at Ontario), and then would have had to drive back down to ventura. At least renting the car I could get up to ventura by 10 pm to take care of my loved one.

Boarding, time to take off, in flight offerings, and staff were all great. I recommend using UA for this short flight.

The flight out of Fresno boarded 1.5 hour past scheduled and made me miss my connecting flight from SFO to SEA.

It was a short, comfortable flight. It did leave an hour late due to the pilot having to be replaced (family emergency) but that didn’t inconvenience myself & my friend. The situation was explained, eventually.

UA594 was delayed multiple times. I ended up getting picked up so I can make it in time for work 6AM on Monday, 7/6/2026

Service was professional and quick. Premium economy seat was comfortable given the class

The staff was extremely helpful and friendly at all times! They went above and beyond to get us into an earlier flight in San Diego to make our connection in SFO possible, because our original flight did actually not make it! I did so much appreciate the UA team and how they made this possible. We also didn’t have seats together on the long flight to Singapore, but they found us seats together last moment with no additional cost! Nobody sat next to us, so that we were able to sleep! Thanks to UA for improving their service and Underpricer for booking this trip! Please be careful: 1,5 hrs for transfer in San Francisco might not be enough time in the future

Seat pitch is horrible especially on the 15 hour flight. Gate crew at SFO was Outstanding. The flight crew was also great.

Late plane. Only one crew on the ground so we b had to wait for Denver flight to come in, board, and depart. At 78 yrs of age I was not pleased trying to get my connection. What really made me angry was the notification you sent me to hurry up or I would miss my connection. Why tell me to hurry up when you got me in late. It was not a good way of treating customers.

Great experience…left a bit behind schedule but made up fir that in the air and landed 10 minutes early 😁

Serving a coffr Or a Drink would have been nice.

Traveling to a place near Santa Barbara?

Book flights to Santa Barbara if you plan to visit one of these locations
Buellton
Los Olivos

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