A rail link to the airport will be a focus over the next year if Mayor Len Brown wins a second term at October's local body elections.
Mr Brown - who promised at the 2010 election to build rail to the airport by 2020 - said studies had confirmed that the best choice of rapid transit was rail.
Speaking at his campaign launch on Sunday, Mr Brown said rail to the airport was still very much part of the transport plan and would be a focus over the next year.
"Then, it's really basically back to the Government around timing and funding," he said.
Planners have come up with two options for rail to the airport - a 6.5km link from Puhinui on the main trunk line costed at about $470 million, and $1.45 billion for a full circuit including Onehunga, which has had its branch line reopened for passenger trains and is 9km from the airport.
