Cheap flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco

Flights overview

Useful information for finding cheap flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco and booking your next trip
Cheapest round-trip flights $199
United Nonstop 2 hr Thu, Jun 4 — Mon, Jun 8
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is currently $199
Cheapest one-way flight $89
United Nonstop 2 hr Wed, May 27
The cheapest one-way flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is currently $89
Last-minute weekend getaway $357
United 2 stops 18 hr Sat, May 9 — Sun, May 10
The cheapest last-minute weekend getaway from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is currently $357
Cheapest business class flights $409
United Nonstop 2 hr Thu, Jun 4 — Mon, Jun 8
The cheapest business class round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is currently $409
Fastest flight 1 hr 9 min The fastest nonstop flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco takes 1 hr 9 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 Santa Barbara to San Francisco is typically September. The most expensive month to fly is typically July.
September
Cheapest
Typical prices: $110–355
July
Most expensive
Typical prices: $255–375

Popular airlines from Santa Barbara to San Francisco

  • United
    Nonstop
    from $199
    Typical price: $200–405
    34 weekly nonstop flights
    SBA - SFO Every day
    394 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - SFO Every day
  • Southwest
    from $261
    Typical price: $250–470
    251 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - SFO Every day
  • Alaska
    from $283
    Typical price: $345–830
    129 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - SFO Every day
  • American
    from $642
    Typical price: $630–900
    83 weekly connecting flights
    SBA - SFO 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 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

Frequently asked questions about flying from Santa Barbara to San Francisco

The cheapest flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco are usually in September. Typical ticket prices in September range from $110 to $355.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco 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 Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $199, flying from Jun 4 to Jun 8.
  • The cheapest Southwest flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $261, flying from Jul 9 to Jul 13.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $283, flying from May 30 to Jun 1.
  • The cheapest American flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $642, flying from May 28 to Jun 1.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco starts at $199 from Thu, Jun 4 to Mon, Jun 8. The cheapest one-way flight starts at $89 and departs on Wed, May 27.
1 hr 9 min is the shortest flight time from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
Apr–Dec is when most people visit San Francisco, with crowds peaking in summer. Although average temperatures are higher then, mornings and evenings often have damp, chilly fog. In summer, street fairs and cultural institutions offer free outdoor entertainment. Winter visitors will find the opera and ballet seasons in full swing. Major annual events include Chinese New Year (Feb), Bay to Breakers footrace (May), San Francisco Pride parade and festival (Jun), and San Francisco Fleet Week (Oct).
It's easy to use Google Flights to find the cheapest days to fly from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
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 San Francisco 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 San Francisco.

In terms of nonstop flights, United is the most popular. United offers 34 nonstop flights and 394 connecting flights per week. United flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) .

Other popular airlines flying from Santa Barbara to San Francisco are:
  • Southwest offers 251 connecting flights per week. Southwest flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) .
  • Alaska offers 129 connecting flights per week. Alaska flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) .
  • American offers 83 connecting flights per week. American flies from Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) .
The number of connecting flights refers to distinct flights with at least one stop between Santa Barbara and San Francisco.
The cheapest round-trip flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco 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 Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $199, flying from Jun 4 to Jun 8.
  • The cheapest Southwest flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $261, flying from Jul 9 to Jul 13.
  • The cheapest Alaska flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $283, flying from May 30 to Jun 1.
  • The cheapest American flight from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is $642, flying from May 28 to Jun 1.
United flies direct from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
  • There are 34 United direct flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco 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 San Francisco at price $357 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
United flies direct from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
  • There are 34 United direct flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco 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 San Francisco on a daily basis.
The cheapest direct (nonstop) round-trip flights between Santa Barbara and San Francisco start at $199 from Thu, Jun 4 to Mon, Jun 8 with United.
It's easy to find nonstop flights with Google Flights! Once you've searched for flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, 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 San Francisco start at $409 from Thu, Jun 4 to Mon, Jun 8 with United.
The cheapest economy class round-trip flights between Santa Barbara and San Francisco start at $199 from Thu, Jun 4 to Mon, Jun 8.
To book business class trips from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, 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 San Francisco starts at $357 from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10 with United.
The cheapest last-minute deal between Santa Barbara and San Francisco at price $357 is offered by United from Sat, May 9 to Sun, May 10.
To find last-minute flight deals from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, 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. Chicago
    $329
    May 23 — May 25
    Nonstop 4 hr 23 min United
  2. San Francisco
    $199
    May 23 — May 25
    Nonstop 1 hr 10 min United
  3. Paris
    $1,139
    Sep 25 — Sep 28
    2 stops 18 hr 35 min Air France, Delta
  4. Seattle
    $217
    May 30 — Jun 1
    1 stop 4 hr 49 min United

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