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$284+ Cheap flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara (DSM - SBA)

This is the cheapest round-trip flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 3/10. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
DSM — SBA
Feb 6 — Feb 131
Fri 2/6
Fri 2/13
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from Des Moines (DSM) to Santa Barbara (SBA). 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 January 7, 2026.

Most accurate provider

eDreams
3 stars

Most trusted provider

eDreams
3 stars

Round-trip from

$284
(American Airlines)

Popular in

March

Cheapest in

January

Average price

$313
Provider with most accurate pricing for Des Moines-Santa Barbara flight deals.
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Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Des Moines-Santa Barbara flights.
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From Des Moines to Santa Barbara
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 6% potential increase in price ($26 potential increase over avg. RT price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($8 potential savings vs. average RT price).
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Average for round-trip flights in January 2026
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Find flight deals from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Cheapest flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Des Moines to Santa Barbara. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on January 7, 2026.

This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/7. 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 American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 3/102:28 pmDSM - SBA
1 stop5h 47mAmerican Airlines
Wed 3/186:55 pmSBA - DSM
2 stops11h 59mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 1/7$284
This Southwest deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/7. 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.
Thu 4/237:10 pmDSM - SBA
1 stop5h 20mSouthwest
Sun 4/2610:05 amSBA - DSM
1 stop7h 55mSouthwest
Deal found 1/7$415
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/5. 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.
Sat 1/175:09 pmDSM - SBA
1 stop5h 43mUnited Airlines
Tue 1/206:51 pmSBA - DSM
2 stops14h 04mUnited Airlines
Deal found 1/5$442
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/7. 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 American Airlines is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sun 2/222:08 pmDSM - SBA
1 stop6h 17mAmerican Airlines
Sun 3/17:05 pmSBA - DSM
2 stops11h 56mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 1/7$452
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/7. 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.
Thu 1/229:03 amDSM - SBA
1 stop6h 12mUnited Airlines
Mon 1/265:00 amSBA - DSM
1 stop5h 52mUnited Airlines
Deal found 1/7$541

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara 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 January 7, 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara that are best for you.

Fly from

Des Moines

Fly to

Santa Barbara

Route

Depart

Return

Price

Des MoinesSanta Barbara

DSM - SBA

DSMSBA

Des Moines

Tue 3/10

2:28 pm-6:15 pm

1 stop5h 47m

Santa Barbara

Wed 3/18

6:55 pm-8:54 am

2 stops11h 59m

$284

Des MoinesSanta Barbara

DSM - SBA

DSMSBA

Des Moines

Thu 4/23

7:10 pm-10:30 pm

1 stop5h 20m

Santa Barbara

Sun 4/26

10:05 am-8:00 pm

1 stop7h 55m

$415

Des MoinesSanta Barbara

DSM - SBA

DSMSBA

Des Moines

Sat 1/17

5:09 pm-8:52 pm

1 stop5h 43m

Santa Barbara

Tue 1/20

6:51 pm-10:55 am

2 stops14h 04m

$442

Des MoinesSanta Barbara

DSM - SBA

DSMSBA

Des Moines

Sun 2/22

2:08 pm-6:25 pm

1 stop6h 17m

Santa Barbara

Sun 3/1

7:05 pm-9:01 am

2 stops11h 56m

$452

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 1/7

Compare providers for flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Provider information is updated monthly. Please note that these providers often have deals for this flight, but the availability may vary on a day-by-day basis on Cheapflights.
Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from Des Moines to Santa Barbara in January.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy2 starsTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*1 star
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars

*The Trust Score is based on feedback from users after their booking experience. It measures overall satisfaction, helping us identify issues like hidden fees, problems during the ticketing process, and the quality of customer service. This score is our best indicator of the provider's quality and reliability.

  • Most accurate provider: When it comes to deals on Des Moines-Santa Barbara flights, users find the pricing of eDreams to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. eDreams Users can find the same prices on Des Moines-Santa Barbara flight deals on Cheapflights vs. eDreams >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from Des Moines-Santa Barbara flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on Des Moines-Santa Barbara flights, Cheapflights users trust eDreams the most. eDreams has received a user feedback score of 3 out of 3 stars (3 being the best), meaning they have been trusted the most by Cheapflights users looking for Des Moines-Santa Barbara flight deals. Provider user feedback score is based on Cheapflights searches over the past month and is updated monthly.

Best time to book a flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Santa Barbara from Des Moines 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 Des Moines to Santa Barbara

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

Currently, April is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara (average of $137). Flying from Des Moines to Santa Barbara in December is currently the most expensive (average of $259). 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.

Reviews of airlines servicing Santa Barbara

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Barbara. Reviews last updated January 7, 2026.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with United Airlines and American Airlines from Des Moines to Santa Barbara by reading reviews from past customers. Users have also rated airlines in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,139 reviews

Crew

8.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

7.4

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Anonymous,Sep 2025

FRA - SFO

Lufthansa was amazing, I wish United States based airlines operated like them.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,139 reviews
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,139 reviews

Crew

8.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

7.4

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Anonymous,Sep 2025

FRA - SFO

Lufthansa was amazing, I wish United States based airlines operated like them.
American Airlines
7.2
Good
11,095 reviews
United Airlines
7.4
Good
9,139 reviews

Crew

8.1

Food

6.6

Comfort

7.3

Entertainment

7.1

Overall

7.4

Boarding

7.7

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Anonymous,Sep 2025

FRA - SFO

Lufthansa was amazing, I wish United States based airlines operated like them.

Related info for your journey

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

  • How long is the flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Departing from Des Moines to Santa Barbara will take you 5h 47m. Des Moines and Santa Barbara are separated by a distance of 1500 mi. This flight may include one or multiple stops.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from Des Moines to Santa Barbara round-trip?

    According to our current data, United Airlines ($334), and American Airlines ($434) offers the cheapest pricing from Des Moines to Santa Barbara.

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

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

  • How can I find direct flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

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

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Des Moines to Santa Barbara 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 Des Moines to Santa Barbara?

    Currently, April is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Des Moines to Santa Barbara (average of $137). Flying from Des Moines to Santa Barbara in December is currently the most expensive (average of $259). 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
Buellton
Santa Ynez

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Top 2 airlines flying from Des Moines to Santa Barbara

Discover the top 2 airlines that operate flights from Des Moines to Santa Barbara. 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 January 7, 2026.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
United AirlinesCheapest$334Average$481FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
American AirlinesCheapest$434Average$758FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%

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