Fly Corporate will conduct daily return flight to the Queensland capital on weekdays, leaving Tamworth 6.30am and returning from Brisbane at 6.45pm.

It is the first time there have been four airlines in Tamworth since the mid-90s.

Tamworth Region Council mayor Col Murray said Tamworth Regional Airport recorded a 14.6 per cent growth in passenger arrivals over the last year with the total number of passengers expected to reach more than 200,000 this year.

“The new service is another show of confidence in the business growth of Tamworth. I welcome any service that provides additional options for residents and visitors to the Tamworth region,” said Cr Murray.

“I’ve heard many comments from the business community that they would like to see some early morning access to Brisbane and late evening return to suit their business calendars.”

Fly Corporate chief executive Andrew Major said Brisbane was increasingly becoming the capital city of choice for many people in northern NSW, and offered connections to 28 international ports and dozens of domestic destinations.

Earlier this week Virgin announced it would slash its number of overnight Tamworth-Sydney flights from six to three, after a slot reshuffle at Sydney Airport.