Lost & Found

Santa Barbara Airport Lost and Found

Lost something at Santa Barbara Airport? Report it immediately — airport lost and found offices hold items for 30–90 days, but recovery rates drop sharply after the first 24 hours.

Left somewhere in the airport (not at security)

Airport Lost and Found

805-681-4803

Location: Handled by the Security Operations Office (Security Operations Center), which covers items lost in and around the Terminal building and parking lots. SBA does not offer an online claim form — phone is the only way to report or check on an item.

Hours: 24/7 — the Security Operations Center is staffed around the clock

Left at the TSA security checkpoint

TSA Lost Property

1-866-289-9673

Contact TSA directly only for items left at the security checkpoint itself; anything lost elsewhere in the terminal or on an aircraft goes through the airport's Security Operations Office or your airline. Claims are matched fastest in the first 24-48 hours.

File a TSA claim online →

Note: items left in gate areas may also be held by the airline's gate staff — contact the airline directly for gate-area and on-board lost items.

What to do right now (step by step)

Check with the airline first — items left at gates or on the plane go to the airline, not the airport.
If lost in the terminal: call 805-681-4803 or go to Handled by the Security Operations Office (Security Operations Center), which covers items lost in and around the Terminal building and parking lots. SBA does not offer an online claim form — phone is the only way to report or check on an item..
If lost at the security checkpoint: call TSA at 1-866-289-9673 or file a claim online.
File an online claim if available — written claims are processed faster and create a searchable paper trail.
Check back in 24–48 hours — items are logged as they come in and may not appear in the system immediately.

Pro Tip

Items left on an aircraft or at an airline ticket counter are handled by the airline, not the airport — contact your airline first for those. For anything lost in the terminal or parking lots, call the Security Operations Center at (805) 681-4803 with your name, contact number, travel date/airline, and a detailed description; SBA holds found items for 30 days before unclaimed items are discarded or donated.

Frequently asked questions

How long does SBA airport keep lost items?

Most airports hold unclaimed items for 30–90 days before donating or auctioning them. File your claim as quickly as possible to maximize recovery chances.

What if I left something on the plane?

Items left on aircraft go to the airline, not the airport lost and found. Contact the airline directly — each airline has its own baggage service phone number and online claim process.

How do I report a lost item at the TSA checkpoint at SBA?

Call TSA at 1-866-289-9673 or file a claim at tsa.gov/travel/customer-service. Items left at security checkpoints are held for 30 days.

Can I file a lost item report online for SBA?

SBA does not currently list a standalone online lost item report form. Call 805-681-4803 to file by phone or visit Handled by the Security Operations Office (Security Operations Center), which covers items lost in and around the Terminal building and parking lots. SBA does not offer an online claim form — phone is the only way to report or check on an item. in person.

Know exactly when to leave for the airport

The Leave-By Time calculator folds the live SBA TSA wait, real-time drive time from your door, and gate-walk distance into one exact time to leave home — no guesswork.

Calculate my Leave-By Time →

Santa Barbara Airport Lost and Found

Lost something at Santa Barbara Airport? Report it immediately — airport lost and found offices hold items for 30–90 days, but recovery rates drop sharply after the first 24 hours.

Left somewhere in the airport (not at security)

Airport Lost and Found

805-681-4803

Hours: 24/7 — the Security Operations Center is staffed around the clock

Left at the TSA security checkpoint

TSA Lost Property

1-866-289-9673

File a TSA claim online →

Note: items left in gate areas may also be held by the airline's gate staff — contact the airline directly for gate-area and on-board lost items.

What to do right now (step by step)

Check with the airline first — items left at gates or on the plane go to the airline, not the airport.

If lost in the terminal: call 805-681-4803 or go to Handled by the Security Operations Office (Security Operations Center), which covers items lost in and around the Terminal building and parking lots. SBA does not offer an online claim form — phone is the only way to report or check on an item..

If lost at the security checkpoint: call TSA at 1-866-289-9673 or file a claim online.

File an online claim if available — written claims are processed faster and create a searchable paper trail.

Check back in 24–48 hours — items are logged as they come in and may not appear in the system immediately.

Pro Tip

Frequently asked questions

How long does SBA airport keep lost items?

Most airports hold unclaimed items for 30–90 days before donating or auctioning them. File your claim as quickly as possible to maximize recovery chances.

What if I left something on the plane?

Items left on aircraft go to the airline, not the airport lost and found. Contact the airline directly — each airline has its own baggage service phone number and online claim process.

How do I report a lost item at the TSA checkpoint at SBA?

Call TSA at 1-866-289-9673 or file a claim at tsa.gov/travel/customer-service. Items left at security checkpoints are held for 30 days.

Can I file a lost item report online for SBA?

Know exactly when to leave for the airport

The Leave-By Time calculator folds the live SBA TSA wait, real-time drive time from your door, and gate-walk distance into one exact time to leave home — no guesswork.

Calculate my Leave-By Time →