Edhat Staff
By the edhat staff
Santa Barbara Airport has been named the 6th most charming airport in America by Nerdwallet.
The recent article states our municipal airport has a 78.9% on-time arrivals rate and served over 500,000 departing and arriving passengers each in 2022.
“Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is decorated with Mediterranean-style colorful tiles, rustic lanterns, modern art and beautiful Spanish murals, reflecting the distinctive architecture throughout the city. There’s also a small outdoor seating area for plane spotting and enjoying the landscaping of local plants, such as purple sage, magenta bougainvillea and lemon trees,” the article states.
The airport was also highlighted for having a mini museum on Santa Barbara’s aviation history, including photos of actor James Dean with a 356 Speedster race car — as his last drag race was at the airport.
The number one most charming airport in America is Branson, Missouri; followed by Martha’s Vineyard at number two; Ketchikan International in Alaska at three; Cherry Capital in Michigan at four, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming at number five.
Check out the full list here.
Let the whining continue.
I love SBA, I’ve literally done house to gate in under thirty minutes. Flying in to SBA so nice , come out and the ocean air hits you, the best.
SBA is right up there as one of the worst designed airports I’ve used in my one million plus travels. It is cold, lacks basic amenities on the first floor, etc. . There must have been a really low bar
Nerdwallet is in the bu$ine$$ of selling bank products for commi$$ion$.
We love the SB airport.
Too bad whoever chose the inconsistent and ineffective greenery for the large pots (jardinieres) on State Street wasn’t the one who provided the well-considered allee of trees in similar jardinieres for the airport. They will provide beauty, shelter, and enhance the atmosphere. Intelligent design.
Poorly researched. James Dean was not drag racing at SBA. Those were the Santa Barbara ROAD Races, a very different thing.
I look forward to the expanded terminal facility. The Rickard Terminal has outgrown its original design. It can be very congested at times.
I agree with salsa_guy.
I think the SB airport was charming when I could drive here, park in front for free, and board my plane which took off 20-minutes later. Unfortunately D.B. Cooper came along and messed it all up.
James Dean was not killed road racing. He was killed when a big Ford sedan crossed over the center line and hit his Porsche Spyder head on.
From Wikipedia:
Hollywood actor James Dean was killed at age 24 in an auto accident on September 30, 1955, near Cholame, California. He had previously competed in several auto racing events, and was traveling to a sports car racing competition when he was involved in a car crash at the junction of California State Route 46 (former U.S. Route 466) and California State Route 41.
PHOTODUDE – The article didn’t say that he was killed road racing. It merely stated that his last race was at SBA.
Charming is one thing. The parking situation is horrible. The long term gates are constantly blocked off causing you to go through the airport, out and around to far end gate. The giant signs at the end of the Sandspit off ramp are not always updated. The economy lot at the old drive in is bad shape. There are no services on the first floor but there is a “charming” waste of space down there.