It's looking like Tauranga will have to compete with Rotorua for Jetstar flights.

Tauranga and Rotorua are just a handful of cities, including Napier, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Nelson and Invercargill, which have been identified for potential flights – despite initially being left off the list last month.

Tauranga has been identified as one potential city for Jetstar.

Jetstar is expected to announce four regional destinations by September with the first lot of flights expected to get underway in December.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says the city's airport is more than capable of hosting another airline after the failed Origin Pacific Airways venture between Tauranga and Christchurch in 2006.

A business case prepared by Tauranga City Council, Priority One and Tourism Bay of Plenty has been sent to Jetstar.

Tourism Bay of Plenty head of marketing and communications Kristin Dunne believes the business case for Jetstar in Tauranga was compelling.

She says it has strength in domestic tourism and had a developing international tourism market.

It's thought that Jetstar will choose either Tauranga or Rotorua to base flights out of because the cities are so close together.

Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key says the airline's commitment will provide a welcome boost to regional economies.

It's expected to create at least 100 new jobs for pilots, cabin crew, and ground crew.

'Extra air links will help connect regional New Zealand with the world and the main centres, making it easier to do business and for Kiwis and tourists to get around the country.”