DTW - SBA

$189 Find Cheap Flights from Detroit to Santa Barbara - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Detroit to Santa Barbara departing on 12/16. 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

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$262
Typical prices: $461-$596
Southwest
Sat 10/3Sat 10/10
DTW - SBA • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way
$189
Delta
Wed 12/16
DTW - SBA • 1 stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $262 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
Not available
There are currently no direct flights between Detroit and Santa Barbara. You'll need at least 1 connection.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $327 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 7h 05m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 18% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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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 Detroit to Santa Barbara (DTW-SBA)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Detroit 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 Detroit to Santa Barbara

Sat, Oct 3 - Sat, Oct 10
Southwest Logo
5:15 pm - 9:50 pm
DTW
-
SBA
7h 35m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:40 am - 4:15 pm
SBA
-
DTW
6h 35m
1 stop
$262Southwest
Tue, Nov 3 - Mon, Nov 9
United Airlines Logo
8:41 am - 3:31 pm
DTW
-
SBA
9h 50m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:15 am - 3:47 pm
SBA
-
DTW
6h 32m
1 stop
$263United Airlines
Tue, Oct 13 - Tue, Oct 20
Southwest Logo
3:50 pm - 10:10 pm
DTW
-
SBA
9h 20m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 6:25 pm
SBA
-
DTW
9h 50m
1 stop
$268Southwest
Wed, Nov 4 - Mon, Nov 9
United Airlines Logo
7:25 am - 12:54 pm
DTW
-
SBA
8h 29m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:35 am - 10:22 pm
SBA
-
DTW
8h 47m
2 stops
$273United Airlines
Tue, Nov 3 - Mon, Nov 9
United Airlines Logo
4:26 pm - 9:58 pm
DTW
-
SBA
8h 32m
2 stops
United Airlines Logo
10:35 am - 10:22 pm
SBA
-
DTW
8h 47m
2 stops
$291United Airlines
Sat, Oct 10 - Sat, Oct 17
Delta Logo
12:15 pm - 4:06 pm
DTW
-
SBA
6h 51m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:43 pm - 11:59 pm
SBA
-
DTW
8h 16m
1 stop
$297Delta
Sat, Oct 10 - Sat, Oct 17
Delta Logo
9:00 am - 4:06 pm
DTW
-
SBA
10h 06m
2 stops
Delta Logo
12:43 pm - 11:59 pm
SBA
-
DTW
8h 16m
1 stop
$302Delta
Tue, Oct 13 - Tue, Oct 20
Southwest Logo
2:25 pm - 10:10 pm
DTW
-
SBA
10h 45m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
5:35 am - 6:25 pm
SBA
-
DTW
9h 50m
1 stop
$310Southwest
Sat, Oct 10 - Sat, Oct 17
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 5:57 pm
DTW
-
SBA
13h 57m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:45 pm - 5:40 am
SBA
-
DTW
7h 55m
1 stop
$311Alaska Airlines
Thu, Aug 6 - Thu, Aug 13
United Airlines Logo
5:30 am - 11:25 am
DTW
-
SBA
8h 55m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 11:59 pm
SBA
-
DTW
8h 26m
1 stop
$329United Airlines
Booking Insights

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

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

What is the cheapest month to fly from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Santa Barbara is May, where tickets cost $404 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $596 and $575 respectively.

Good to know

Low seasonSeptember
Cheapest flight$189
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 2% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 16% lower on average.
Flight from Detroit to Santa Barbara

When to book flights from Detroit to Santa Barbara

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Detroit 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 Detroit to Santa Barbara flights

  • What is the cheapest flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Santa Barbara?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to Santa Barbara was $189 for a one-way ticket and $262 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from Detroit to Santa Barbara.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Detroit to Santa Barbara?

    Detroit and Santa Barbara are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave Detroit from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County and will be arriving at Santa Barbara.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Detroit to Santa Barbara are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $447 and an overall rating of 7.8, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $465 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Santa Barbara from Detroit 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 Detroit 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 Detroit with another airline. Booking your flights between Detroit 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 Detroit 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 Detroit 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 Detroit to Santa Barbara

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Detroit 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 Detroit 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.
7.8
DeltaOverall score based on 8465 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.8Entertainment
7.8Comfort
7.2Food
8.5Crew
Airline reviews

The flight was mostly smooth and direct (although it was 2 hours late). The glow of the flight attendant’s phone was annoying as I tried to sleep on this midnight flight.

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jul 2026
DTW - MBS
Read more Delta reviews

The flight was mostly smooth and direct (although it was 2 hours late). The glow of the flight attendant’s phone was annoying as I tried to sleep on this midnight flight.

Everything about this flight was good except for the very end when I reached my destination. Everyone from the tune to the wheelchair escorts were great with the case were great but I miss you with people at the check in this at the very end. I need help from the chicken desk because I forgot my pillow on the plane The female worker at the chicken desk said that they found my pillow and she was going to retrieve it for me. She left a 30 minutes without any update and her so she saw me walking back and forth waiting for her and they didn't even bother calling her or radioing her for any updates. They were busy because they were behind schedule and they were overwhelmed but thanks because at least glanced me and try to give me an update just a quick radio check or phone call. I don't care about the pillow but if you tell me to wait, I waited for at least half an hour before I said something and I just left because they wouldn't bother talking to me so I could, so everything's going in the review. I took pictures of the two men that were left working at the check-in counter. The totally ignored me despite the signals I've been giving them. I don't see any offers in the kayak review to add pictures or screenshots so I'm going to post another review I don't know their name but I'm pretty sure Delta will find other names when they see the review. Google with pictures. There was another guy at the chicken counter bring an orange workers vest who finally left after telling me that the girl that was retrieving my pillow is working the gates now. That would have been if they just told me that's what happened. But I had no update. Make me wait for nothing. Thank you Delta airlines!

Crew was real good, flight was smooth and came in early.

Should never have had to go to Detroit from Orlando back to Tennessee!

Free & relatively fast Wi-Fi. Would've liked a wider drink selection.

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

Meh. A late flight meant I missed my connections, and a 2pm LAX arrival turned into gettin in after midnight.

It was good until there was a 3 hour delay because there was not any pilots to fly the plane.

Was a great smooth flight from Detroit to San Diego.

Food could have been better. A little more leg room would have been appreciated.

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.

There was a piece of plastic baked into my buttermilk biscuit! I have a pictures. The flight attendants in first class were really apologetic, and tried to rectify the situation. I I am very appreciative that they were able to give me some packets of pretzels and gummy bears. I understand they don't personally handle the food until warming it up so I know it wasn't their fault. I don't know whether it was a newer aircraft, or different food packaging, but I was happy that when the food was being warmed up - it didn't smell like plastic. Jokes on me with finding plastic in my food.

The seats were uncomfortable, as if the cushions haven't been switched out in many years. I felt like I was on an old bus. The food was delicious. thank you. Onboard entertainment, very limited. Unless you like violent movies. Why in the world would you have such severely violent movies on a plane? if you don't want to see such things, you don't have a choice. Have you considered that when choosing entertainment? Good god. Why would you have the Godfather? Or black women being brutally beaten with a club? Why in the hell would you put that kind of material on a plane? As for Kayak: Why when I ordered Qantas, was the plane on United?

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

Excellent flight. On time. Great staff. Clean and crisp cabin.

Know that the movies that you are going to be offered are the oldest be rated movies they could possibly get. They may have one or two new movies that they keep advertising but when you’re flying 15 hours, there is nothing to see past the first new movie.

This flight is a quick way to get to Chicago, but a bit expensive.

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

Staff friendly and app worked really well. Modest delays were frustrating

Serving a coffr Or a Drink would have been nice.

The passenger in front of of me reclined their seat back all the way the entire flight. Their headrest was in my face the entire flight! I barely had room for the little plastic cup of water to fit on my tray table; can you make the seats and space between the rows any smaller??? You can’t even get up to use the restroom! Worst flight I’ve had in a very long time!

I was on a small regional flight from Detroit to Philadelphia. When we landed the outside cruise needed to turn something off with the engine, which took quite a long time. Then, when they allowed us to get off the plane it was outside. They took their time, unloading all the luggage and waited till they unloaded all the luggage before they brought it over to us. It was 9 o’clock at night freezing cold out, and there was no proactive hustle to try to get people their luggage. It was really one of the worst experiences I think I’ve ever had with American until a manager came over. I don’t think they were going to even consider pulling the luggage over to the people that had been waiting outside for at least 10 minutes in the freezing cold.

It was a good trip. Flight Attendants were friendly and responsive.

Delayed flight that lead to a missed connection and a 5-hour trip became a 12-hour flight 🙄

The trip was very smooth and they provided great customer service

It was on time, which is always a good thing. There wasn’t any food hence my okay rating.

It was a crazy day with a lot of delays and gate changes. Not a huge fan of the Charlotte hub at all.

We have been delayed and postponed 2days and nights…and still do not have our flight until tomorrow..

American Airlines is awful!! Will never fly with them again. Connection flight left early leaving 22 people in Charlotte with no way to get to Key West for 24 hours. Would not provide hotel or any other accommodations. Bags were delayed two days.

Don’t fly American. Do anything you can to avoid it

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports