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Santa Barbara

$119+ Cheap flights from Illinois to Santa Barbara (SBA)

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 3/11. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
ORD — SBA
Feb 28 — Mar 71
Sat 2/28
Sat 3/7
1 adult, Economy
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Cheap flight deals from Illinois to Santa Barbara

Cheapest flights from Illinois to Santa Barbara
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Illinois to Santa Barbara. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on January 29, 2026.

This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Wed 4/223:52 pm
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop8h 48m
Alaska Airlines
Sat 4/256:00 am
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop11h 03m
Alaska Airlines
Deal found 1/27$237
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/28. 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.
Wed 2/252:45 pm
STL
-
SBA
1 stop8h 28m
United Airlines
Wed 3/41:12 pm
SBA
-
STL
1 stop8h 09m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/28$257
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Wed 2/257:00 am
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop8h 47m
Alaska Airlines
Wed 3/42:38 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop19h 23m
Alaska Airlines
Deal found 1/27$257
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Sat 2/145:35 am
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop8h 13m
American Airlines
Sat 2/2112:38 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop6h 47m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/27$267
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/28. 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 4/188:45 am
ORD
-
SBA
Nonstop4h 30m
United Airlines
Sun 4/1912:15 pm
SBA
-
ORD
Nonstop4h 00m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/28$269
This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/28. 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 Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 2/257:00 am
STL
-
SBA
1 stop6h 55m
Delta
Wed 3/44:59 pm
SBA
-
STL
1 stop5h 26m
Delta
Deal found 1/28$277
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Thu 2/265:00 am
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop8h 48m
American Airlines
Sun 3/17:05 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop8h 20m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/27$277
This United Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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 4/238:03 pm
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop6h 33m
United Airlines
Tue 4/2812:15 pm
SBA
-
ORD
Nonstop4h 00m
United Airlines
Deal found 1/27$279
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Thu 4/237:59 pm
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop20h 17m
Alaska Airlines
Tue 4/287:07 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop9h 33m
Alaska Airlines
Deal found 1/27$280
This Alaska Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/28. 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 5/16:00 am
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop14h 19m
Alaska Airlines
Wed 5/66:00 am
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop11h 03m
Alaska Airlines
Deal found 1/28$286
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/27. 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.
Fri 5/85:00 am
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop9h 15m
American Airlines
Sun 5/107:13 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop8h 11m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/27$289
This American Airlines deal was found by Cheapflights users on 1/28. 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 2/101:25 pm
ORD
-
SBA
1 stop7h 08m
American Airlines
Sat 2/144:40 pm
SBA
-
ORD
1 stop6h 11m
American Airlines
Deal found 1/28$292

Find flight deals from Illinois to Santa Barbara

Keep the following information in mind while searching for Illinois to Santa Barbara flight deals. Data was last updated January 29, 2026.

Most accurate provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Most trusted provider

FlightHub
3 stars

Round-trip from

$237
(Alaska Airlines)

One-way from

$119
(Delta)

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

September

Average price

$349

Good round-trip deal

$279 or less
Provider with most accurate pricing for Chicago (CHI)-Los Angeles flight deals.
Search Deals
Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for Chicago (CHI)-Los Angeles flights.
Search Deals
From Illinois to Santa Barbara
Search Deals
One-way flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 16% potential increase in price ($54 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($8 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in January 2026
Search Deals
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara.
Search Deals

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Customize your flight search to find flights from Illinois 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 29, 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from Illinois to Santa Barbara that are best for you.

Fly from

Illinois

Fly to

Santa Barbara

Route

Depart

Return

Price

St. LouisSanta Barbara

STL - SBA

STLSBA

Lambert-St Louis

Wed 2/25

7:00 am-1:47 pm

1 stop8h 47m

Santa Barbara

Wed 3/4

2:38 pm-1:51 pm

1 stop21h 13m

$257

St. LouisSanta Barbara

STL - SBA

STLSBA

Lambert-St Louis

Wed 2/25

2:45 pm-9:13 pm

1 stop8h 28m

Santa Barbara

Wed 3/4

1:12 pm-11:21 pm

1 stop8h 09m

$257

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 2/14

5:35 am-11:48 am

1 stop8h 13m

Santa Barbara

Sat 2/21

12:38 pm-9:25 pm

1 stop6h 47m

$267

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 4/23

3:45 pm-11:58 pm

1 stop10h 13m

Santa Barbara

Mon 4/27

12:15 pm-6:15 pm

Nonstop4h 00m

$279

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 4/30

7:00 am-1:39 pm

1 stop8h 39m

Santa Barbara

Mon 5/4

12:32 pm-6:32 pm

Nonstop4h 00m

$279

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 3/23

7:40 pm-12:39 am

1 stop6h 59m

Santa Barbara

Mon 3/30

2:16 pm-12:59 am

1 stop8h 43m

$289

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 2/22

5:00 am-11:48 am

1 stop8h 48m

Santa Barbara

Sun 3/8

6:55 pm-5:25 am

1 stop8h 30m

$292

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 4/30

7:20 am-11:59 am

1 stop6h 39m

Santa Barbara

Mon 5/4

4:53 pm-8:40 am

2 stops13h 47m

$294

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 5/1

1:36 pm-9:55 pm

2 stops10h 19m

Santa Barbara

Wed 5/6

12:39 pm-9:18 pm

1 stop6h 39m

$294

ChicagoSanta Barbara

ORD - SBA

ORDSBA

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 4/19

6:00 am-5:29 pm

1 stop13h 29m

Santa Barbara

Thu 4/23

6:00 am-7:03 pm

1 stop11h 03m

$296

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 1/28

Showing 1-10 of 40 results
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Best time to book a flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara

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

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

Currently, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara (average of $80). Flying from Illinois to Santa Barbara in January is currently the most expensive (average of $134). 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.

Related info for your journey

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

  • What airport do you fly into for flights to Santa Barbara from Illinois?

    Most people fly into Santa Barbara (SBA) if they book a flight to Santa Barbara from Illinois. Santa Barbara is conveniently located just 8.0 mi from Santa Barbara’s city center.

  • How long is the flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara?

    Airlines like Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines fly from Illinois to Santa Barbara in about 8h 13m. The time it takes to get you to your destination can typically vary by up to 34m. Airlines will cover a distance of 1798 mi. Both multi-stop and nonstop flights can be found to your destination and back.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from Illinois to Santa Barbara one-way?

    $92 is the cheapest one-way deal found within the past few days, from Delta. You may also be able to find cheap deals on Southwest and American Airlines, with prices starting from $125 and $125, respectively.

  • What are the most popular routes from Illinois to Santa Barbara?

    While some choose either Lambert-St Louis - Santa Barbara or Greater Peoria - Santa Barbara, Chicago O'Hare Intl - Santa Barbara is the most popular route from Illinois to Santa Barbara.

  • What are the cheapest flights from Illinois to Santa Barbara?

    The cheapest flight price from Illinois to Santa Barbara is $269. On average you can expect to pay $349. The most popular route, (Chicago O'Hare Intl - Santa Barbara), can usually be booked for $257.

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

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

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

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

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

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from Illinois 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 Illinois to Santa Barbara?

    Currently, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from Illinois to Santa Barbara (average of $80). Flying from Illinois to Santa Barbara in January is currently the most expensive (average of $134). 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
Santa Ynez
Buellton

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Alternative routes for Illinois to Santa Barbara

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
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Top 3 airlines flying from Illinois to Santa Barbara

Discover the top 3 airlines that operate flights from Illinois 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 29, 2026.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
American AirlinesCheapest$262Average$392FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
United AirlinesCheapest$279Average$471FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
SouthwestCheapest$312Average$474FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time63%

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