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The entrance to the SBA Terminal at sunrise.
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2024 Airport Year in Review

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Santa Barbara Airport celebrated another landmark year with record-breaking passenger counts, new nonstop routes, and a number of programs supporting our dedication to service, community engagement, and customer experience.  

“This year’s achievements at Santa Barbara Airport showcase our dedication to providing exceptional service and greater connectivity for our region,” said Airport Director Chris Hastert. “Looking ahead, we will continue to invest in improvements that enhance the travel experience while being mindful of our community’s needs and values.”

A Delta airplane takes off at SBA.
Photo by Glenn Beltz

COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE

SBA marked another record year in commercial service with 1,418,996 passengers traveling through the Terminal – a 11.1% increase from 2023’s total of 1.2 million passengers.  

A chart shows the growth of passengers over the last 5 years.

In June of 2024, SBA welcomed the return of Delta Air Lines, which previously halted service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Delta now offers daily service to Atlanta and twice-daily service to Salt Lake City. The route to Atlanta is the first of its kind out of SBA and marks the longest nonstop flight in the Airport’s history. Additionally, both of these international airports provide one-stop connections to hundreds of destinations around the world.  

In total, commercial service was provided by five airlines: Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, and United Airlines. With an average of 23 flights each day, these airlines offered direct service to 12 destinations: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle. 

A map of the united states shows 12 nonstop destinations available from SBA: SEA, PDX, SMF, SFO, OAK, LAX, LAS, SLC, DEN, PHX, DFW, and ATL
Three kids interact with the MOXI exhibit at SBA

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE & COMMUNITY OUTREACH

SBA made significant strides in enhancing the passenger experience through various programming and community partnerships. Some of the highlights of 2024 include: 

A group of people pull an airplane by a rope.

SBA also expanded its community outreach with a few key partnerships:  

In addition, the Airport supported a number of organizations and events throughout the year, including the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Healing Justice SB, Direct Relief, Momentum Work, Old Spanish Days, Goleta Lemon Festival, American Cancer Society, and more.  

A girl scout talks to two female pilots at a table.
General Wester Aero Hangars in 2024

CAPITAL PROJECTS AND DEVELOPMENT

SBA made advancements within the capital development program and various improvement projects throughout the Airport. Some of the noteworthy accomplishments in 2024 include: 

  • Master Plan Update: Updated the 2017 Airport Master Plan to provide strategic guidance for development over the next 20 years
  • Southfield Redevelopment: Added 50 additional parking spaces for rental cars and three additional spaces on the airfield for overnight aircraft parking  
  • General Western Aero Hangars: Collected community feedback on potential ideas and uses for the historic hangars
  • Online Parking Availability: Added new technology that shows real-time parking availability for all three parking lots online 

To learn more about SBA’s projects and to sign up for email updates, visit the Development Projects page.

A group of people leave comments at an open house.

SBA would like to thank all of our passengers and partners who helped make this year a success! Stay tuned to our website for all things to come in 2025.