Cheap flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

Flights overview

Useful information for finding cheap flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara and booking your next trip
Cheapest round-trip flights $199
United Nonstop 2 hr Sat, Jun 6 — Mon, Jun 8
The cheapest round-trip flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is currently $199
Cheapest one-way flight $89
United Nonstop 2 hr Wed, Jun 3
The cheapest one-way flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is currently $89
Last-minute weekend getaway $520
United 1 stop 16 hr Sat, May 9 — Sun, May 10
The cheapest last-minute weekend getaway from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is currently $520
Cheapest business class flights $399
United Nonstop 2 hr Sat, Jun 6 — Mon, Jun 8
The cheapest business class round-trip flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is currently $399
Fastest flight 1 hr 21 min The fastest nonstop flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara takes 1 hr 21 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara is typically September. The most expensive month to fly is typically July.
September
Cheapest
Typical prices: $115–370
July
Most expensive
Typical prices: $275–385

Popular airlines from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

  • United
    Nonstop
    from $199
    Typical price: $200–390
    34 weekly nonstop flights
    SFO - SBA Every day
    321 weekly connecting flights
    SFO - SBA Every day
  • Southwest
    from $261
    Typical price: $250–470
    207 weekly connecting flights
    SFO - SBA Every day
  • Alaska
    from $273
    Typical price: $340–850
    171 weekly connecting flights
    SFO - SBA Every day
  • American
    from $739
    Typical price: $630–900
    116 weekly connecting flights
    SFO - SBA Every day

Popular airports near San Francisco

  • San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
    San Francisco United States 19 min 11 mi
  • Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
    Oakland United States 27 min 11 mi
  • Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
    Sacramento United States 1 hr 34 min 78 mi
  • San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC)
    San Jose United States 51 min 39 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara

The cheapest flights from San Francisco to Santa Barbara are usually in September. Typical ticket prices in September range from $115 to $370.
The cheapest round-trip flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara recently found on Google Flights was with United from $199. The cheapest one-way flight was with United from $89.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:
  • The cheapest United flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $199, flying from Jun 6 to Jun 8.
  • The cheapest Southwest flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $261, flying from Aug 1 to Aug 3.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $273, flying from May 30 to Jun 1.
  • The cheapest American flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $739, flying from Jul 11 to Jul 13.
The cheapest round-trip flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara starts at $199 from Sat, Jun 6 to Mon, Jun 8. The cheapest one-way flight starts at $89 and departs on Wed, Jun 3.
1 hr 21 min is the shortest flight time from San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara.

In terms of nonstop flights, United is the most popular. United offers 34 nonstop flights and 321 connecting flights per week. United flies from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .

Other popular airlines flying from San Francisco to Santa Barbara are:
  • Southwest offers 207 connecting flights per week. Southwest flies from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .
  • Alaska offers 171 connecting flights per week. Alaska flies from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .
  • American offers 116 connecting flights per week. American flies from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) .
The number of connecting flights refers to distinct flights with at least one stop between San Francisco and Santa Barbara.
The cheapest round-trip flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara recently found on Google Flights was with United from $199. The cheapest one-way flight was with United from $89.

Some of the cheapest round-trip deals we found with different airlines:
  • The cheapest United flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $199, flying from Jun 6 to Jun 8.
  • The cheapest Southwest flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $261, flying from Aug 1 to Aug 3.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $273, flying from May 30 to Jun 1.
  • The cheapest American flight from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is $739, flying from Jul 11 to Jul 13.
United flies direct from San Francisco to Santa Barbara.
  • There are 34 United direct flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco and Santa Barbara at price $520 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
United flies direct from San Francisco to Santa Barbara.
  • There are 34 United direct flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Barbara on a daily basis.
The cheapest direct (nonstop) round-trip flights between San Francisco and Santa Barbara start at $199 from Sat, Jun 6 to Mon, Jun 8 with United.
It's easy to find nonstop flights with Google Flights! Once you've searched for flights from San Francisco 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 San Francisco and Santa Barbara start at $399 from Sat, Jun 6 to Mon, Jun 8 with United.
The cheapest economy class round-trip flights between San Francisco and Santa Barbara start at $199 from Sat, Jun 6 to Mon, Jun 8.
To book business class trips from San Francisco 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 San Francisco and Santa Barbara starts at $520 from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10 with United.
The cheapest last-minute deal between San Francisco and Santa Barbara at price $520 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
To find last-minute flight deals from San Francisco 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.

Search more flights

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