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Find Cheap Flights from Santa Barbara

Where can I fly from Santa Barbara?Prices from SBA, departing Sat 12/5 and returning Sat 12/12
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights from Santa Barbara

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

Which are the most popular places to fly to from Santa Barbara?

Based on KAYAK flight searches, the most popular place to fly from Santa Barbara is San Francisco (10% of total searches). The next most popular destinations are New York (8%) and Seattle/Tacoma Intl (7%).

What are the most popular international flights out of Santa Barbara?

There are many international destinations you can fly to from Santa Barbara. The most popular international destinations among KAYAK users are Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and San José del Cabo.

Which cities can I fly to direct from Santa Barbara?

There are loads of places you can fly direct to from Santa Barbara. The most popular destinations for direct flights among KAYAK users are San Diego, San Francisco, Denver, Sacramento and San Francisco. On average, the cheapest of these destinations on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks for a return flight was San Diego at $163, while the most expensive was San Francisco, at $322.

What is the longest direct flight from Santa Barbara?

The longest direct flight you can take from Santa Barbara is to Chicago, with a duration of 4h 19m. The next longest is Dallas/Fort Worth Airport at 3h 25m, followed by a flight to Seattle at 2h 33m.

What are the cheapest places to fly to from Santa Barbara?

The cheapest destination for a flight from Santa Barbara found on KAYAK in the last two weeks was San Diego and cost $58. The next cheapest destinations were Oakland at $58 and Salt Lake City at $68.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$59
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 29% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 5% lower on average.
Flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego

Flights from Santa Barbara: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew from Santa Barbara to anywhere 
DAVIDFlew with United Airlines-Sep 2026
The SBA airport food options are very limited as the airport is small (6 gates). Cozy country feel to the airport.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Jun 2026
Check your flight the night before! My flight was canceled and rebooked but it is a common thing to have flights cancelled. The airport is small so going through TSA is fairly quick.
Odessa DelainaFlew with American Airlines-Dec 2024
Do not arrive more than 1 1/2 hours before departure. There wasn’t anyone to accept baggage and no seating available.

FAQs for booking flights out of Santa Barbara

  • Where are some places I can fly to nonstop from Santa Barbara?

    There are several US cities you can reach via nonstop flights from Santa Barbara, most of these being in the western part of the US. You can fly to Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF), Las Vegas (LAS), Denver (DEN), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), Dallas (DFW), Portland (PDX), Phoenix (PHX), or Seattle (SEA).

  • Does Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) have a service animal relief area?

    Yes, SBA does have a relief area for pets and service animals, but it is important to note that the only one is located landside, just past the side entrance of the terminal. This means that once you pass through security, there is no place for your pet or service animal to relieve itself.

  • How can I make my flight from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) more sustainable?

    Those worried about sustainability on their journey should consider using public transport to arrive at the airport and to leave their destination airport. You should also consider booking direct flights to your final destination to cut down on takeoffs and landings during your trip. The most sustainable airlines operating from SBA are Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, so if possible, book your trip with them.

  • Does Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) have services for those with limited mobility?

    Yes, SBA is an ADA-compliant airport. Upon arrival, you will have access to accessible parking, wheelchair assistance, a service animal relief area, and access to the Hidden Disability Sunflower Program if needed. If you need to use these services, you should contact your airline in advance. 

  • What is Santa Barbara also known as?

    Santa Barbara Airport’s airport code is SBA. It can also be referred to as Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Municipal.

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

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

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

    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 your destination with an airline and back to Santa Barbara with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from 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 from Santa Barbara up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding a cheap flight out of Santa Barbara

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found tickets from Santa Barbara to the following destinations at these prices or less: Denver $266 one-way - $358 round-trip; Phoenix $219 one-way - $448 round-trip; San Francisco $180 one-way - $275 round-trip
  • Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) serves not only the city of Santa Barbara, California, but also other nearby cities like Naples, Isla Vista, and Conception. This airport is not currently a hub for any major airlines.
  • If you are leaving early in the morning from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA), it is a good idea to book a hotel room nearby to skip the stressful morning transfer. There are not any hotels directly at the airport, but there are many nearby that offer free shuttles to the terminal, including Hampton Inn Goleta/Santa Barbara.
  • If you are flying out of Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) and will need to park your car at the airport while you’re gone, you have several options to choose from: long-term parking, short-term parking, and economy parking. Long-term parking and economy parking will be the best and cheapest options for longer trips. It is not possible to reserve a space in advance.
  • If you are trying to reach the east coast of the US, you should be aware that there are currently no direct flights to that area of the country. Depending on the airline you travel with, you will likely have a layover in another west coast city or in Dallas (DFW) before reaching your final destination.
  • There are four airlines that operate from the Santa Barbara Airport (SBA): Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. Southwest serves the widest range of destinations, while both Southwest and United often serve the largest number of daily departures.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Santa Barbara to Worldwide

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Santa Barbara to Worldwide? 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 4214 reviews
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
8.1Boarding
8.0Comfort
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Friendly crew. Snacks were carb-heavy. Flight was quite delaye

6.0 GoodChris, Oct 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Friendly crew. Snacks were carb-heavy. Flight was quite delaye

the flight was significantly delayed. Not much was done by the airline to compensate passengers

Boarding now takes twice as long since going with assigned seats.

Not exactly Southwest’s problem, but the new Burbank airport is not great. No restaurants open and tons of work still to be completed. Can’t believe they opened the airport in that condition.

Flight boarded 2.5 hours late (my second southwest flight of the day with late departure), the gate agent was grumpy and unhelpful. Said she was "tired so we aren't going to follow normal boarding order". No complaints about the actual flight crew.

I liked how it boarded fast. I do not like how the seats are just too narrow, and I’m not a big person.

Despite paying for an ‘upgraded’ seat in row 1, I had to put my luggage in the middle of the plane. Snacks were bleh and seat was small and uncomfortable and I am not large. Attendants were fine but not super helpful. Plane just seemed outdated.

Southwest has been a nightmare. Delayed flights, missed connections, systems down. Never again am I flying southwest.

had to check bag at gate when there was still overhead bin space. As usual the WIFI didn't really work.

The Southwest airline was ok. A big thank you to Kayak team (David), who worked with me on Sunday afternoon to rebook my travel from Burbank, CA, to CVG. My original flight on Sunday was delayed, so I had to cancel Sunday flight and rebook my travel to Monday. Could not have done it without help from David from Kayak team. Ante Soda GE Aerospace

The original flight was canceled, but thankfully the airline made an effort to rebook to a later departure. However I lost a day and had a layover in LA. My original seat which I purchased was no longer applicable on the new flight and there was some kind of bulkhead that forced my legs to the left. This is more an Airbus thing than anything else. In flight entertainment system was hard to navigate because screen was not calibrated. Pluses: rebooking by the airline Didn't have to claim my luggage for the transfer. Minuses: lost original seat purchase IFE was quirky Did not eat Original flight canceled Weird bulkhead in way of legs

I haven't flown Alaska in years, so this is my first time in a long time. Both the outgoing and return flights were delayed, which affected my plans at the destination, which were time sensitive. I've flown Southwest dozens of times without delays, so to come to Alaska for just one round trip and have both of them be affected tells me I need to go back to Southwest. Other items: I tried to join an earlier flight, and was denied, even though online it showed seats available. Seems like this would have been an easy way to make things right. The in flight WiFi on the flight down was nice, I watched half a movie and was really looking forward to watching the 2nd half on the way back, but the plane didn't have the same options available, so I had to pay to watch the movie on my own streaming service. Irritating. Given the competitive nature of flying and choosing carriers, I thought Alaska had a better reputation for the little things like this.

Liked the flight was on time. Seats and leg room need major imptovement

The back of the plane use to board first after handicap with children and first class. Now the back boards last and there’s a long line waiting to go back while everyone is putting their luggage up and standing in aisle just talking. It’s hard on the elderly. I’m elderly.

Alaska prevented me from selecting a seat and was only assigned a seat at the gate. This gave me unnecessary anxiety prior to boarding. Several 15-minute delays (probably weather though no explanation was provided) eventually pushed departure back by one hour.

This was the worst flight of my life. I was placed in 33D which should not even be considered a seat. If anything it should be a heavily discounted seat. Aside from the usual more tolerable issues (no leg room, delays, poor snacks, the air vent smelling moldy, etc), this location was plagued by being placed directly in front of the bathroom door with all of the fun smells and sounds. The worst part was that there was a dozen available seats on this flight and was unable to moved my seat to any of them. I find it unbelievable that this seat was first assigned over any of those. Very disappointing.

Captain talked to us. View from f in can was stunning along shore

Gate agent was VERY efficient, even as his 2nd wasn't there. But... Great Landing! (I suspect he's done this before.)

Over all it was great. My original flight was canceled but they quickly rebooked me. I was frustrated because I had to cancel my entire plans for the day but all considered, not bad. The crew tried to keep us calm while we sat in the plane for was felt was an hour or so but they could use a bit of a script. The seats were comfortable and I would give it another try.

If they actually let me fly. I was rerouted to United and there was no Alaska airlines reps at all. Then the lady who worked the delta counter told me to go away and figure things out myself. Horrible experience.

Great overall experience and use of the Delta One lounge was amazing!

I used by Skymiles to upgrade to First so that I could comfortably work using my laptop. But WiFi was intermittent and unavailable for long periods. I feel like I wasted 70,000 miles :(

Chairs don’t recline and the ones that do recline, barely do recline. It was most uncomfortable flight i ever been on.

Everything was pretty good. I would like to have more drinks (water) during four hours of the flight.

Rude staff from baggage check to gate crew. Poor instructions. Inconsistent application of baggage rules.

Requested an aisle seat at the gate and got it. The staff so friendly

Had to deplane 2 x due to problems with plane. Delayed over 6 hours ans was given a $12 food credit which barely oaud for anything and limited to wear incoukd redeem.

more room in seats, larger snacks, more comms with delays

Gate agent and flight attendants were efficient, but more stern than warm.

The only issue is that the plane was HOT. This was not the case on my first flight so not sure why, but thankfully I had a portable fan with me. Everything else was great!

Flight delay in lax which delayed our connecting flight to Copenhagen. Was placed on standby the following day and got delayed again at Scandinavian air. Bad bad counter service at ar Canada in Toronto by the name of Camilla who said that she was doing us a courtesy for even finding a earlier flight for us after we the customer are the ones being inconvenient by the cancellation of our flight. Btw, we are going on a tour. Air Canada is the worse

New Max 10, first class seats have been shrunk. End of a 20 hour journey, it was United not Lufthansa, just glad to get home

Seats are uncomfortable and left me in pain in my tailbone area. I got about one hour of sleep.

Delay of two hours due to some mechanical issue. Staff was wonderful and the pilot did let us know what was going on.

Santa Barbara is a super small and easy airport. Breezed through rental car return, breezed through Security, ordered a coffee and muffin and to my gate in less than 30 minutes. Maybe because it was a small airport we got the oldest plane. Hardly any overhead space and absolutely zero internet. Its NFL Sunday man! That hurt.

We were delay because so many bags needed to be gate checked and it was disappointing not to have outlets in the seats for such a long flight.

Boarding, time to take off, in flight offerings, and staff were all great. I recommend using UA for this short flight.

I paid $380 for my one-way ticket from California to Minnesota. The fair did not include online check-in. I received instructions from their app to check in at a kiosk. At the kiosk, the boarding pass would not print until an actual person came to verify that I had a personal item and not a carry-on item, On the plane, the person next to me was drunk and allowed to continue to order alcohol. United is garbage I’d rather fly spirit.

Delays!!! Maintain your planes so your customers don’t have to sit on their assess for over an hour on the tarmac!! Also, United app is buggy. Videos did not load. Overall a miserable experience. Flight crew was awesome though.

My fi t er t esed to Denver was cancelled and need to schechedule

Totally uninformed of the situation. Not yet sure about compensation. Highly disappointed.

The flight was almost an hour delayed causing me to miss my connecting flight, then the rebooked flight was delayed a couple of hours. They also left my suitcase in the rain for hours ruining some items I had in there. They also just blew off my complaint. It was my absolute worst flight experience of all time:

It was decent, there was no WiFi on the flight but the FA’s gave everyone a warning once we boarded the plane. Unfortunately it didn't give me enough time to download my entertainment content.

American Airlines was horrible! The layover flight to DFW was delayed with no clear communication and for us having to stay the whole day which led to staying a night in Dallas was comped with 2 $12 dollar vouchers and a crappy hotel. We missed a whole day in Tokyo for our honeymoon and stressed the whole 24 hours. We were supposed to leave at the same time the following day, but that was delayed hours again. And instead of letting the delayed flight go first, they let the flight that was scheduled ahead of us. American should refund us the day wasted in Dallas that should have been in Tokyo! We had lost out on paid events that we can’t get refunded. When we finally did leave, it was a good flight. You would think that was the only issue with American but we from the LAX layover, we were delayed 6 hours and were given a $12 dollar voucher that covered a drink only. The only communication we were given then was that because they were delayed in a prior flight we were delayed again. I don’t understand why it was only with American that we had such a bad time with! They have definitely left a sour taste in our mouths for our honeymoon! And then they did send an email saying we could have 2K miles…. For what? To be delayed into another day and miss our flight again?

The delay was not handled well and the offers to move flights and get travel credit was also not ideal.

The worst seat in any business class. Food are worst then economy class.

No food on 4.5 hour flight, wi-fi did not work. Terrible experience for a long haul flight.

first leg from san diego to chicago, only had cookies for snack. 1 flavor of sparkling water chicago to washington dc had option of cookies, pretzels, or gold fish. had 2 flavors of sparkling water. 2nd flight better however the best part was there was no delays!!! Got to chicago and washington dc early. That was wonderful!!!!

Terrible planning. And even worse gate agents. Absolutely rude behavior.

The flight was smooth, the pilot kept us informed about delays and we arrived more of less on time

More options for your flight from Santa Barbara

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