There are 7 ways to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara by plane, train (Amtrak), bus, car, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
best- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane ORD - SBA
7h 27m$110–550Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angelestrain Southwest Chief / ...
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain Pacific Surfliner / ...
47h 8mBus
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to St Louis Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stopbus
2d 1hDrive 2,084.2 mi
- Drive from Chicago to Santa Barbaracar 2,084.2 mi
33h 9m$381–550Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane MDW - SBA
8h 59m$160–750Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane ORD - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
10h 42mFly Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane MDW - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
10h 31m
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara is to fly which costs $110 - $550 and takes 7h 27m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 7h 27m and costs $110 - $550.
No, there is no direct bus from Chicago station to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Chicago Bus Station and arriving at Santa Barbara Bus Stop via St Louis Bus Station and Los Angeles Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 1h.
No, there is no direct train from Chicago station to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Chicago Union Station and arriving at Santa Barbara via Los Angeles. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 47h 8m.
The distance between Chicago and Santa Barbara is 1837 miles. The road distance is 2096.4 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara without a car is to train which takes 47h 8m and costs .
It takes approximately 7h 27m to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara, including transfers.
Chicago to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by FlixBus-us, depart from Chicago Bus Station.
Chicago to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Chicago Union Station.
The best way to get from Chicago to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 7h 27m and costs $110 - $550. Alternatively, you can train, which costs and takes 47h 8m, you could also bus, which costs and takes 2 days 1h.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and Santa Barbara, CA, USA?
United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and two other airlines fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) every 2 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train from Chicago Union Station to Santa Barbara via Los Angeles in around 47h 8m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–850
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–800
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $80–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $80–380
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 11m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 23m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–600
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–380
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 17m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $80–380
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
- Website
- spirit.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–430
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–380
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–380
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Schedules at
- amtrak.com
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Schedules at
- amtrak.com
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to St Louis Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 38h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Schedules at
- greyhound.com
Want to know more about travelling around United States
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Chicago to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by FlixBus-us, arrive at St Louis Bus Station.
Santa Barbara is 2h behind Chicago. It is currently 4:46 AM in Chicago and 2:46 AM in Santa Barbara.
Chicago to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to Santa Barbara is 2096 miles. It takes approximately 33h 9m to drive from Chicago to Santa Barbara.
Book your Chicago to Santa Barbara train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Chicago to Santa Barbara bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 850+ hotels available in Santa Barbara.
