MANCHESTER Airport has ended 2017 flying high and has bagged the fourth and final of the key travel trade best UK airport awards.

The first gong was collected in January at Travel Weekly’s Globe Awards at Grosvenor House in London. It was the third year running the global gateway in the North won the accolade. The airport is now in the running for a fourth win next month at the 2018 ceremony.

In September, the UK's third largest airports bagged two awards. First Travel Bulletin Star Awards held at the Langham Hotel, London where they were up against other UK airports including Birmingham, Liverpool and London Heathrow.

The hattrick came later in the month at Travel Trade Gazette Awards at the Lyceum Theatre hosted by funny man Rob Brydon.

Finally, earlier this month as they revealed record passenger numbers in 2017 it was crowned 'Best UK Airport' at the Selling Travel Agents Choice Awards.

Patrick Alexander, Manchester Airport’s head of marketing, said: “To win one best UK airport award is a great achievement, but to receive four is incredibly humbling.

“I would like to thank everyone who voted for us, be they our 27.7m annual passengers, travel agents or the industry.

“As the UK’s global gateway in the North, Manchester Airport is going through exciting times as we grow and spend £1bn transforming terminal two, so to have that recognised makes all of us feel incredibly proud.”

Manchester Airport is a global gateway and the largest airport outside London with more than 210 destinations served by 70 airlines. This year has seen the airport add direct services to San Francisco, Boston and Muscat.

Next year will also see Seattle launch - in the UK these destinations can only be found at Manchester Airport outside of London.