DSM - SBA

$419 Find Cheap Flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara - Compare and Save

1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Save 25% or more on flights. Compare deals from all over the web.

Never overpay with our price tracking tools.

Filter searches by price, airline and more to find your best flights.

Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$419
Typical prices: $446-$632
Southwest
Sun 2/4Wed 2/7
DSM - SBA • 1 stop
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Des Moines and Santa Barbara. You'll need to take a connecting flight to reach the destination.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
October
Cheapest • 43% price drop
January
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
+1
Top layover airports
Denver Intl (DEN)
Cheapest • Avg $497 (round-trip)
Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX)
Shortest trip • 5h 44m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
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 Des Moines to Santa Barbara (DSM-SBA)

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

Recent round-trip flight deals from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Thu, Feb 4 - Sun, Feb 7
Southwest Logo
11:35 am - 4:35 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
7h 00m1 stop Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl
Southwest Logo
6:15 am - 1:10 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
4h 55m1 stop Denver Intl
$419Southwest
Thu, Feb 4 - Sun, Feb 7
American Airlines Logo
3:31 pm - 11:30 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
9h 59m2 stops Dallas/Fort Worth Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
4:23 pm - 11:48 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
5h 25m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
$424American Airlines
Thu, Feb 4 - Sun, Feb 7
American Airlines Logo
3:31 pm - 11:30 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
9h 59m2 stops Dallas/Fort Worth Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
12:43 pm - 12:26 amSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
9h 43m2 stops Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Chicago O'Hare Intl
$429American Airlines
Tue, Nov 10 - Sat, Nov 14
United Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 12:59 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
5h 59m1 stop Denver Intl
United Airlines Logo
1:56 pm - 10:59 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
7h 03m1 stop Chicago O'Hare Intl
$601United Airlines
Tue, Nov 10 - Sat, Nov 14
United Airlines Logo
5:09 pm - 9:08 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
5h 59m1 stop Denver Intl
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 4:07 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
8h 07m2 stops Los Angeles Denver Intl
$606United Airlines
Tue, Nov 10 - Sat, Nov 14
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 3:56 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
11h 56m2 stops Dallas/Fort Worth Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
12:45 pm - 11:36 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
8h 51m2 stops Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Dallas/Fort Worth
$611American Airlines
Sat, Nov 28 - Sat, Dec 5
American Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 9:38 amDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
6h 38m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
12:35 pm - 11:30 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
8h 55m1 stop Dallas/Fort Worth
$1,475American Airlines
Sat, Nov 28 - Sat, Dec 5
American Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 9:38 amDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
6h 38m1 stop Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl
American Airlines Logo
12:51 pm - 11:30 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
8h 39m2 stops Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Dallas/Fort Worth
$1,480American Airlines
Sat, Nov 28 - Sat, Dec 5
United Airlines Logo
5:09 pm - 11:29 pmDSM  Des Moines-SBA Santa Barbara
8h 20m2 stops Denver Intl Los Angeles
United Airlines Logo
10:53 am - 8:33 pmSBA  Santa Barbara-DSM Des Moines
7h 40m2 stops Los Angeles Denver Intl
$1,660United Airlines
Booking Insights

Price, demand and travel trends for Des Moines to Santa Barbara flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

How much is a round-trip flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

Round-trip flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara typically range from $446 to $632. The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $419, on Southwest.

What's the cheapest day of the week to fly from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

Based on deals KAYAK users found in the last 12 months, Monday is the cheapest day of the week to fly from Des Moines to Santa Barbara. It’s 16% cheaper than the average day, while Saturday is the most expensive, with prices 48% higher.

What’s the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

•October is the cheapest month to fly from Des Moines to Santa Barbara at $300 round-trip.
•January ($777) and May ($682) are the most expensive months.
•The price difference between flying in the cheapest and most expensive months is 159% on average.
This is based on KAYAK aggregated and averaged internal data over the past 12 months.

Find deals

Key details for Des Moines to Santa Barbara flights

Low season

August

Cheapest flight

$419
Beat the crowds with an average 49% drop in travelers.
The most popular month to fly with an average 54% increase in travelers.
Round-trip flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

When to book flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Des Moines 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

Your Des Moines to Santa Barbara flight questions, answered

Find helpful answers about this route, including flight times, airports, airlines and booking tips.

  • What cabin classes can I book on flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Only Economy Class is available on flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara.

  • How long is a flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    A nonstop flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara takes 00m, covering 1,500 miles.

  • Do I need a passport to fly from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

  • How much should I expect to pay for a Des Moines to Santa Barbara flight?

    Round-trip flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara range from $446 to $632, with an average of $525 over the past 12 months. Anything below $446 counts as a good deal.

  • Have flight prices from Des Moines to Santa Barbara changed much recently?

    Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $419 to $1,660. That means the highest observed fare was about 4x higher than the lowest one.

  • What car rental options are available at Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)?

    Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates averaging $71 for economy cars. Top options include:

    • Budget
    • Hertz
    • Dollar
    • Alamo
    • Thrifty

  • Which airports can I use when flying from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara usually depart from Des Moines (DSM) and arrive at Santa Barbara (SBA).

  • Which airports do connecting flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara pass through?

    One-stop flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara most commonly connect through:

    • Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX) - 60% of one-stop connections
    • Denver Intl (DEN) - 30% of one-stop connections
    • Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) - 8% of one-stop connections
    • Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS) - 3% of one-stop connections

  • Can I save money by using flexible dates for flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 43% on flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara. Monday is the cheapest departure day at $446 round-trip on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at $777, a difference of $331.

    KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

  • How much time can I save by choosing a different layover airport from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Flying via Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 5h 44m, compared with 5h 51m via Denver Intl (DEN) and 5h 56m via Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS).

  • What is the time difference between Des Moines and Santa Barbara?

    Santa Barbara is 2 hours behind Des Moines (Pacific Time vs Central Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Your guide to booking Des Moines to Santa Barbara flights

Get tips on when to book, when to fly and what to know before your trip.
  • If your dates are flexible, aim for a Monday departure and avoid flying on Saturday. On this route, Monday flights average $446, about $331 less than Saturday fares (43% savings) based on the last 12 months.
  • If you can choose when to travel, plan your Des Moines to Santa Barbara trip for October. Fares historically average $300 round-trip in that month - typically $477 less than the most expensive month, which is January (based on the last 12 months).
  • If you're arriving late at night and need somewhere to stay, check out these hotels close to Santa Barbara Airport.

    • The Steward, Santa Barbara, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

More options for your flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Complete your trip to Santa Barbara with a hotel stay or car rental

Car rentals in Santa Barbara
Hotels in Santa Barbara
Vacations in Santa Barbara