SBA - ORD

$162 Find Cheap Flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago

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 5/27. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport

 
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
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$313
Typical prices: $460-$329
Alaska Airlines
Tue 6/2Tue 6/9
SBA - ORD • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$329
United Airlines
Tue 9/1Wed 9/9
SBA - ORD • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $313 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.4 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with United Airlines. Average duration is 4h 23m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $315 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 16m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 27% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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 Chicago!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights 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 for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Santa Barbara to Chicago

Tue, Jun 2 - Tue, Jun 9
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 6:50 pm
SBA
-
ORD
10h 50m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:10 pm - 11:55 pm
ORD
-
SBA
11h 45m
1 stop
$313Alaska Airlines
Fri, Jun 19 - Fri, Jun 26
Alaska Airlines Logo
1:42 pm - 11:36 pm
SBA
-
ORD
7h 54m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:20 am - 2:02 pm
ORD
-
SBA
9h 42m
1 stop
$318Alaska Airlines
Thu, Jun 18 - Thu, Jun 25
Alaska Airlines Logo
1:42 pm - 11:36 pm
SBA
-
ORD
7h 54m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:20 am - 2:02 pm
ORD
-
SBA
9h 42m
1 stop
$328Alaska Airlines
Tue, Sep 1 - Wed, Sep 9
United Airlines Logo
12:35 pm - 6:54 pm
SBA
-
ORD
4h 19mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
8:51 am - 11:33 am
ORD
-
SBA
4h 42mnonstop
$329United Airlines
Mon, May 25 - Wed, May 27
Alaska Airlines Logo
4:01 pm - 11:55 pm
SBA
-
ORD
5h 54m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 3:17 pm
ORD
-
SBA
8h 17m
1 stop
$331Alaska Airlines
Fri, Jun 5 - Sat, Jun 6
United Airlines Logo
6:18 pm - 5:46 am
SBA
-
ORD
9h 28m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:55 am - 11:35 am
ORD
-
SBA
4h 40mnonstop
$333United Airlines
Fri, May 29 - Tue, Jun 2
United Airlines Logo
8:24 pm - 5:57 am
SBA
-
ORD
7h 33m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:55 am - 11:35 am
ORD
-
SBA
4h 40mnonstop
$339United Airlines
Tue, Jul 21 - Sun, Jul 26
Delta Logo
12:40 pm - 9:48 pm
SBA
-
ORD
7h 08m
1 stop
Delta Logo
7:45 am - 11:59 am
ORD
-
SBA
6h 14m
1 stop
$349Delta
Tue, Jul 21 - Wed, Jul 29
Delta Logo
5:50 am - 7:30 pm
SBA
-
ORD
11h 40m
2 stops
Delta Logo
7:45 am - 11:59 am
ORD
-
SBA
6h 14m
1 stop
$354Delta
Tue, Jul 21 - Mon, Jul 27
Delta Logo
5:50 am - 7:30 pm
SBA
-
ORD
11h 40m
2 stops
Delta Logo
8:27 am - 4:03 pm
ORD
-
SBA
9h 36m
2 stops
$359Delta
Booking Insights

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

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.

How much is a round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport departing in June.

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

The average price of all round-trip 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 Sunday is the most expensive. Flying from Chicago back to Santa Barbara, the best deals are generally found on Saturday, with Monday 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 round-trip 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 $316 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and August, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $592 and $527 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $396, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$162
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 28% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 21% 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 $162 for a one-way ticket and $313 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 airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Santa Barbara to Chicago?

    Only American Airlines offers inflight Wi-Fi service on the Santa Barbara to Chicago flight route.

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

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Santa Barbara to Chicago flight route.

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

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

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

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

  • 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 $430 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 $562 and an overall rating of 7.1.

  • 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.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $183 or less one-way and $346 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Santa Barbara to Chicago?

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

Direct departures

Santa Barbara to Chicago O'Hare Intl

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Chicago O'Hare Intl to Santa Barbara

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the 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 9684 reviews
6.6Food
7.7Boarding
8.1Crew
7.3Comfort
7.1Entertainment
Airline reviews

O’hsre taxi and deboarding took 40 minutes. Needed 20 minutes extra time between connecting flights to avoid running through terminal.

6.0 GoodAnonymous, May 2026
DEN - ORD
Read more United Airlines reviews

O’hsre taxi and deboarding took 40 minutes. Needed 20 minutes extra time between connecting flights to avoid running through terminal.

Standard flight with a drinks and a snack- overall very quick flight. The flight attendants were very strict, bordered on rude.

Delayed - weather wasn't bad at either end. Also sat on tarmac in ORD.

boarded early to only find out that flight would sit at gate for 45 min to an hour. Landed in chicago and sat on runway for over an hour before got to gate. Total delay was extensive for a 45 min flight door to door.

The flight was significantly delayed. The inbound flight from EWR was delayed departing because of mechanical problems. My original departure from CLT was 5:28 pm but due to the delay of the inbound flight, after arrival, deplaning, cleaning, boarding, we did not push back from the gate until 9:00 pm. Once in the air, the flight was smooth and what was originally supposed to be an arrival in ORD at 7:30 pm local time turned out to be 9:35 pm.

The flight I was supposed to be on was supposed to take off at 1:50 from State College. It was delayed over and over and over again until somehow I had to rebook on a flight that was supposed to have left State College at 8 am that morning but didn't end up taking off until almost 6 pm. Not only was this completely unacceptable, the "token from United" was a 15 dollar meal voucher that has to be used by today. I would personally like some miles added to my account for this inconvenience. I was in transit for 8 hours from the time I arrive at State College Aiport to when I got home. I was supposed to be home at 3 pm and I returned at 8 pm. Unacceptable. I have not been on an on Time united flight in nearly 5 years.

newer aircraft, ability to connect my headset via blue tooth for entertainment.

Very comfortable flight, snacks and drinks were good, good communication from crew. Could have used a little more information on timing of boarding for group 5

Great flight. Got to watch a movie. Smooth flight and early arrival at ORD.

It was better than excellent. The staff in Mason City were great. The young woman that pushed my wheelchair did more than could be expected of her. She came from India 17 years ago. I don't remember her name.

It was good, the staff was great, and the food, was as usual, tea and biscuit. Bathroom was clean, and the plane was clean as well.

Very good I can’t complain one bit. Thank you American Airlines for making my flight enjoyable and safe!

The staff and service on American Airlines were truly outstanding. I had requested wheelchair assistance for my mother due to her knee issues, and the team went above and beyond every step of the way—from boarding in Boston to our arrival in Chicago. Their care, professionalism, and attentiveness made the entire experience smooth and stress-free. I’m very grateful for the support they provided.

The new planes (American Eagle) are beautiful and especially comfortable. The flight attendants are consistently professional and courteous. And, while it may seem inconsequential, the new liquid tube of coffee creamer—in contrast to the powdered coffee creamer—makes all the difference in a cup of coffee.

I'm not sure American is capable of on-time arrivals and departures. When you land at ORD, you almost always get held on the tarmac because your gate is still occupied. I may have missed my connection, but that ended up up being significantly delayed as well. Once again, I finally got home well after midnight.

Crew at the gate was very crabby and not at all polite. The plane was very hot the entire flight. And the seat cushion was very worn out.

The staff are very, very professional. It's what flying should feel like.

Flight was delayed half hour before boarding, but when I checked flight aware the plane that would Pick us up had a delay of more than an hour. AA should let us know in advance to avoid waiting several hours in the airport

Delays with no explanation. It could have been handled better.

Jill was the flight attendant in first class she was fabulous!! Best flight attendant I have had in years.!! And I fly every other week. Other can learn from her!!

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports