Cheap flights from Chicago to Los Angeles from $158

The month of February is, on average, the cheapest month to fly to Santa Barbara from Chicago, with most prices found around $357. If you are unable to visit Santa Barbara during the month of February, then departing from Chicago during the month April is also very affordable. Most momondo users find prices during this month for around $391.

The cheapest day to depart on your flight to Santa Barbara is on a Saturday when prices can be found for as low as $399. This is often the case because there is less demand to fly during this day of the week. On the other hand, Monday is the most expensive day to depart from Chicago because it is more convenient for both business and leisure travelers. As a result, prices tend to be around $591.

Fly from Chicago O'Hare Intl to Santa Barbara for the best Chicago - Santa Barbara flight prices

You are more likely to see cheaper flights to Santa Barbara from Chicago when booking weeks ahead of your departure date. In general, you can expect to find flights to Santa Barbara for around $449 when searching weeks out. However, flight prices might be lower outside of this timeframe. For example, people recently found flights to Santa Barbara from Chicago for as low as $326 on momondo.

There are 4 cabin classes available to choose from on Chicago to Santa Barbara flights. Cabin price and availability will vary by airline so perform a search above to find the right deals for you.

As of August 2026, prices for Chicago to Santa Barbara flights are approximately 14% more expensive when compared to flights at the same time last year.

Alaska Airlines and American Airlines are the most popular carriers operating from Chicago to Santa Barbara

United Airlines, American Airlines and Frontier are the top three most popular airlines that fly to Santa Barbara from Chicago according to our data. United Airlines is the first choice among our users, with 37% of people opting to fly with this airline when traveling to Santa Barbara. Keep in mind that there are 7 different airlines that fly to Santa Barbara on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

The number of flights available between Chicago and Santa Barbara is 1 per day as of August 2026. The most frequent departure time is 8:00AM, with 100% of daily flights leaving at noon.

7 flights are operational weekly from Chicago to Santa Barbara as of August 2026. The most popular departure day for this route is Mon, with 14% of flights per week taking off on this day.