Surrey is the rare county with two major airports on its shoulders — Heathrow to the north-west, Gatwick to the south-east. For a Surrey resident the question is rarely "how do I get to the airport" but "which airport, and how". Here is the town-by-town logic.
The rough dividing line
North and west Surrey leans Heathrow; south and east Surrey leans Gatwick. But airline and route matter more than geography — a cheaper fare from the "wrong" airport often beats a marginally shorter drive. The good news: by road both are straightforward from most of the county, so the choice is yours, not the timetable's.
Heathrow-leaning towns
Staines (minutes away), Woking, Weybridge, Walton and Esher all run cleanly to Heathrow via the A320/M25 or A3. Guildford can go either way but the A3/M25 to Heathrow is the simpler road. Full fares: Surrey to Heathrow.
Gatwick-leaning towns
Redhill, Reigate, Dorking, Caterham and the eastern fringe are firmly Gatwick — often only 15–30 minutes. Guildford and Woking reach Gatwick on the M25 too when the flight is there. Full fares: Surrey to Gatwick.
Why rail is the weak option here
Surrey's rail network points at London, not at the airports — most airport journeys by train mean a loop via the capital or a change at Redhill, slow with luggage. That is why a direct car is the county's natural airport transport. When the trains do fail, our Gatwick Express contingency guide is worth a read.
See the whole county on the Surrey taxi hub.