Santa Barbara Airport

Santa Barbara's airport sits on the coast, serving Santa Barbara, Montecito, and the surrounding wine country. It is a scenic, easygoing field and the natural choice for trips to or from that stretch of the Central Coast.

Who flies here

SBA is a smaller field with commercial and private traffic. For charter it serves a destination in its own right as much as a departure point — the coast and wine country draw exactly the kind of flexible leisure trip private aviation suits.

On the field

As of mid-2026 Santa Barbara has two FBOs: Atlantic Aviation and Signature Aviation. The airport has been redeveloping its general-aviation facilities, so expect this side of the field to keep improving.

A bit of history

The municipal airport broke ground in 1941, and its Spanish Colonial terminal — commissioned by United Air Lines in 1942 and designed by Edwards & Plunkett, the architects behind much of Santa Barbara's signature look — remains one of the more beautiful places in California to catch a flight.

FBO and history details were last verified mid-2026 against the airport's and operators' own published information; tenants and amenities change, so confirm the departure terminal with your operator.