SFO - SBA

$69 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara departing on 9/4. 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

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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Flights Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara (SFO-SBA)

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

Thu, Aug 21 - Sat, Aug 23
United Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 10:14 pmSFO-SBA
1h 14mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
6:52 pm - 8:03 pmSBA-SFO
1h 11mnonstop
$144United Airlines
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Sat, Aug 30 - Sat, Nov 1
United Airlines Logo
4:30 pm - 5:44 pmSFO-SBA
1h 14mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
6:50 pm - 8:08 pmSBA-SFO
1h 18mnonstop
$151United Airlines
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Thu, Aug 21 - Sat, Aug 23
United Airlines Logo
4:30 pm - 5:44 pmSFO-SBA
1h 14mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
2:34 pm - 7:05 pmSBA-SFO
4h 31m1 stop
$154United Airlines
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Sat, Aug 30 - Sat, Nov 1
United Airlines Logo
4:30 pm - 5:44 pmSFO-SBA
1h 14mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
2:30 pm - 6:47 pmSBA-SFO
4h 17m1 stop
$161United Airlines
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Thu, Aug 7 - Mon, Aug 11
Southwest Logo
1:40 pm - 10:25 pmSFO-SBA
8h 45m2 stops
Southwest Logo
4:25 pm - 10:40 pmSBA-SFO
6h 15m1 stop
$162Southwest
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Thu, Aug 7 - Mon, Aug 11
Southwest Logo
1:40 pm - 10:25 pmSFO-SBA
8h 45m2 stops
Southwest Logo
4:25 pm - 11:20 pmSBA-SFO
6h 55m2 stops
$167Southwest
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Wed, Oct 1 - Thu, Oct 2
Southwest Logo
5:15 am - 1:30 pmSFO-SBA
8h 15m1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:30 am - 12:45 pmSBA-SFO
7h 15m2 stops
$168Southwest
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Sat, Sep 6 - Tue, Sep 9
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:49 pmSFO-SBA
13h 49m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 4:24 pmSBA-SFO
8h 54m1 stop
$328Alaska Airlines
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Sat, Sep 6 - Tue, Sep 9
Alaska Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 7:49 pmSFO-SBA
11h 49m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:29 pm - 12:25 pmSBA-SFO
16h 56m2 stops
$333Alaska Airlines
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Sat, Aug 16 - Mon, Aug 18
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 5:57 pmSFO-SBA
11h 57m2 stops
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:30 pm - 2:10 pmSBA-SFO
18h 40m2 stops
$343Alaska Airlines
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Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Santa Barbara flights

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

Find cheap flights to Santa Barbara
Find cheap flights to Santa Barbara

Planning a trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara? KAYAK’s data-powered insights will help you find cheap flights. Learn the best time to fly, how early to book your ticket, and other tips to secure great prices.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco 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 Wednesday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Friday is the most expensive day to fly from San Francisco to Santa Barbara. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Saturday and avoiding Sundays for the best deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara is July, where tickets cost $284 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and October, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $427 and $407 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.

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Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
High seasonAugust
Cheapest flight$69
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 9% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 16% lower on average.
Flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

When to book flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

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

  • Does SFO have a hotel in the airport?

    Yes. The Grand Hyatt at the San Francisco International Airport hotel is convenient and comfortable place to stay, especially if you have an early flight to Santa Barbara. This accommodation is connected to the airport on the free AirTrain, which goes to all of the terminals. Some features of this upscale hotel include a restaurant and bar, room service, free Wi-Fi, a work-out room, and more.

  • Does the San Francisco Airport have a USO?

    Yes. The USO military lounge at the San Francisco airport is located landside in the Harvey Milk Terminal, Terminal 1, on the mezzanine level. Open daily from 7 am to 4 pm, this lounge offers its services and facilities free of charge to active duty US military personnel and their families. Some benefits of this lounge include comfortable seating, TV, snack packs to go, flight information, and more.

  • Does the Santa Barbara Airport have facilities for nursing moms?

    Yes. You can use the Mamava pod at Gate 2 in SBA, a free-standing unit designed to give nursing moms cleanliness and privacy to breastfeed or pump. This fiberglass pod has a fold down shelf, bench seating on either side, and electrical outlet, a USB port, a coat hook, and a mirror.

  • How can I get from SBA into Santa Barbara?

    At the Arrivals curb, you can catch a readily available taxi. Across from the airport, you can catch a bus at the station on Moffett Road. If you want to rent a car, there are a number of rental car companies on airport grounds, including Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and more. Thrifty is just off airport grounds.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara was $69 for a one-way ticket and $144 for a round-trip.

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

    No

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

    San Francisco and Santa Barbara are both served by 1 main airport. You will leave San Francisco from San Francisco and will be arriving at Santa Barbara.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

    Delta, American Airlines, and JetBlue offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San Francisco to Santa Barbara flight route.

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

    The Embraer 175 (Enhanced Winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San Francisco to Santa Barbara flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

    Star Alliance is the only airline alliance operating flights between San Francisco and Santa Barbara.

  • On which days can I fly direct from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

    There are nonstop flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara on a daily basis.

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

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

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

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $147 or less one-way and $269 or less round-trip.
  • The San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is in northwest California and has Alaska Airlines as its hub. The Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is on the shores of the Pacific a few miles north of Santa Barbara in the town of Goleta, California.
  • United Airlines is one carrier that offers non-stop flights between SFO and SBA. United and American Airlines offer one-stop flights between SFO and SBA. Common layover cities include Los Angeles and Phoenix.
  • If when you get to SFO you want to rest or freshen up, you can pay to use Freshen Up, nap rooms that include a bed, a desk, a mirror, and free Wi-Fi. You can even take a shower for an extra charge. You can find Freshen Up at Level G in the Main Hall, landside.
  • If you are traveling with children you would like them to exhaust themselves or to distract themselves while they are waiting for their flight to Santa Barbara, you can take them to the Kids Spot at Gate D15 in Terminal 2. This indoor playground is an interactive experience and it is open all day, every day.
  • When you are waiting for your plane to Santa Barbara at SFO, keep an eye out for the Wag Brigade. The Wag Brigade started out as a therapy dog program, where handlers and the dogs roamed Departures hoping to offer delight, distraction, or comfort to passengers. But now the ever-popular Wag Brigade also includes a pig and a rabbit. All passengers are encouraged to pet and cuddle these therapy animals.

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

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

Direct departures

San Francisco to Santa Barbara

Monday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Tuesday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Wednesday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Thursday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Friday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Saturday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Sunday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Emirates, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Santa Barbara to San Francisco

Monday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Tuesday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Wednesday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Thursday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Friday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Saturday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

Sunday

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Copa Airlines, +2 more

Air Canada, Air New Zealand, +3 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top airline flying from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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.
7.4
United AirlinesOverall score based on 8810 reviews
7.0Entertainment
7.7Boarding
6.6Food
7.3Comfort
8.1Crew
Airline reviews

Very comfortable (upgraded to business class). The audio on my screen didn’t work, but I managed to play the audio through my phone while watching the screen.

10.0 ExcellentElena, Jun 2025SFO - EWR
Read more United Airlines reviews

Very comfortable (upgraded to business class). The audio on my screen didn’t work, but I managed to play the audio through my phone while watching the screen.

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

Flight was late as pilot crew had to land at different airport in their previous flight. Passengers boarded and had to wait for pilots inside plane. Series of incomplete and unnecessary announcements by an annoying voice, rather than complete, informative announcements.

Breakfast was not loaded at SFO due to catering company change. Seems like a major airline at a major hub would have thought of something else or warned passengers to pick up food before boarding a 3 hour flight.

Boarding seemed to be organized bedlam. For what ever reason, preboarding took longer than 20 minutes. Made the plane 20 minutes late taking off. Luckily we arrived on time. Flight crew seemed very friendly. Only slight turbulence.

They hired a new catering company the same day of my flight. They botched the job by not delivering the right carts and after THREE HOURS waiting, the flight crew timed out (flight was 19 hours long and FAA rules state crew can’t work more than 14 hours long). So they CANCELED OUR FLIGHT!! Worst experience ever. Avoid UAL at all costs.

The personnel were professional and friendly. The Boeing 737 Max 9 is too claustrophobic and was very warm at both airport gates, and still warm in the air.

While the staff was pleasant and helpful, the following observations are for your awareness. There was some delay on the tarmac on take off and landing. The paid lunch/food offerings were limited. Entertainment was only available on WiFi at a cost.

get E+, a must for 5 hours flight if you are tall

Liked fold flat bed. Didn’t like having no window. Didn’t like poor choice of food and being served dinner very late, hours after take off of a 7:40pm flight. Servers not friendly. Food horrible in business class.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

Information on your arrival and departure airports

San Francisco (SFO)
Santa Barbara (SBA)

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