The invention discloses a preparation method and application of SiO2-APTES-La composite aerogel, and belongs to the technical field of fuel oil processing. The preparation method comprises the steps of mixing absolute ethyl alcohol, tetraethoxysilane and deionized water to obtain a solution A, carrying out magnetic stirring hydrolysis under acidic conditions, adding ammonia water to adjust the pHvalue, slowly adding APTES, standing to obtain a gel, aging, crushing, carrying out solvent replacement to dissolve lanthanum nitrate in absolute ethyl alcohol to obtain a solution B, standing the mixed solution A and the mixed solution B, and drying the mixed solution A and the mixed solution B under normal pressure to obtain the SiO2-APTES-La composite aerogel. According to the invention, a fixed bed adsorption device is quantitatively filled with the SiO2-APTES-La composite aerogel, thiophenic sulfide-containing simulated gasoline is injected at normal temperature and a certain airspeed, the adsorbed simulated gasoline is collected at an outlet at the lower end of a reaction device, and chromatographic analysis is carried out. The preparation method of the SiO2-APTES-La composite aerogel adsorbent is simple, the cost is low, the adsorbent can be repeatedly used, the economic benefit is high, the environment-friendly effect is achieved, the adsorption condition is mild, and the requirement for adsorption equipment is low.