The quick answer
- Best: fly nonstop into Santa Barbara Airport (airport code SBA).
- Flying into LAX without a car? Take the Santa Barbara Airbus shuttle.
- Love trains? Ride Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner to downtown, two blocks from the beach.
- Road trip? Drive up Highway 101 along the coast.
Fly into Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
Santa Barbara Airport is small, easy, and relaxed. The airport says it has about 28 daily nonstop flights to 13 destinations on five airlines, so one easy connection gets you to almost anywhere. Lines are short, there's free Wi-Fi, so getting in and out is easy.
Why we think it's worth paying a little more than LAX: no fighting LA freeways after a long flight, no long drive or shuttle ride up the coast, and no rental car required just to reach town. The airport even has a cost calculator that compares the real cost of SBA versus LAX once you add parking, gas, and time.
Nonstop flights from SBA (October 2026)
| Airline | Nonstop destinations |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Portland, San Diego, Seattle |
| American | Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix |
| Delta | Salt Lake City |
| Southwest | Denver, Las Vegas, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego |
| United | Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco |
Routes change. Some routes are seasonal. Check the airport's flights and airlines page for the current list before you book.
From the airport into town
The airport sits on the west side of town near Goleta. Rental cars, taxis, and rideshare are all right there. On a budget? Santa Barbara MTD's Line 11 bus runs between the airport and the downtown Transit Center about every 30 minutes for most of the day, and the trip takes about 50 minutes.
Flying into LAX? Take the Santa Barbara Airbus
If LAX is your only option and you don't want to rent a car, the Santa Barbara Airbus is the easy way up the coast. It's a shuttle bus that has been running scheduled trips between LAX and Santa Barbara for more than 40 years. You sit back while someone else handles the 101.
- Pickup at LAX: on the lower (arrivals) level, at the center island under the orange "Shared Rides" signs outside each terminal.
- Drop-off stops: Carpinteria, Santa Barbara (uptown, at La Cumbre Plaza), and the Airbus headquarters in Goleta, plus stops in Oxnard and Camarillo.
- Book ahead. Reservations are required. Check the Santa Barbara Airbus website for the current schedule and fares.
The Santa Barbara stop is uptown, not at the beach, so plan a short rideshare or bus ride to your hotel.
Take the train: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
The train is the most scenic way in. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner runs along the coast from San Diego and from Los Angeles Union Station, and some trips continue to Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. Not every train goes all the way, so check the schedule before you plan your day. The Santa Barbara station is in the heart of downtown, two blocks from the beach, so you can walk to the waterfront and the Funk Zone. Santa Barbara is also a stop on Amtrak's Coast Starlight, which runs between Los Angeles and Seattle.
Free bus rides. Show your Amtrak ticket for that day and you ride Santa Barbara MTD buses free. Check pacificsurfliner.com for schedules and fares.
Drive up the coast
Highway 101 brings you right into Santa Barbara, and much of the route follows the coast. Leaving LA early in the morning or after rush hour makes for a much nicer drive. Once you're here, downtown's city parking lots give you the first 75 minutes free, then charge $3 an hour, up to $33 a day. Want a full plan? See our Santa Barbara day trip from LA.
FAQ
What airport do you fly into for Santa Barbara?
Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). In October 2026 it had about 28 daily nonstop flights to 13 destinations on Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United. Many visitors fly into LAX instead, but SBA saves you the drive from Los Angeles.
Is it worth flying into Santa Barbara instead of LAX?
We think so, even if the ticket costs a little more. You skip LA traffic and the trip up the coast, and you land close to town. The airport's cost calculator helps you compare the full cost.
How do I get from LAX to Santa Barbara without a car?
Take the Santa Barbara Airbus, a scheduled shuttle that picks up on the LAX lower level under the orange "Shared Rides" signs. Reservations are required, so check sbairbus.com for the schedule and fares.
Can you take the train to Santa Barbara?
Yes. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight both stop at the Santa Barbara station downtown, two blocks from the beach. With that day's Amtrak ticket, you can ride local MTD buses free.
How do I get from Santa Barbara Airport to downtown?
Take a taxi, rideshare, or rental car, or ride MTD Line 11 to the downtown Transit Center. The bus takes about 50 minutes.