[Update: Jan. 5, 2026, 9:36 a.m.] The Santa Barbara Airport reopened Sunday morning after temporarily closing due to flooding on Saturday. “All flights are cleared to resume normal operations,” the airport announced on January 4 at 10:20 a.m. “Airlines have been notified and will work to resume service. Please contact your carrier directly for information about a specific flight.”
[Original Story] Santa Barbara Airport has temporarily closed and grounded all flights due to flooding on the runway on Saturday afternoon. All commercial flights and fixed-wing aircraft are currently grounded, the airport announced shortly after 1 p.m. For information about specific flights, SBA said that travelers should contact their airline directly. No estimate was given on when the airport might reopen.
The airport previously closed on Christmas Day due to flooding on the runway, delaying and canceling several flights before eventually reopening the following day.
In addition to flooding the airport runway, Saturday’s rainstorm has also heavily impacted the region’s roadways, closing highways 1, 101, 135, and 192 indefinitely in both directions, partially blocking Highway 154, flooding numerous streets, and likely playing a contributing factor in the multiple collisions reported today.
