Corporate relations general manager Simon Westaway, of Melbourne, said: "Queenstown is a market we think has future opportunities in attracting and repeat visitation as part of Jetstar's medium- to long-term expansion."
Queenstown was one of several centres in New Zealand the carrier was looking at, he said.
A Jetstar management team would be based in the country "in due course".
Advertisements for positions had been published in the past couple of weeks in The New Zealand Herald.
"We're serious about New Zealand and growing our transtasman operations," Mr Westaway said.
"By next February, we'll be in a position to talk more about future operations."
Mr Westaway said the airline had had initial meetings with the Civil Aviation Authority and was in the process applying for its New Zealand air operator certificate "to provide future flexibility in the New Zealand market".
Jetstar configures its A320 aircraft for 177 passengers.
It has a fleet of 32 A320 or A321 aircraft and will take delivery of another 65 aircraft over the next six years, from May 2009.
Last month, Jetstar announced daily direct Auckland-Sydney and Auckland-Gold Coast Airbus A320 services from April 28 next year, subject to regulatory approval.
The new transtasman services would be in addition to its existing 28 weekly return links between Christchurch and Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, supported by a two A320 aircraft based in Christchurch.
One-way ticket prices are usually about $150.
Destination Queenstown acting chief executive Graham Budd said there was much speculation about Jetstar's plans for services to the resort, but nothing was known for certain.
"We would encourage any operator who introduced competition which may bring down prices, which makes our destination more accessible to more people.
"In principle, that would be something we would like to see."
