SBA - SAN

$59 Find Cheap Flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego

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 San Diego departing on 5/13. 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 San Diego

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Santa Barbara to San Diego, 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 San Diego, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$97
Alaska Airlines
Sat 4/25Sat 5/2
SBA - SAN • Non-stop
Cheapest non-stop
$97
Alaska Airlines
Sat 4/25Wed 4/29
SBA - SAN • Non-stop
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego (SBA-SAN)

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

Sat, Apr 25 - Sat, May 2
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:04 am
SBA
-
SAN
1h 04mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:28 pm - 11:38 pm
SAN
-
SBA
1h 10mnonstop
$97Alaska Airlines
Thu, Apr 30 - Sat, May 2
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:04 am
SBA
-
SAN
1h 04mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:28 pm - 11:38 pm
SAN
-
SBA
1h 10mnonstop
$112Alaska Airlines
Sat, Apr 25 - Sun, Apr 26
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:47 pm - 3:51 pm
SBA
-
SAN
1h 04mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
1:00 pm - 2:10 pm
SAN
-
SBA
1h 10mnonstop
$127Alaska Airlines
Fri, Apr 24 - Sun, Apr 26
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:04 am
SBA
-
SAN
1h 04mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:28 pm - 11:38 pm
SAN
-
SBA
1h 10mnonstop
$142Alaska Airlines
Mon, Apr 27 - Wed, Apr 29
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:47 pm - 3:51 pm
SBA
-
SAN
1h 04mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:28 pm - 11:38 pm
SAN
-
SBA
1h 10mnonstop
$152Alaska Airlines
Sat, Apr 25 - Sat, May 2
United Airlines Logo
8:31 pm - 12:29 am
SBA
-
SAN
3h 58m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
10:55 am - 1:39 pm
SAN
-
SBA
2h 44m
1 stop
$157United Airlines
Thu, Apr 30 - Fri, May 1
United Airlines Logo
2:20 pm - 8:02 pm
SBA
-
SAN
5h 42m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:20 am - 12:07 pm
SAN
-
SBA
5h 47m
1 stop
$163United Airlines
Mon, Feb 16 - Mon, Feb 23
United Airlines Logo
5:48 pm - 11:40 pm
SBA
-
SAN
5h 52m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
11:05 am - 5:07 pm
SAN
-
SBA
6h 02m
1 stop
$167United Airlines
Fri, Apr 24 - Sun, Apr 26
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 10:20 am
SBA
-
SAN
3h 50m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
8:39 pm - 12:36 am
SAN
-
SBA
3h 57m
1 stop
$177United Airlines
Fri, Feb 13 - Tue, Feb 17
United Airlines Logo
5:48 pm - 11:40 pm
SBA
-
SAN
5h 52m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
11:05 am - 5:07 pm
SAN
-
SBA
6h 02m
1 stop
$197United Airlines
Booking Insights

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

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

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

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 $157, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

Good to know

Low seasonSeptember
Cheapest flight$59
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 45% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 26% increase in price.
Flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego

When to book flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego

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

  • Can I reserve a long-term parking spot at SBA?

    No, SBA Parking does not accept reservations. The Long-Term Parking Lot is located across the street from the terminal, but it tends to have limited space. If this lot is full, use the Economy Lot on Lopez Road, where you can catch a shuttle to the Santa Barbara Airport terminals about every 15 minutes.

  • Does SBA have private facilities for nursing moms?

    Yes, if you are a traveling mom who would like to breastfeed in private or who needs to pump before your flight to San Diego, you can use the Mamava lactation suite located airside at Gate 2 of the SBA terminal. This freestanding unit features seating, a table, a USB port, an electrical outlet, a coat hook, and a mirror.

  • Can I rent a car at the San Diego Airport?

    Yes. You will find all rental car agencies are housed outside the airport in the Rental Car Center, in a separate building. When you exit baggage claim at the Arrivals curb, you can get a free shuttle to your car agency. Some agencies at SAN are Enterprise, Budget, Hertz, Avis, Alamo, Firefly, and others.

  • Where is the USO at the San Diego Airport?

    The USO at the San Diego Airport is located landside in Terminal 2. This military lounge offers its services and facilities free of charge to active duty members of the US military and their families. Some amenities of this lounge are refreshments, comfortable seating, TV, showers, unlimited domestic telephone calls, and more.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego was $59 for a one-way ticket and $97 for a round-trip.

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

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

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

    The Embraer 175 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Santa Barbara to San Diego flight route.

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

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

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego, Southwest or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego are Southwest and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $448 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $406 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 San Diego.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Diego 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 San Diego?

    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 San Diego with an airline and back to Santa Barbara with another airline. Booking your flights between Santa Barbara and SAN 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 San Diego?

    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 San Diego 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 San Diego

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $132 or less round-trip.
  • Located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) is located in the city of Goleta, California, just north of Santa Barbara. The San Diego International Airport (SAN) is also located on the Pacific coast, but further south in California, just a few miles north of the US-Mexican border. (SAN) serves as a hub for Alaska Airlines, Southwest, and others.
  • Flying from SBA to SAN, it's unlikely that you will find a non-stop flight. However, you can find several flights with one stop. For instance, an American Airlines flight stops in Phoenix, United flights often stop in San Francisco, and Alaska Airlines flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego often stop in Seattle.
  • If you want to stay overnight near the Santa Barbara Airport before your flight to San Diego, consider booking into the Super 8 by Wyndham Santa Barbara / Goleta or the Residence Inn by Marriott Santa Barbara / Goleta. Under 5min from SBA, these hotels feature free breakfast, a restaurant, wheelchair accessibility, a business center, gym, and pool.
  • If you want to relax and unwind before you head out into San Diego, you can visit one of the Be Relax Spas at SAN. You can find these spas at Gate 26 and 36 in Terminal 2. these retail spa outlets are open daily from 7 am to 8 pm.
  • The volunteer organization Traveler’s Aid is available at SAN every day from 8 am to 11 pm in baggage claim. Travelers Aid can assist passengers who unexpectedly need someplace to stay, need transportation, have had money lost or stolen, or other calamities.

Reviews of the top airlines flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego. 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 San Diego? 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.
8.0
SouthwestOverall score based on 4264 reviews
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
Airline reviews

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Jan 2026
SFO - SAN
Read more Southwest reviews

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

The flight crew was extremely rude and especially not helpful when our flight was delayed.

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

Still a fan of open seating. Flight was on schedule and arrived on time. The 737 MAX is very comfortable.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

Delays delays delays. Late taking off, late landing, wait for a gate, etc.

Connecting flight is on time and boarding was a breeze!

Very smooth checking in our luggage with a super pleasant SW agent. I enjoyed a fun entertaining movie.

Yet another flight in which beverage and snack service was skipped. Other that that, firmly mediocre. Landed early, to gate late due to congestion at the gates. Airline's fault or airports fault: unknown.

Teeny tiny bathrooms, crew was not realistic about when we'd arrive.

Unbelievably poor service from flight attendants. They didn’t even do water service on a four hour flight. Just disrespectful.

Flight was late - I was downgraded from first class to coach

United needs to step up their game. Delayed flight leaving Seattle, San Francisco. Older aircraft, not very comfortable.

Plane boarded early a quickly, was mostly full. We left close to on time. And landed early.

7 hours delayed due to operational issues on United’s end. Basically laziness.

Flight was timely, relatively comfortable, with decent entertainment and food served. Only problem encountered was with the free messaging which I highly appreciate, but it did not work from iphone to non-iphones.

The internet service I paid for didn’t work at all and the flight crew was not very friendly.

Subject: Formal Complaint: Discriminatory and Unprofessional Conduct – Request for Immediate Action & Compensation Dear [Airline Customer Relations Team], I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent travel experience with [Airline], which was by far the worst I have ever encountered. What occurred was not only unprofessional, but in several instances discriminatory, unsafe, and unacceptable. On the first leg of my trip, I arrived only four minutes past check-in. Instead of making any attempt to resolve the matter, your representative flatly denied me boarding and made me wait while she attended to passengers who arrived after me. By the time a manager intervened, it was too late to board, costing me time, money, and unnecessary frustration. The second leg of my trip (Chicago–San Francisco) raised even more serious concerns. From the outset, it was apparent that the staff—particularly two attendants—prioritized Caucasian passengers while dismissing African American and minority passengers. • When a Caucasian passenger in the exit row refused to comply with federal safety requirements, I, as a first responder, immediately offered to switch seats and assume the responsibility. My offer was blatantly ignored, and instead, a Caucasian passenger seated further up was chosen. This was discriminatory and deeply insulting, especially as I was actively de-escalating the situation that could have delayed the flight further. • During a lengthy tarmac delay of over 90 minutes, passengers were given conflicting and unreasonable instructions that created unnecessary distress and tension. • Throughout the flight, a visibly intoxicated passenger directly in front of me was disruptive, rude to others, failed to comply with seatbelt and electronic device rules, and yet faced no enforcement from the crew. In stark contrast, I was singled out for repeated compliance checks even though I was following every rule. This unequal treatment was so obvious that multiple passengers around me spoke up in my defense. This pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism, disregard for passenger safety, and discriminatory treatment. I expect far better from an airline of your stature. As a paying customer subjected to this unacceptable treatment, I am formally requesting: 1. A full investigation into the conduct of the staff on both flights. 2. A written apology acknowledging the discriminatory and unprofessional behavior I endured. 3. Appropriate compensation for the distress, inconvenience, and mishandling of my travel. If this matter is not addressed promptly and thoroughly, I will have no choice but to escalate my complaint further, including filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation and sharing my experience through other channels. I trust [Airline] will take this complaint seriously and provide a timely resolution.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports