Travelers flying out of local airports can expect service changes this year as the Santa Barbara Airport and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport plan to change flight services, some as early as this month. 

Starting Jan. 21, Delta Airlines will no longer fly from the Santa Barbara Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

It’s not the only change coming to SBA in 2026.

Delta Airlines will increase flights to Salt Lake City International Airport up to three times per day following the cut of services to Atlanta.

For Goleta resident Jim Deacon, that will make his trips to visit family easier.

He said he flies into Salt Lake City several times a year to visit family and even sometimes to babysit his grandchildren.

“This will make traveling a lot smoother,” he said.

Usually, Deacon’s flights to Salt Lake City would require him to stop in Phoenix or Las Vegas.

United Airlines also will increase flights into San Francisco International Airport up to five times a day beginning in February.

United also will launch a nonstop daily service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport beginning on April 6. Previously, the nonstop service was offered during the summers of 2021 and 2022. 

Alaska Airlines will bring back its nonstop service to San Diego International Airport on April 22. 

The last time travelers from Santa Barbara could get on a nonstop flight to San Diego was in June 2021 and September 2022. 

Likewise, Southwest Airlines will start its nonstop daily service on Aug. 4 to San Diego International Airport.

Alaska Airlines will be adding a second daily flight to Portland International Airport starting in May. 

For North County residents hoping to hop on a flight out of San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport will be losing some flights in the spring. 

Beginning April 20, travelers will not be able to fly to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

Additionally, American Airlines will reduce the number of flights to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to three daily flights. 

The Santa Maria Airport has no changes to its flight services for this year. 

The North County airport only began offering twice daily flights to Phoenix in October alongside its few Las Vegas flights.

The newly added flights are serving as a test to gauge passenger demand to inform airlines whether to keep the flight route to Phoenix.