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SBA - ORD

Find cheap flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago from $253

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 6/10. 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 4/18
Thu 4/25

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 47,600,107 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

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Cheap flight deals from Santa Barbara to Chicago

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.
6:27 pm - 5:45 amSBA-ORD
9h 18m1 stop
6:00 am - 5:22 pmORD-SBA
13h 22m1 stop
$282Alaska Airlines
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Sat, Apr 20 - Wed, Apr 24
6:27 pm - 5:45 amSBA-ORD
9h 18m1 stop
2:53 pm - 5:22 pmORD-SBA
28h 29m2 stops
$328Alaska Airlines
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Sat, Apr 20 - Wed, Apr 24
12:57 pm - 12:04 pmSBA-ORD
21h 07m2 stops
1:06 pm - 5:22 pmORD-SBA
30h 16m1 stop
$358Alaska Airlines
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Wed, Apr 10 - Wed, Apr 17
6:27 pm - 5:45 amSBA-ORD
9h 18m1 stop
6:00 am - 1:02 pmORD-SBA
33h 02m2 stops
$360Alaska Airlines
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Sat, Apr 20 - Tue, Apr 23
4:11 pm - 12:18 amSBA-ORD
6h 07m1 stop
3:10 pm - 9:10 pmORD-SBA
8h 00m1 stop
$412American Airlines
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Tue, Jun 25 - Tue, Jul 2
4:11 pm - 12:18 amSBA-ORD
6h 07m1 stop
3:15 pm - 8:51 pmORD-SBA
7h 36m1 stop
$426American Airlines
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Wed, Jun 12 - Wed, Jul 24
5:15 am - 9:12 pmSBA-ORD
13h 57m1 stop
5:00 am - 9:21 pmORD-SBA
18h 21m1 stop
$433United Airlines
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Sat, Apr 13 - Tue, Apr 16
1:20 pm - 9:56 pmSBA-ORD
6h 36m1 stop
2:13 pm - 11:51 pmORD-SBA
11h 38m2 stops
$442Delta
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Tue, Jun 25 - Tue, Jul 2
6:00 am - 12:21 amSBA-ORD
16h 21m2 stops
9:32 pm - 1:04 pmORD-SBA
17h 32m1 stop
$447United Airlines
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Fri, May 3 - Fri, May 10
7:25 am - 8:36 pmSBA-ORD
11h 11m2 stops
2:13 pm - 11:51 pmORD-SBA
11h 38m2 stops
$481Delta
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Tue, Jun 25 - Tue, Jul 2

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 Monday is the most expensive. Flying from Chicago back to Santa Barbara, the best deals are generally found on Wednesday, with Saturday 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 $282 on Alaska Airlines, followed by American Airlines ($412). One-way flight deals have also been found from as low as $253 on United Airlines and from $331 on Alaska Airlines.

How long does a flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago take?

There are no direct flights for this route listed on KAYAK. The shortest multi-flight duration is 5h 26m.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

March

Cheapest flight

$253
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 $253 for a one-way ticket and $282 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?

    Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam 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 $516 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

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 KAYAK reviews.
7.4
United AirlinesOverall score based on 11602 reviews
77boarding
71entertainment
74overall
81crew
72comfort
67food
Airline reviews

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

Read more about United Airlines

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.

The male air hostess was rude and didn’t provide good customer service. Didn’t even offer me a drink

The staff was phenomenal. I can’t think of anything that could be better. Will be flying with UA again

Nothing bad to say about the actual crew or airline. It was nice to have a complimentary FULL can of soda, as well as a snack. Blankets and earbuds were also provided at no cost for this red eye flight. I especially appreciated the free WiFi and movie selection with the Bluetooth option. It helped the flight pass more quickly. No matter who you fly, boarding and disembarking are always SUCH a pain. As I mentioned, this is on the passengers and not the crew!!

Wifi did not work. Cut off on and off every 10 min

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.

Nothing, flight was supposed to leave at 758 am. My flight didn’t leave until 430 pm. Spent the whole day at the airport.

Despite a bumpy flight the pilot was great. The rest of the crew on the other hand couldn’t care less if a passenger would colapse and die. Horrible service, robot like, lifeless…

Biggest issue was original flight canceled and booked to another flight 6 hours earlier and received no notification

It was great. It was just a commuter so I splurged on first class and it was wonderful. Wish all seats were this spacious. Enjoyed it and will do it again.

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.
6/10Mon
1 stopUnited Airlines
6h 38mSBA-ORD
$253
8/18Sun
1 stopAlaska Airlines
7h 12mSBA-ORD
$331
8/18Sun
2 stopsAlaska Airlines
19h 56mSBA-ORD
$352
6/17Mon
2 stopsUnited Airlines
13h 57mSBA-ORD
$353
8/18Sun
3 stopsUnited Airlines
13h 23mSBA-ORD
$833
6/10Mon
2 stopsUnited Airlines
10h 58mSBA-ORD
$1,903

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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.
3/20Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
5h 55mSBA-ORD
4/9Tue
multi-stopUnited Airlines
20h 42mORD-SBA
$651
3/24Sun
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 32mSBA-ORD
4/2Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 03mORD-SBA
$664
3/24Sun
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 32mSBA-ORD
4/2Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
10h 53mORD-SBA
$669
3/23Sat
multi-stopUnited Airlines
7h 35mSBA-ORD
3/26Tue
multi-stopUnited Airlines
19h 14mORD-SBA
$704
3/23Sat
multi-stopUnited Airlines
7h 35mSBA-ORD
3/26Tue
multi-stopUnited Airlines
14h 14mORD-SBA
$709
3/24Sun
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
5h 34mSBA-ORD
4/2Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 04mORD-SBA
$717
3/24Sun
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 32mSBA-ORD
4/2Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 32mORD-SBA
$722
3/20Wed
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
10h 05mSBA-ORD
4/9Tue
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
32h 17mORD-SBA
$758
3/24Sun
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
8h 57mSBA-ORD
4/2Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
9h 37mORD-SBA
$791
3/24Sun
multi-stopUnited Airlines
15h 45mSBA-ORD
4/1Mon
multi-stopUnited Airlines
20h 07mORD-SBA
$818

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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: