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$89+ Cheap flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego (SBA - SAN)

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 9/16. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SBA — SAN
Jul 6 — Jul 131
Sun 7/6
Sun 7/13
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from Santa Barbara to San Diego

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Santa Barbara (SBA) to San Diego (SAN). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated July 1, 2025.

Round-trip from

$220
(Southwest)

One-way from

$89
(Southwest)

Popular in

November

Cheapest in

September

Average price

$364
From Santa Barbara to San Diego
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One-way flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 14% potential increase in price ($67 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 6% potential price decrease ($23 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in July 2025
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Find flight deals from Santa Barbara to San Diego

Cheapest flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on July 1, 2025.

This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Southwest is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 10/206:40 pmSBA - SAN
1 stop3h 50mSouthwest
Sun 10/268:00 amSAN - SBA
1 stop6h 45mSouthwest
Deal found 6/30$220
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 6/30. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure United Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/14:54 pmSBA - SAN
1 stop2h 57mUnited Airlines
Mon 8/48:44 pmSAN - SBA
1 stop2h 56mUnited Airlines
Deal found 6/30$242
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 7/1. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Alaska Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Fri 8/156:37 pmSBA - SAN
2 stops16h 22mAlaska Airlines
Fri 8/228:00 amSAN - SBA
2 stops11h 49mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 7/1$433

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 1, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego that are best for you.

Fly from

Santa Barbara

Fly to

San Diego

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Santa BarbaraSan Diego

SBA - SAN

SBASAN

Santa Barbara

Mon 10/20

6:40 pm-10:30 pm

1 stop3h 50m

San Diego

Sun 10/26

8:00 am-2:45 pm

1 stop6h 45m

$220

Santa BarbaraSan Diego

SBA - SAN

SBASAN

Santa Barbara

Fri 8/1

4:54 pm-7:51 pm

1 stop2h 57m

San Diego

Mon 8/4

8:44 pm-11:40 pm

1 stop2h 56m

$242

Santa BarbaraSan Diego

SBA - SAN

SBASAN

Santa Barbara

Fri 8/15

6:37 pm-10:59 am

2 stops16h 22m

San Diego

Fri 8/22

8:00 am-7:49 pm

2 stops11h 49m

$433

Santa BarbaraSan Diego

SBA - SAN

SBASAN

Santa Barbara

Tue 9/16

11:00 am-2:30 pm

1 stop3h 30m

$89

Santa BarbaraSan Diego

SBA - SAN

SBASAN

Santa Barbara

Sun 7/27

6:00 am-10:12 am

1 stop4h 12m

$204

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 6/29

Best time to book a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to San Diego from Santa Barbara with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SBA to SAN?

Find hourly flight availability from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated July 1, 2025.

Unlike in the afternoon, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 9% on flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego by exploring options for tickets in the morning.

How much does it cost to fly round-trip from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

Reviews of airlines servicing San Diego

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to San Diego. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to San Diego. Reviews last updated July 1, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego, such as Alaska Airlines, Southwest, and United Airlines. Reviews also offer insight into each airline's entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Southwest
8.0
Very good
4,275 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,858 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very good
10,000 reviews

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Crew

8.5

Boarding

8.1

Overall

8.0

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego round-trip?

    Currently priced at $220, Southwest will fly you from Santa Barbara to San Diego and back. In addition to Southwest, many other airlines offer competitively priced options for your trip. Search Cheapflights for deals from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines - these airlines can fly you to your destination from $242 and $433, respectively. Southwest is currently priced 43% below the average price you’ll pay for this route.

  • Can I find deals for flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on Santa Barbara to San Diego flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Santa Barbara to San Diego by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego?

    Currently, August is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Santa Barbara to San Diego (average of $286). Flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego in March is currently the most expensive (average of $366). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near Santa Barbara?

Book flights to Santa Barbara if you plan to visit one of these locations
El Cajon
Chula Vista
Coronado
National City
Lemon Grove
Imperial Beach
La Mesa
Poway
Alpine
Santee

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Top 2 airlines flying from Santa Barbara to San Diego

Discover the top 2 airlines that operate flights from Santa Barbara to San Diego. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated July 1, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
United AirlinesCheapest$246Average$366FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$246Average$446FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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