A poll of 1,036 Londoners shows that when given a straight choice of where to build a new runway, 45% chose Gatwick compared to 39% for Heathrow.
The results of the YouGov survey for Gatwick come as the Airports Commission’s public consultation process moves into its final month.
Londoners picked Gatwick over Heathrow in several key areas of the expansion debate including the lowest cost to the taxpayer, minimising air traffic over London, and greater competition and regeneration benefits, according to the poll.
People in London selected the “negative impacts on quality of life for residents” as the single-most important issue of the expansion debate, with 37% choosing Gatwick as the better option on this issue versus 26% for Heathrow.
The latest poll shows that 38% of Londoners believe expansion at Gatwick would create more competition between airports and airlines compared to only 26% picking Heathrow.
The findings also show that almost half (49%) of Londoners said Gatwick expansion would be the better choice for minimising air traffic over central London compared to just 24% for Heathrow.
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “In this crucial year for the expansion debate, the latest polling is a timely reminder of the growing support and momentum behind Gatwick as the right choice for the UK’s next runway.
“From greater competition and more destinations, to lower fares and less noise than Heathrow, the reasons for expanding Gatwick are compelling and numerous.
“By contrast, the taxpayer funds needed for Heathrow expansion give us 6 billion reasons why it is the wrong choice and the number of people to be newly affected by noise gives us hundreds of thousands more.
“After decades of delay, what is now needed above all is certainty – Gatwick’s plans offer the chance of spades in the ground and planes in the air quicker than Heathrow, with a scheme that can actually be delivered.
“If 2015 is finally to see an answer to this critical issue for the UK, Gatwick remains the best and obvious choice.”