ORD - SBA

$119 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara departing on 3/17. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Santa Barbara

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Santa Barbara, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Santa Barbara, as well as popular online travel agencies
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$223
Overall average: $369
Alaska Airlines
Fri 5/1Wed 5/6
ORD - SBA • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$269
United Airlines
Sat 5/16Wed 5/20
ORD - SBA • Non-stop
Top airlines
Alaska Airlines
Cheapest • from $223 (round-trip)
Southwest
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Every day
You can fly direct with United Airlines. Average duration is 0
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top layover airports
Dallas (DFW)
Cheapest • Avg $184 (round-trip)
Salt Lake City (SLC)
Shortest trip • 6h 37m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
7 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 7 weeks in advance save around 33% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
April
Cheapest • 15% price drop
April
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Santa Barbara!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara (ORD-SBA)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Santa Barbara

Fri, May 1 - Wed, May 6
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 2:16 pm
ORD
-
SBA
20h 17m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:03 pm
SBA
-
ORD
11h 03m
1 stop
$223Alaska Airlines
Wed, Apr 15 - Tue, Apr 21
Delta Logo
7:35 am - 11:59 am
ORD
-
SBA
6h 24m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:39 pm - 9:18 pm
SBA
-
ORD
6h 39m
1 stop
$237Delta
Fri, May 1 - Wed, May 6
Delta Logo
5:15 am - 4:12 pm
ORD
-
SBA
12h 57m
2 stops
Delta Logo
12:39 pm - 9:18 pm
SBA
-
ORD
6h 39m
1 stop
$256Delta
Fri, May 1 - Wed, May 6
Alaska Airlines Logo
3:52 pm - 11:45 pm
ORD
-
SBA
9h 53m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 11:59 pm
SBA
-
ORD
15h 59m
2 stops
$258Alaska Airlines
Fri, May 1 - Wed, May 6
Delta Logo
7:35 am - 11:59 am
ORD
-
SBA
6h 24m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:39 pm - 9:18 pm
SBA
-
ORD
6h 39m
1 stop
$263Delta
Sat, May 16 - Wed, May 20
United Airlines Logo
8:55 am - 11:25 am
ORD
-
SBA
4h 30mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
12:32 pm - 6:32 pm
SBA
-
ORD
4h 00mnonstop
$269United Airlines
Wed, Apr 15 - Sat, Apr 18
Delta Logo
7:15 am - 9:55 pm
ORD
-
SBA
16h 40m
2 stops
Delta Logo
12:39 pm - 9:18 pm
SBA
-
ORD
6h 39m
1 stop
$275Delta
Fri, May 1 - Wed, May 6
Alaska Airlines Logo
8:48 pm - 6:19 pm
ORD
-
SBA
23h 31m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:03 pm
SBA
-
ORD
11h 03m
1 stop
$277Alaska Airlines
Fri, Apr 17 - Mon, Apr 20
United Airlines Logo
8:45 am - 11:13 am
ORD
-
SBA
4h 28mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
2:16 pm - 1:28 am
SBA
-
ORD
9h 12m
1 stop
$279United Airlines
Wed, Apr 22 - Sun, Apr 26
Alaska Airlines Logo
3:52 pm - 10:40 pm
ORD
-
SBA
8h 48m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 1:13 pm
SBA
-
ORD
29h 13m
1 stop
$283Alaska Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Santa Barbara flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Chicago to Santa Barbara?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to Santa Barbara on a Thursday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Monday is the most expensive day to fly from Chicago to Santa Barbara. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Wednesday and avoiding Tuesdays for the best deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara is April, where tickets cost $369 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are November and August, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $527 and $499 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara, you should book around 7 weeks before departure, which saves you about 33% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 21 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$119
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 1% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 16% lower on average.
Flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara

When to book flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Santa Barbara based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking Chicago to Santa Barbara flights

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara was $119 for a one-way ticket and $223 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Chicago and Santa Barbara?

    Even though you are not required to have a passport, keep in mind that an official ID is needed to board the airplane.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Chicago to Santa Barbara?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to Santa Barbara flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and Santa Barbara, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara, Southwest or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara are Southwest and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $462 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $425 and an overall rating of 7.4.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago 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 Chicago to Santa Barbara.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Santa Barbara from Chicago 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 Chicago 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 Chicago with another airline. Booking your flights between Chicago and SBA can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Chicago 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 Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $330 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Santa Barbara?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago O'Hare Intl to Santa Barbara.
Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to Santa Barbara Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago O'Hare Intl to Santa Barbara

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Santa Barbara. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago 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.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4302 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.0Food
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

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

2.0 MediocreDarcey, Feb 2026
SAN - SJC
Read more Southwest reviews

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

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

The staff was very friendly, professional, and courteous. The overall flight was a great experience.

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

Still a fan of open seating. Flight was on schedule and arrived on time. The 737 MAX is very comfortable.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

Plane crashed into a bus or some other vehicle on the ground while pulling out of the gate. No injuries, but wing tip was damaged and returned to gate for “maintenance issues” and we departed 5 hours later because the plane went out of service and new plane was flown in from a nearby airport, Midway.

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

We were delayed for about an hour from taking off due to traffic control procedures at the destination airport. But once in the air, the flight went well. The crew members were great and provided cabin service despite moderate turbulence during much of the flight.

Short flight, but no drink/snack service. The flights both going and coming were delayed.

Not being stranded in Chicago for her airport to 11:30 tomorrow morning the 3rd

I was fully checked in the prior night and i was unchecked and then didn’t have a seat when I boarded. Instead of an aisle seat, I was out in the middle seat of the very last row of the plane.

In overall it was a good experience, the only down point was that the entertainment screen was working properly.

They lost my luggage, so, not happy. The crew was nice but my suitcases never made it, still trying to find out what happened!

I understand weather is an issue, but making us chase our plane down at five scheduled gates across three terminals in an airport the size of O'Hare was unfair. They'd have probably been better off to leave gates as TBD until the inbound plane is in final approach instead of running us all over the place. Also, props to the consistently-unprepared ground crew in Richmond for once again leaving my lane parked short of the gate because they couldn't have a crew in place on time with 2 hours notice...

cabin crew was OK, food was OK, the trip from the US to Munich was actually pretty bad comfort wise. Noisy aircraft, lights never dimmed even in Business class (night flight) barely sufficient amenities for the price. I have millions of miles with United but TBH American is gaining ground and Delta has always been marginally better then United although on paper United has more longes and cheaper upgrades.

Essy to get on. The hostess gave very little pop, the plane was late getting in, and we are still waiting for our bags. This sucks. :/

Great flight. On time boarding. Smooth flight and on time arrival at EWR. The flight crew was marvelous and there was a great selection of movies on the entertainment system. Our bags were at the carousel before we got there. Another excellent flight from United.

Flight to Tampa was delayed taking off due to plane arriving late but no other issues

As previously stated the delay I experienced flying from Wichita to Chicago caused a host of issues. When I finally was able to be booked on the last remaining American flight from Chicago to Cincinnati, the gate changed four times with the last change occurring very near the scheduled boarding time. While I didn't have a problem moving from gate to gate, I did notice and make note of others that had mobility issues and had to move each time for the gate change.

Maintenance took a very long time and then we were in a holding pattern. While a one-off maintenance issue is standard, there were delays on both of my flights for this trip based on maintenance issues with the planes, which delayed both flights over 45 minutes. Thankfully, I didn't have any connections but it wasn't an experience that would make me pick AA if I have other options.

No Snacks or Entertainment. The flight was short, snacks should still be given.

See prior comment about how Kayak mishandled my reservation and delayed my arrival by 6 hours.

Boarding delayed 20 minutes for no reason, no wifi, in flight entertainment, or snacks / waters?

Delayed an hour due to operational issues. Minimal apologies or care for the significant inconvenience caused. Landed at nearly 1am and they still couldn’t find ground staff to get us off the plane promptly.

The aircraft had several problems - from excess fuel to non operational ac. Two hours of delay in Chicago could have been avoided with proper planning and aircraft maintenance.

Crew in Columbia was not prepared for landing. It was a bit of a disaster and getting bags took forever.

We were upgraded to First Class and it was a great flight

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara

Information on your arrival and departure airports