Jetstar begins direct flights between the Sunshine Coast and Adelaide from   September, opening the door for extra southern tourists and business links with South Australia to Australia's fastest-growing airport. 
The popular budget airline starts with three flights a week, which Sunshine Coast mayor Mark Jamieson on Friday welcomed as "another step forward" for the Sunshine Coast.
"This is great news and a real sign that things are looking up on the Sunshine Coast," Cr Jamieson said.
In 2015 Qantas returned to the Sunshine Coast, running direct flights to Melbourne and Sydney.
In   March 2016, Sunshine Coast Airport was judged Australia's fastest-growing airport by the federal government's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE). 
It found the Sunshine Coast Airport was Australia's fastest-growing airport, with the number of flights growing 23.9 per cent from   February 2015 to   February 2016.
Australia's fastest-growing airports     Sunshine Coast 23.9%   Gold Coast 12.2%   Sydney 10.1%   Williamtown 8.7%   Melbourne 8.7%    
(BITRE statistics - for   February 2016 compared to   February 2015)
Jetstar already runs direct flights to Sydney and Melbourne from the Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore.
Cr Jamieson said the Sunshine Coast Council would receive comments "very soon" from the Co-ordinator General's Department about plans to add a second runway to the Council-owned airport at Maroochydore.
It also comes after Qantas in   September 2015 began daily flights to Melbourne and six flights a week to Sydney.
The new flights provide an extra 56,000 seats between the Sunshine Coast and Adelaide each year.
Jetstar Airways head of commercial and operations Carly Povey said direct Sunshine Coast services from Melbourne and Sydney were now performing well.
"The Sunshine Coast is one of our most popular leisure destinations and we're sure Adelaide holidaymakers, as well as Queensland tourism operators, will warmly welcome today's announcement that a low-fares airline option is now available on the route," Ms Povey said.
Adelaide Airport managing director Mark Young welcomed the announcement.
"It's really pleasing to see Jetstar continue to expand its network out of Adelaide," Mr Young said.
"South Australians will now be able to easily access the Sunshine Coast, while we also expect there will be plenty of Sunshine Coast residents who want to experience what Adelaide has to offer including our world-class wine and seafood."
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