Cheap flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago

Flights overview

Useful information for finding cheap flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago and booking your next trip
Cheapest round-trip flights $329
United Nonstop 5 hr Thu, Jun 4 — Sat, Jun 13
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is currently $329
Cheapest one-way flight $157
Alaska 1 stop 6 hr Sat, May 30
The cheapest one-way flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is currently $157
Cheapest nonstop flights $329
United Nonstop 5 hr Fri, Jun 19 — Sat, Jun 27
The cheapest nonstop round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is currently $329
Last-minute weekend getaway $519
United Nonstop 4 hr Sat, May 9 — Sun, May 10
The cheapest last-minute weekend getaway from Santa Barbara to Chicago is currently $519
Cheapest business class flights $983
Alaska 1 stop 6 hr Sat, May 30 — Sat, Jun 6
The cheapest business class round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is currently $983
Fastest flight 4 hr The fastest nonstop flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago takes 4 hr
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 Santa Barbara to Chicago is typically April. The most expensive month to fly is typically July.
April
Cheapest
Typical prices: $260–390
July
Most expensive
Typical prices: $360–560

Popular airlines from Santa Barbara to Chicago

  • Southwest
    from $349
    Typical price: $340–590
    2404 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - MDW, ORD Every day
  • United
    Nonstop
    from $329
    Typical price: $300–530
    7 weekly nonstop flights
    SBA - ORD Every day
    767 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - ORD Every day
  • American
    from $349
    Typical price: $310–580
    327 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - ORD Every day
  • Delta
    from $354
    Typical price: $365–880
    126 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - MDW, ORD Every day
  • Alaska
    from $313
    Typical price: $345–770
    46 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - ORD Every day

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

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

Frequently asked questions about flying from Santa Barbara to Chicago

The cheapest flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago are usually in April. Typical ticket prices in April range from $260 to $390.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago recently found on Google Flights was with United from $329. 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago is $349, flying from Jun 1 to Jun 9.
  • The cheapest United flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $329, flying from Jun 4 to Jun 13.
  • The cheapest American flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $349, flying from May 28 to Jun 3.
  • The cheapest Delta flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $354, flying from Jul 3 to Jul 9.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $313, flying from May 30 to Jun 6.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago starts at $329 from Thu, Jun 4 to Sat, Jun 13. The cheapest one-way flight starts at $157 and departs on Sat, May 30.
4 hr is the shortest flight time from Santa Barbara to Chicago.
Chicago's peak season is Jun–Aug. Popular events throughout year include St. Patrick's Day, when the river is tinted green (Mar 17); the Pride Parade (Jun); the Taste of Chicago culinary festival (Jul) and the Jazz Festival (Sep). During the holiday season (Nov–Dec), the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Christkindlmarket, a German Christmas market in Daley Plaza, draw crowds to the city.
It's easy to use Google Flights to find the cheapest days to fly from Santa Barbara to Chicago.
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 Santa Barbara to Chicago 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago.

In terms of nonstop flights, United is the most popular. United offers 7 nonstop flights and 767 connecting flights per week. United flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .

In terms of flights, Southwest is the most popular. Southwest offers 2,404 connecting flights per week. Southwest flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) , Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .

Other popular airlines flying from Santa Barbara to Chicago are:
  • American offers 327 connecting flights per week. American flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .
  • Delta offers 126 connecting flights per week. Delta flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) , Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .
  • Alaska offers 46 connecting flights per week. Alaska flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) .
The number of connecting flights refers to distinct flights with at least one stop between Santa Barbara and Chicago.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago recently found on Google Flights was with United from $329. 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago is $349, flying from Jun 1 to Jun 9.
  • The cheapest United flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $329, flying from Jun 4 to Jun 13.
  • The cheapest American flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $349, flying from May 28 to Jun 3.
  • The cheapest Delta flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $354, flying from Jul 3 to Jul 9.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from Santa Barbara to Chicago is $313, flying from May 30 to Jun 6.
United flies direct from Santa Barbara to Chicago.
  • There are 7 United direct flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago 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 Santa Barbara and Chicago at price $519 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
United flies direct from Santa Barbara to Chicago.
  • There are 7 United direct flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago 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 Santa Barbara to Chicago on a daily basis.
The cheapest direct (nonstop) round-trip flights between Santa Barbara and Chicago start at $329 from Fri, Jun 19 to Sat, Jun 27 with United.
It's easy to find nonstop flights with Google Flights! Once you've searched for flights from Santa Barbara to Chicago, 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 Santa Barbara and Chicago start at $983 from Sat, May 30 to Sat, Jun 6 with Alaska.
The cheapest economy class round-trip flights between Santa Barbara and Chicago start at $329 from Thu, Jun 4 to Sat, Jun 13.
To book business class trips from Santa Barbara to Chicago, 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 Santa Barbara and Chicago starts at $519 from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10 with United.
The cheapest last-minute deal between Santa Barbara and Chicago at price $519 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
To find last-minute flight deals from Santa Barbara to Chicago, 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

Popular trips from Santa Barbara

  1. Paris
    $1,057
    Aug 16 — Aug 25
    2 stops 20 hr 10 min American, British Airways
  2. Chicago
    $313
    May 23 — May 30
    1 stop 5 hr 54 min Alaska
  3. San Francisco
    $188
    May 25 — Jun 2
    Nonstop 1 hr 10 min United
  4. Seattle
    $192
    May 30 — Jun 6
    1 stop 4 hr 49 min United

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