Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara (CHI - SBA)

Flights overview

Useful information for finding cheap flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara and booking your next trip

Cheapest round-trip flights	$313	Alaska 1 stop 9 hr Sat, May 30 — Sat, Jun 6	The cheapest round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is currently $313
Cheapest one-way flight	$157	Alaska 1 stop 9 hr Wed, May 27	The cheapest one-way flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is currently $157
Cheapest nonstop flights	$329	United Nonstop 5 hr Thu, May 28 — Wed, Jun 3	The cheapest nonstop round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is currently $329
Last-minute weekend getaway	$519	United Nonstop 5 hr Sat, May 9 — Sun, May 10	The cheapest last-minute weekend getaway from Chicago to Santa Barbara is currently $519
Cheapest business class flights	$949	United Nonstop 5 hr Thu, May 28 — Wed, Jun 3	The cheapest business class round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is currently $949

Fastest flight	4 hr 30 min	The fastest nonstop flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara takes 4 hr 30 min
Nonstop flights	Every day	There are direct flights on this route every day.

When is the cheapest time to fly?

The cheapest month to fly from Chicago to Santa Barbara is typically April. The most expensive month to fly is typically July.

April Cheapest	Typical prices: $255–350
July Most expensive	Typical prices: $365–560

Popular airlines from Chicago to Santa Barbara

Southwest

from $349

Typical price: $340–600

2401 weekly connecting flights

MDW, ORD - SBA Every day
United

Nonstop

from $329

Typical price: $295–530

7 weekly nonstop flights

ORD - SBA Every day

707 weekly connecting flights

ORD - SBA Every day
American

from $349

Typical price: $310–590

393 weekly connecting flights

ORD - SBA Every day
Delta

from $384

Typical price: $365–890

161 weekly connecting flights

MDW, ORD - SBA Every day
Alaska

from $313

Typical price: $345–800

42 weekly connecting flights

ORD - SBA Every day

Popular airports near Chicago

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)

Chicago United States 26 min 16 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)

Chicago United States 25 min 9 mi
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

Milwaukee United States 1 hr 23 min 75 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)

Indianapolis United States 2 hr 58 min 165 mi

Popular airports near Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)

Santa Barbara United States 15 min 8 mi
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Los Angeles United States 1 hr 43 min 81 mi
John Wayne Airport (SNA)

Santa Ana United States 2 hr 13 min 116 mi
Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)

Burbank United States 1 hr 36 min 78 mi

Frequently asked questions about flying from Chicago to Santa Barbara

The cheapest flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara are usually in April. Typical ticket prices in April range from $255 to $350.

The cheapest round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara recently found on Google Flights was with Alaska from $313. The cheapest one-way flight was with Alaska from $157.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:

The cheapest Southwest flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $349, flying from May 28 to Jun 5.
The cheapest United flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $329, flying from May 28 to Jun 3.
The cheapest American flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $349, flying from Jul 16 to Jul 22.
The cheapest Delta flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $384, flying from Jun 28 to Jul 4.
The cheapest Alaska flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $313, flying from May 30 to Jun 6.

The cheapest round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara starts at $313 from Sat, May 30 to Sat, Jun 6. The cheapest one-way flight starts at $157 and departs on Wed, May 27.

4 hr 30 min is the shortest flight time from Chicago to Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara has mild weather year-round, though Jun–Sep, the busiest travel period, is warmer and drier than the rest of the year. Jun can be foggy, and Dec–Feb are the rainiest months. The Arts and Crafts Show (Sun) is a popular weekly event featuring works by local artists. An International Film Festival is held in Jan. Summer cultural events include the French Festival (Jul 14), celebrating French food, wine and music, and Fiesta (Aug), which pays tribute to Santa Barbara's Spanish heritage.

It's easy to use Google Flights to find the cheapest days to fly from Chicago to Santa Barbara.
Just click the Departure label near the top of the page to open the calendar. Choose a start date and a return date to see how the round-trip fare changes on those specific days.
Adjust the trip type to see one-way fares. The cheapest available flights are highlighted and easy to spot. Once you settle on dates, click the Search button to see flight options and book the deal.

You can also turn on price tracking to get alerts if the price changes for a route or flight.

What counts as the best airline for your flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara really depends on your individual needs. You may have a favorite carrier or a loyalty program you like, but price, convenience, and airports served also come into play. Flexibility and booking terms – Can you change flights if you want to stay longer or get a refund if you have to postpone your trip? – are also factors that help determine which airline is best to fly from Chicago to Santa Barbara.

In terms of nonstop flights, United is the most popular. United offers 7 nonstop flights and 707 connecting flights per week. United flies from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .

In terms of flights, Southwest is the most popular. Southwest offers 2,401 connecting flights per week. Southwest flies from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) , Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .

Other popular airlines flying from Chicago to Santa Barbara are:

American offers 393 connecting flights per week. American flies from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .
Delta offers 161 connecting flights per week. Delta flies from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) , Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .
Alaska offers 42 connecting flights per week. Alaska flies from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .

The number of connecting flights refers to distinct flights with at least one stop between Chicago and Santa Barbara.

The cheapest round-trip flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara recently found on Google Flights was with Alaska from $313. The cheapest one-way flight was with Alaska from $157.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:

The cheapest Southwest flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $349, flying from May 28 to Jun 5.
The cheapest United flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $329, flying from May 28 to Jun 3.
The cheapest American flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $349, flying from Jul 16 to Jul 22.
The cheapest Delta flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $384, flying from Jun 28 to Jul 4.
The cheapest Alaska flight from Chicago to Santa Barbara is $313, flying from May 30 to Jun 6.

United flies direct from Chicago to Santa Barbara.

There are 7 United direct flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara per week. Flights are available every day.

Use the Stops filter while searching for flights, to see only nonstop options in your results.

The cheapest last-minute deal between Chicago and Santa Barbara at price $519 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.

United flies direct from Chicago to Santa Barbara.

There are 7 United direct flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara per week. Flights are available every day.

Use the Stops filter while searching for flights, to see only nonstop options in your results.

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

The cheapest direct (nonstop) round-trip flights between Chicago and Santa Barbara start at $329 from Thu, May 28 to Wed, Jun 3 with United.

It's easy to find nonstop flights with Google Flights! Once you've searched for flights from Chicago to Santa Barbara, just select the nonstop flights only option in the 'Stops’ filter in the search form and view all available direct flights and their prices.

The cheapest business class round-trip flights between Chicago and Santa Barbara start at $949 from Thu, May 28 to Wed, Jun 3 with United.

The cheapest economy class round-trip flights between Chicago and Santa Barbara start at $313 from Sat, May 30 to Sat, Jun 6.

To book business class trips from Chicago to Santa Barbara, look for the default Economy selection at the top, and change it to your desired cabin class such as Premium Economy, Business Class, or First Class. You can then select your departure and arrival dates, consider available options, and book your business travel.

You can also adjust the trip type to view one-way fares.

The best last-minute getaway deal for the next weekend between Chicago and Santa Barbara starts at $519 from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10 with United.

The cheapest last-minute deal between Chicago and Santa Barbara at price $519 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.

To find last-minute flight deals from Chicago to Santa Barbara, start by entering the city names, select the desired departure and return dates, and hit the Search button to view flight options.

You can check for last-minute flights for the same day or adjust the trip type to see one-way fares.