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SBA - ORD

Find cheap flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago from $155

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago departing on 7/17. 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
0 bags
Thu 5/23
Thu 5/30

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Santa Barbara to Chicago, 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 44,632,927 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

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Cheap flight deals from Santa Barbara to Chicago (SBA-ORD)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
7:15 pm - 5:16 amSBA-ORD
8h 01m1 stop
6:25 am - 11:51 amORD-SBA
7h 26m1 stop
$310American Airlines
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Wed, May 22 - Sun, May 26
4:49 pm - 12:15 amSBA-ORD
5h 26m1 stop
6:25 am - 11:52 amORD-SBA
7h 27m1 stop
$330American Airlines
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Tue, May 14 - Sat, May 18
4:49 pm - 12:15 amSBA-ORD
5h 26m1 stop
3:37 pm - 9:56 pmORD-SBA
8h 19m2 stops
$335American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 14 - Sat, May 18
4:11 pm - 12:18 amSBA-ORD
6h 07m1 stop
8:05 am - 12:30 pmORD-SBA
6h 25m1 stop
$343American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Jun 20 - Wed, Aug 7
1:20 pm - 9:56 pmSBA-ORD
6h 36m1 stop
3:35 pm - 8:55 pmORD-SBA
7h 20m1 stop
$363Delta
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Thu, Aug 22 - Mon, Aug 26
6:01 pm - 5:40 amSBA-ORD
9h 39m1 stop
9:20 pm - 5:03 pmORD-SBA
21h 43m1 stop
$364Alaska Airlines
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Wed, Jun 5 - Fri, Jun 7
1:15 pm - 9:42 pmSBA-ORD
6h 27m1 stop
6:00 am - 12:17 pmORD-SBA
8h 17m2 stops
$388Delta
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Tue, Jul 9 - Tue, Jul 23
7:10 pm - 5:10 amSBA-ORD
8h 00m1 stop
6:10 pm - 11:44 pmORD-SBA
7h 34m1 stop
$406United Airlines
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Tue, May 7 - Thu, May 9
6:00 am - 12:21 amSBA-ORD
16h 21m2 stops
1:10 pm - 7:41 pmORD-SBA
8h 31m1 stop
$423United Airlines
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Wed, May 22 - Wed, May 29
6:17 pm - 4:45 amSBA-ORD
32h 28m2 stops
8:00 am - 5:03 pmORD-SBA
11h 03m2 stops
$493Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 14 - Sat, May 18

Flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago?

The average price of all flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
For Santa Barbara to Chicago, Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Friday is the most expensive. Flying from Chicago back to Santa Barbara, the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Tuesday being the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport, 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport is January, where tickets cost $215 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and July, where the average cost of tickets is $411 and $400 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 87 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
The cheapest return flight ticket from Santa Barbara to Chicago found by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours was for $310 on American Airlines, followed by Delta ($363). One-way flight deals have also been found from as low as $155 on American Airlines and from $158 on Delta.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

March

Cheapest flight

$155
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 1% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 15% increase in price.
Flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago

When to book flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago

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

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport was $155 for a one-way ticket and $310 for a round-trip.

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

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Santa Barbara to Chicago. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

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

    On your way to Chicago, you’ll fly out from Santa Barbara. You’ll be landing at Chicago O'Hare Intl.

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago are United Airlines and American Airlines. With an average price for the route of $509 and an overall rating of 7.4, United Airlines is the most popular choice. American Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $497 and an overall rating of 7.3.

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

    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 Santa Barbara to Chicago.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Chicago from Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago?

    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 Chicago with an airline and back to Santa Barbara with another airline. Booking your flights between Santa Barbara and ORD 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago?

    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 Chicago from Santa Barbara up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top airlines flying from Santa Barbara to Chicago

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Santa Barbara to Chicago. 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago? 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 11289 reviews
6.7food
7.2comfort
7.1entertainment
8.1crew
7.7boarding
Airline reviews

The delays (5 hrs) were a comedy of errors, and the multiple safety issues encountered were very concerning.

2.0 MediocreMichelle, Apr 2024ELP - ORD
Read more about United Airlines reviews

The delays (5 hrs) were a comedy of errors, and the multiple safety issues encountered were very concerning.

The flight was delayed instead of leaving at 11 it left at 12.20

United WiFi is consistently unusable (it can take 10 mins to load a single web page). If you need Wifi to do work, be prepared to lose half a day of productivity.

Good movies, iffy pay WiFi, food ok- on time though and that was great!

Awful…flight was delayed more than 12hrs, missed all connections to Fort Wayne, IN, had to get flight to another city 2 hours from my destination, flight was again delayed by 40 mins because they did not have enough fuel, again missed a connection, finally arrived in Indiana at 11pm…but before my 2 hour drive home, ay, no Five That Our Luggage Never Made On The plane and Still In Chicago

Boarding was friendly and quick. While the plane model was older with no live tv, the entertainment was full of movies and tv shows. All food was available. Pilots were very communicative with status of the flight. Flight landed on time.

The Palm Springs to Chicago O’Hare was on Time and Palm Springs airport is easier navigate. As our connection was only an approximately 50 minutes, we asked staff for insights for the Chicago airport in terms of transferring into the other terminal from which our flight left, and they were unhelpful. However, the United App was very helpful in terms of notifications and even providing directions. The Chicago to Detroit flight was significantly delayed which we all know does happen. However, there were very few updates or notifications as to why this was happening when we would actually arrive. It took nearly 30 minutes for bags to make it to baggage claim. We arrived nearly 1 hour late on a 40 minute flight.

Flight cancelled due to fog. No other flights available for 36 hours. Directed by United to book passage on another carrier, and submit receipts for reimbursement. Did that. United now states they will not reimburse. Currently out 2 grand.

The flight was delayed by 4 hours !!!!! It was very uncomfortable , and they told us only one our before departure

The flights from Ottawa to Albuquerque went smoothly enough though on on flight they didn't have how water for coffee or tea and on another there there was no ice. The return flights from Albuquerque were delayed by mechanical problems on both flights. Ottawa was a ground crew maintenance issue.

Flight was fine. It took an unusually long time to have baggage delivered to the carousel in ORD.

Average - flew with Jet Blue internal and it was far more comfortable and better food and entertainment. Notable difference

The flight got canceled due to mechanical issues, and he to be rebooked and missed my appointments for that day

The flight was scheduled to depart DCA at 12:30 pm but was delayed twice on the ground so that we were finally scheduled to depart at around 4:00 pm. Once we boarded, it was announced that takeoff would be delayed again to fix a hydraulic problem which delayed our eventual takeoff until around 5:00 pm. Once we departed, it was a smooth flight back to ORD. We did not get any explanation about what caused the original significant delay. In my experience, this happens frequently with AA.

The only problem experienced was a ground stop in Chicago due to weather. But the crew handled everything professionally. They prioritized rebooking those passengers who had connecting flights and then deplaning the other passengers. When the hold was lifted, they efficiently re-boarded all the passengers so that we could depart before our departure limit expired.

Our second leg to Jackson WY was unable to land due to weather. We were flown back to Dallas after stopping in SLC. We were given hotel rooms and vouchers. We were told that we would be back on the same plane in the morning. Instead we were given a different flight with different seats. Not a good experience. No one knew what was going on.

Turn on the heat. Flight was way too cold from Arizona to Chicago.

Perfect flight. On time departure and early arrival. Smooth flight.

Overall pleasant was delayed and caused transportation issue when landing

The arriving flight was a few minutes late, but the gate crew helped to deplane and board our outgoing flight quickly and efficiently. We were able to depart quickly and arrive at ORD almost at the posted time. Great job.

Book cheap flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Santa Barbara to Chicago found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
7/17Wed
1 stopAmerican Airlines
8h 51mSBA-ORD
$155
8/24Sat
1 stopDelta
10h 23mSBA-ORD
$158
5/25Sat
1 stopAmerican Airlines
7h 55mSBA-ORD
$175
5/24Fri
1 stopAmerican Airlines
5h 26mSBA-ORD
$188
6/30Sun
1 stopAmerican Airlines
6h 27mSBA-ORD
$228
8/24Sat
2 stopsDelta
11h 46mSBA-ORD
$233
7/17Wed
2 stopsUnited Airlines
20h 42mSBA-ORD
$242
8/23Fri
3 stopsUnited Airlines
14h 42mSBA-ORD
$243
5/24Fri
2 stopsAlaska Airlines
41h 53mSBA-ORD
$315
4/30Tue
1 stopAlaska Airlines
9h 28mSBA-ORD
$342

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Last minute flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago that are departing in the next 10 days.
4/27Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 39mSBA-ORD
4/30Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 49mORD-SBA
$684
4/27Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 41mSBA-ORD
4/30Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 24mORD-SBA
$689
4/27Sat
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 41mSBA-ORD
4/30Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 26mORD-SBA
$694
4/24Wed
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 39mSBA-ORD
4/29Mon
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 25mORD-SBA
$706
4/24Wed
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
5h 42mSBA-ORD
4/29Mon
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 41mORD-SBA
$711
4/24Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
20h 53mSBA-ORD
4/29Mon
multi-stopUnited Airlines
22h 07mORD-SBA
$753

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Santa Barbara - Chicago Flights

Departure:

Santa Barbara (SBA)United States

Destination:

Chicago (ORD)United States

Return flight deals:

Chicago - Santa Barbara

Cabin classes: