Each Thanksgiving, students face one last hurdle before they can get from Cambridge to their homes--the last-minute rush to the airport.

Shuttle buses, taxicabs and the subway all compete for passengers as they attempt to get students to Boston's Logan International Airport as cheaply and efficiently as possible.

The least expensive option is the T, which takes students to the airport in about 40 minutes for only 85 cents.

To get to the airport, T riders should take the Red Line from Harvard Square to Park Street and then take the Green Line from Park Street to Government Center. The Blue Line goes directly from Government Center to the airport.

Students with luggage may prefer taking the Undergraduate Council buses, which depart from Johnston Gate every hour on the hour from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, and leave Linnaean Street at the Quad 10 minutes afterwards.

Tickets for the council buses cost $2 and were sold from the council office in the basement of Holworthy Hall through yesterday.

"The time the shuttle ride will take really depends on the traffic at the time of your flight," council Representative Eli A. Poliakoff '00 said. "Thirty to 40 minutes is a good estimate, though."

US Shuttle, a commercial bus service, also offers transportation to the airport. But it requires reservations 24 hours in advance. ,

The bus costs $8 per person, not including the tip, and the ride takes from an hour to an hour and a half, depending on traffic and how many other passengers the bus picks up along the way, Christine L. Ford, a sales representative for US Shuttle, said.

Students can also take US Shuttles from Logan Airport back to campus when they get back from vacation. Rides are available everyday before 10:30 p.m.

Ford said students who call US Shuttle from the airport at 894-3100 will be picked up 15 to 30 minutes after their call.

Taxis may be the most flexible option because they can be hailed at any time throughout the Square.

Costing between $17 and $25 for the 30-to-45-minute trip to the airport, taxis are also one of the most expensive options available