View source for Continental Airlines

{{Short description|Defunct airline of the United States (1934–2012)}}
{{distinguish|text=[[Continental Airways]] of Russia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2013}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Continental Airlines
| logo = Continental Airlines Logo.svg
| logo_size = 
| image = Boeing 777-224(ER), Continental Airlines JP6449637.jpg
| caption = A [[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200ER]] of Continental Airlines in June 2008
| IATA = CO
| ICAO = COA
| callsign = CONTINENTAL
| founded = {{start date|1934|05|}}<br />{{small|(as ''[[Varney Speed Lines]]'')}}
| commenced = {{start date|1937|07|08}}<br />{{small|(as ''[[Varney Speed Lines]]'')}}<ref name="NAAH">{{Cite book|last=Norwood|first=Tom|author2=Wegg, John|title=North American Airlines Handbook|publisher=Airways International|location=Sandpoint, Idaho|year=2002|edition=3rd|isbn=0-9653993-8-9|url=http://www.airwaysnews.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128070750/http://airwaysnews.com/|archive-date=November 28, 2016|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| ceased = {{end date|2012|03|03}}<br />{{small|(merged into [[United Airlines]])}}<ref name="Peterson"/>
| traded_as = {{NYSE was|CAL}}
| aoc = CALA014A<ref>{{cite web|url=http://av-info.faa.gov/detail.asp?DSGN_CODE=CALA&OPER_FAR=121&OPER_NAME=CONTINENTAL+AIRLINES+INC|title=Federal Aviation Administration – Airline Certificate Information – Detail View|publisher=Av-info.faa.gov|access-date=May 3, 2010|archive-date=June 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623074427/http://av-info.faa.gov/detail.asp?DSGN_CODE=CALA&OPER_FAR=121&OPER_NAME=CONTINENTAL+AIRLINES+INC|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| bases = 
| hubs = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport|Cleveland]] {{small|(1987–2012)}}
  | [[Stapleton International Airport|Denver–Stapleton]] {{small|(1957–1995)}}
  | [[El Paso International Airport|El Paso]] {{small|(1934–1982)}}
  | [[Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport|Guam]] {{small|(1968–2010)}}
  | [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport|Houston–Intercontinental]] {{small|(1982–2012)}}
  | [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]] {{small|(1962–1983)}}
  | [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]] {{small|(1987–2012)}}
  | [[Washington Dulles International Airport|Washington–Dulles]] {{small|(1987–1989)}}}}
| frequent_flyer = [[OnePass]]
| alliance = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[SkyTeam]] {{small|(2004–2009)}}
  | [[Star Alliance]] {{small|(2009–2012)}}
  | [[Wings Alliance]]}}
| destinations = 262
| parent = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Texas Air Corporation]] {{small|(1981–1991)}}
  | [[United Continental Holdings]] {{small|(2010–2012)}}}}
| subsidiaries = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Chelsea Food Services]]
  | [[Continental Air Services, Inc]] {{small|(1965–1975)}}
  | [[Continental Connection]] {{small|(1986–2012)}}
  | [[Continental Express]] {{small|(1986–2012)}}
  | [[Continental Lite]] {{small|(1993–1995)}}
  | [[Continental Micronesia]] {{small|(1968–2010)}}}}
| fleet_size = 350
| headquarters = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[El Paso, Texas]] {{small|(1934–1937)}}
  | [[Denver, Colorado]] {{small|(1937–1963)}}
  | [[Los Angeles, California]] {{small|(1963–1982)}}
  | [[Houston, Texas]] {{small|(1982–2012)}}}}
| founders = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Walter Varney]]
  | Louis Mueller }}
| key_people = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Robert Six]] {{small|([[Chief executive officer|CEO]]; 1936–1981)}}
  | [[Frank Lorenzo]] {{small|(Texas Air owner)}}
  | [[Jeff Smisek]]
  | [[Gordon Bethune]]
  | [[Larry Kellner]]}}
}}

'''Continental Airlines''' (simply known as '''Continental''') was a [[trunk carrier]], a major, international airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with [[United Airlines]] in 2012. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers.

Continental started out as one of the smaller carriers in the United States, known for its limited operations under the regulated era that provided very fine, almost fancy, service against the larger majors in important point-to-point markets, the largest of which was Chicago/Los Angeles. However, deregulation in 1978 changed the competitive landscape and realities, as noted by Smithsonian Airline Historian [[R. E. G. Davies]], "Unfortunately, the policies that had been successful for more than forty years under [Robert]  Six's cavalier style of management were suddenly laid bare as the cold winds of airline deregulation changed all the rules—specifically, the balance between revenues and expenditures."<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Davies|first=R. E. G.|title=Rebels and Reformers of the Airways|publisher=Smithsonian|year=1987|isbn=0874743540|pages=143}}</ref>

In 1981, [[Texas International Airlines]] acquired a controlling interest in Continental.  The companies were merged in 1982, moved to Houston, and grew into one of the country's largest carriers despite facing financial and labor issues, eventually becoming one of the more successful airlines in the United States.

On May 2, 2010, Continental and [[United Airlines]] announced an $8.5 billion merger of equals with the United name and Continental operating certificate and “globe” livery retained, which would be complete on October 1, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.flightstory.net/1559/united-and-continental-merged/ |title=United and Continental Merged |website=flightshistory.net |publisher=Flights History |author=PR Newswire |date=October 1, 2010 |access-date=September 21, 2025}}</ref> Continental's shareholders received 1.05 per share in United stock for each Continental share they owned. Upon completion of the acquisition, UAL Corporation changed its name to United Continental Holdings.<ref name="Peterson">{{cite news|last=Peterson|first=Kyle|title=United gets FAA single operating certificate|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-unitedcontinental-idUKTRE7AT1JP20111130|agency=Reuters UK|date=November 30, 2011|access-date=July 5, 2021|archive-date=March 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307135338/https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-unitedcontinental-idUKTRE7AT1JP20111130|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

During the integration period, each airline ran a separate operation under the direction of a combined leadership team, based in [[Chicago]].<ref>[http://www.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/index.php?section=about United Continental Holdings, Inc] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220132344/http://www.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/index.php?section=about |date=February 20, 2015}}. Unitedcontinentalholdings.com. Retrieved on December 16, 2010.</ref> The integration was completed on March 3, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://montclairlocal.news/2010/10/continental-brand-being-phased-out/ |title=Continental Brand Being Phased Out |website=montclairlocal.com |publisher=Montclair Local |author=Debbie Galant |date=October 1, 2010 |access-date=October 8, 2025}}</ref>

On June 27, 2019, United changed its parent company name from United Continental Holdings to [[United Airlines Holdings]].<ref name="bloomberg.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-27/united-airlines-strips-continental-from-parent-company-s-name|title=United Airlines Strips 'Continental' from parent company's name|agency=[[Bloomberg News]]|date=June 27, 2019|access-date=29 June 2019|archive-date=June 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629160326/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-27/united-airlines-strips-continental-from-parent-company-s-name|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
===Early history===
[[File:Walter T. Varney, founder of United and Continental Airlines, 1921.jpg|thumb|Walter T. Varney, founder of predecessors of [[United Airlines]] and Continental Airlines, 1921]]
[[File:Continental-Pioneer Route Network 1955.png|thumb|right|1955 Continental and [[Pioneer Air Lines|Pioneer]] networks per the [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] case approving the merger]]
[[Varney Speed Lines]] (named after one of its initial owners, [[Walter T. Varney]], who was also a founder of [[United Airlines]]) was formed in 1934, operating [[airmail]] and passenger services in the [[American Southwest]] over a route originating from [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]] and extending through [[Albuquerque, New Mexico|Albuquerque]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], and [[Las Vegas, New Mexico]], to [[Pueblo, Colorado]]. The airline commenced operations with the [[Lockheed Vega]], a single-engine plane that carried four passengers.<ref name="Serling">Serling, Robert J., ''Maverick: The story of Robert Six and Continental Airlines'' ({{ISBN|0-385-04057-1}}), Doubleday & Company, 1974.</ref>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} Varney was awarded a 17-cent-rate airmail contract between Pueblo and El Paso; it carried passengers as a sideline. Following [[Air Mail scandal|cancellation of all domestic airmail contracts]] by the [[Franklin D. Roosevelt|Roosevelt]] administration in 1934, [[Robert F. Six]] learned of an opportunity to buy into the Southwest Division of Varney Speed Lines which needed money to handle its newly won Pueblo-El Paso route. Six was introduced to Louis Mueller (who would serve as chairman of the board of Continental until February 28, 1966). Mueller had helped found the Southwest Division of Varney in 1934 with Walter T. Varney. As an upshot of all this, Six bought into the airline with US$90,000 and became general manager on July 5, 1936. The carrier was renamed Continental Air Lines (later changed to "Airlines") on July 8, 1937. Six relocated the airline's headquarters to Denver Union (later Stapleton) Airport in [[Denver]] in October 1937.<ref name="Serling"/><ref name="Davies">Davies, R.E.G., Continental Airlines: the first fifty years, 1934–1984, Pioneer Publications, 1984.</ref>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} Six changed the name to "Continental" because he wanted the airline name to reflect his desire to have the airline fly all directions throughout the United States.<ref name="COFacts">"[http://magazine.continental.com/200907-continental-facts Continental Facts] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100719164330/http://magazine.continental.com/200907-continental-facts |date=July 19, 2010}}." [[Continental (magazine)|''Continental'' magazine]]. July 2009. Retrieved on February 8, 2010.</ref>

During World War II, Continental's Denver maintenance base converted [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress]]es, [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]]es and [[North American P-51 Mustang]]s for the [[United States Army Air Forces]]. Profits from military transportation and aircraft conversion enabled Continental to contemplate expansion and acquisition of new airliners after the war.<ref name="Serling" /> Among those were the [[Douglas DC-3]], the [[Convair 240]] and the [[Convair 340]]. The Convairs were Continental's first [[Cabin pressurization|pressurized]] airliners.<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Davies" /> The airline's early route was [[El Paso]] to Albuquerque and Denver, with routes being added during the war from Denver, Albuquerque, and El Paso eastward across Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. In 1946 Continental flew Denver to Kansas City, Wichita, Tulsa, and to Oklahoma City, and from El Paso and Albuquerque to San Antonio. Each route included stops in several of 22 smaller cities.

In the early 1950s, Continental began several interchange routes with American, Braniff, and United Airlines. Routes were operated on American from Los Angeles and San Francisco to El Paso continuing onto Continental's route to San Antonio and Houston. Continental's Denver to Kansas City route would interchange onto St. Louis with Braniff Airways and United's routes from Seattle and Portland to Denver would interchange with Continental's routes onto Wichita and Tulsa. These interchange routes continued for many years until Continental was able to secure routes of its own between each city.

In 1955, Continental merged with [[Pioneer Air Lines]], gaining access to 16 more cities in Texas and New Mexico. In August 1953, Continental flew to 35 airports and Pioneer flew to 19, but Continental's network didn't reach beyond Denver, El Paso, Houston and Kansas City until April 1957 when it started Chicago-Denver-Los Angeles, two [[Douglas DC-7]]Bs a day each way. Pioneer's Executive Vice President [[Harding Lawrence|Harding Luther Lawrence]] arrived at Continental as a result of the merger. Bob Six commented on more than one occasion that, "the reason we bought Pioneer was to get Harding." Harding Lawrence implemented several innovative changes at Continental as well as a flamboyant advertising campaign during his ten years as Six's protege. During Lawrence's tenure Continental grew by 500 percent. Lawrence left Continental in April 1965 to head [[Braniff Airways]].<ref name=UPI>{{cite web|work=United Press International|title=Airline Pioneer Harding Lawrence Dies|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2002/01/17/Airline-pioneer-Harding-Lawrence-dies/UPI-69351011319865/|date=17 January 2002|access-date=27 June 2013|archive-date=December 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213190242/http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2002/01/17/Airline-pioneer-Harding-Lawrence-dies/UPI-69351011319865/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Six petitioned the [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] (CAB) for longer routes to larger cities, hoping to transform the regional into a trunkline like [[United Airlines]], [[TWA]], and [[American Airlines]]. He was discussing with [[Boeing]] for Continental to become one of the first to operate the soon-to-be-launched [[Boeing 707|707]]. The timing was crucial, since new routes would justify the 707s, and vice versa.<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Davies" />

===1960s===
[[File:Robert F. Six, Chairman-CEO, Continental Airlines, 1978.jpg|thumb|[[Robert F. Six]], chairman-CEO, Continental Airlines, 1936–1981]]

Continental Airlines had seen a broad expansion of its routes, thanks to a responsive CAB and persistent efforts by Six and Executive Vice President [[Harding Lawrence]] (who came to Continental in the Pioneer merger), who both frequently referred to his company as "the Airline that needs to grow."<ref name="Serling"/><ref name="Scott">Christian, J. Scott, former Continental employee and manager, Bring Songs to the Sky: Recollections of Continental Airlines, 1970–1986, Quadran Press, 1998.</ref>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} In 1958 Continental began turboprop flights with the [[Vickers Viscount]] on the new medium-haul routes. The British-manufactured Viscount four engine turboprop, which Continental referred to as the "Jet Power Viscount II", was the first turbine powered aircraft operated by the airline with Continental claiming it was "First in the west with jet-power flights".<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Jet Power Viscount II |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/co/co58/co58-1.jpg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309222827/https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/co/co58/co58-1.jpg |archive-date=2023-03-09}}</ref><ref>''Maverick:  The Story of Robert Six and Continental Airlines'' by Robert J. Serling, page 128, published in 1974 by Doubleday & Company, Inc.</ref>  The CAB permitted Continental to drop service at many smaller cities, enabling the carrier's new aircraft to operate more economically on longer flights. In 1960 Continental flew more than three times the passenger-miles it had in 1956. (''Aviation Week'' June 22, 1959: "Continental's current re-equipment program—involving a total cost of $64 million for the Boeings, Viscounts and DC-7Bs—was launched in 1955 when the carrier's net worth amounted to $5.5 million.")

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Six was the airline industry's leading lower-fare advocate. He predicted that increased traffic, not higher fares, was the answer to the airline industry's problems. To amazement from the industry, he introduced the [[Economy class#Airlines|economy fare]] on the Chicago-Los Angeles route in 1962. He later pioneered a number of other low or discount fares which made air travel available to many who could not previously afford it. One of Continental's early innovations was a system-wide economy excursion fare which cut the standard coach fares by more than 25%.<ref name="Serling"/>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} Continental took delivery of the first of five 707-124s in spring 1959, and started Chicago-Los Angeles nonstop on June 8.<ref name="Scott" /> Having so few jets, Continental needed radical innovations to the 707 maintenance program. It developed the "progressive maintenance" program, which enabled Continental to fly its 707 fleet seven days a week, achieving greater aircraft utilization than any other jet operator in the industry.<ref name="Serling"/>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} Six, not being satisfied with 707 service, introduced innovations and luxe cuisine on Continental's 707 flights which were described as, "...&nbsp;nothing short of luxurious" by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', and, "...&nbsp;clearly, the finest in the airline industry" by the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.<ref name="Scott" />

[[File:Boeing 707-124 (Continental Airlines) LAX.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 707]] at Los Angeles, December 1962]]
In the early 1960s, Continental added flights from Los Angeles to Houston, nonstop as well as via Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso, Midland-Odessa, Austin, and/or San Antonio. In 1963, the company headquarters moved from Denver to Los Angeles.<ref name="Serling"/><ref name="Davies"/>{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} By late 1963, Continental had discontinued service to most of its smaller cities in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas with the exception of Lawton, OK and Wichita Falls, TX which continued operating with DC-9 and 727 jets until 1977. Total passenger-miles in 1967 were more than five times greater than in 1960, but 61% of the 1967 total was on unscheduled flights (mostly transpacific charters). During the late 1960s the company disposed of the last of its turboprop and piston-powered aircraft—one of the first U.S. airlines to do so.<ref name="Davies" /> Continental replaced the Viscount fleet with [[Douglas DC-9-10]]s and then added [[Boeing 727-100]]s and [[727-200]]s. The DC-9 and 727 were to become the workhorses of the fleet from the late 1960s.<ref name="Davies" /> The DC-9s were phased out by the late 1970s (although the type reappeared after mergers in the 1980s with an example being [[Texas International Airlines]] DC-9s which were added to the CO fleet); the 727-200 was the mainstay of its narrow-body fleet until the late 1980s. In 1968 a new [[livery]] was launched: orange and gold cheatlines on a white fuselage; and a black "jetstream" logo (by Six's friend, the noted graphic designer [[Saul Bass]]) on the iconic "Golden Tails" of the airline's aircraft. The slogans adopted in 1968 and used for more than a decade were, "The Airline That Pride Built" and, "The Proud Bird with the Golden Tail".<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Scott" /> 1960s saw international routes awarded to Continental (to New Zealand and Australia) in the Transpacific Case, but they were cancelled by the Nixon Administration.

[[File:Continental Airlines B737-200 N7381F.jpg|thumb|right|Boeing 737-200 with 1968–1991 "meatball" logo and livery designed by [[Saul Bass]]]]
During the [[Vietnam War]], Continental provided extensive cargo and troop transportation for [[United States Army]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] forces to Asian and the Pacific bases. Continental's long range [[Boeing 707-324C]]s were the most common non-military aircraft transiting [[Saigon]] [[Tan Son Nhat]] airport;<ref name="Scott" /> in 1967, 39% of CO's passenger-miles were on scheduled flights. With Continental's experience in Pacific operations, the carrier formed subsidiary [[Air Micronesia]] in May 1968, inaugurating [[island hopping]] routes between [[Yap]]/[[Saipan]]/[[Guam]], [[Majuro]], Rota, [[Chuuk International Airport|Truk]], Ponape ([[Pohnpei]]) and Honolulu.<ref name="Serling" /> "Air Mike", as it was known, initially operated with [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-100]] aircraft with open-ocean survival gear, doppler radar, and a large complement of spare parts (including tires).<ref name="Serling" /> A senior mechanic flew on every Air Mike flight until the late 1970s. Air Micronesia operated as subsidiary [[Continental Micronesia]] until 2010. In September 1969, Continental began flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu/Hilo and one month later from Albuquerque to Chicago, San Antonio, and San Francisco. In 1970, Continental was awarded routes from Seattle and Portland to San Jose, Hollywood-Burbank Airport, and Ontario, California—all of them growing markets.<ref name="Serling" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Revenue passenger-miles (millions) (sched flights only)
|-
! !! Continental !! Pioneer
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1951
| 106 || 42
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1955
| 221 || 11
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1960
| 885 || (Merged April 1, 1955)
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1965
| 1,386 ||
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1970
| 4,434 ||
|- style="text-align:right;"
! scope="row" | 1975
| 6,356 ||
|}

In 1963, Continental denied employment to African-American pilot and Air Force veteran, [[Marlon Green|Marlon D. Green]]. A [[United States Supreme Court]] decision allowed a [[Colorado]] anti-discrimination law to be applied to his case against Continental.<ref>[http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/372/714/case.html U.S. Supreme Court, ''COLORADO COMM'N v. CONTINENTAL, 372 U.S. 714'' (1963)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025224934/http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/372/714/case.html |date=October 25, 2012 }} ''372 U.S. 714 COLORADO ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMISSION ET AL. v. CONTINENTAL AIR LINES, INC.'' CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF COLORADO. No. 146. Argued March 28, 1963. Decided April 22, 1963.</ref> Green flew with Continental for 13 years from 1965 until his retirement in 1978.<ref name="COFacts"/> His employment paved the way for the hiring of ethnic-minority pilots by all U.S. carriers, an industry milestone which was finally realized in 1977 after [[Southern Airways]] hired their first minority pilot.

===1970s===
At Six's insistence, Continental (with [[Pan American World Airways|Pan Am]] and [[Trans World Airlines]]) was one of the three launch airlines for the [[Boeing 747]]. On June 26, 1970, Continental became the second carrier (after TWA) to put the 747 into U.S. domestic service. Its upper-deck first class lounge and main deck "Polynesian Pub" won awards worldwide for the most refined cabin interior among all airlines, as did meal services developed by Continental's Cordon Bleu-trained executive chef, Lucien DeKeyser.<ref name="Scott" /> Continental's 747 services from Chicago and Denver to Los Angeles and Honolulu set the standard for service in the western U.S.<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Scott" /> On June 1, 1972, Continental's widebody [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10|DC-10]] service began. Six had insisted that Continental place a large order for DC-10s with manufacturer [[McDonnell Douglas]]. This decision again proved prescient, since the publicity associated with Continental's splashy 747 service Chicago-Denver-Los Angeles-Honolulu had stimulated increased market share and increased traffic for all carriers. Denver, Houston and Seattle were growing rapidly in the 1970s; the DC-10s took over most flights between Denver and Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and Seattle, and between Houston and Los Angeles.<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Scott" />

[[File:Boeing 727-224 N32718 CO ORD 19.02.78 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-224]] at [[Chicago O'Hare Airport]] in 1978]]
During the 1970s, Denver served as the airline's main hub. The 747s were focused on the Chicago-Los Angeles-Honolulu routes, with one daily round trip through Denver. The DC-10s served large markets (Los Angeles to Chicago, Denver, Houston and Honolulu; and from Denver to Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle and Houston). DC-9s and 727s predominated elsewhere and added frequencies on DC-10 routes.<ref name="Scott" /> Next to [[Braniff]], Continental operated fewer aircraft types (four: the 747, DC-10, 727-200, and [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|DC-9-10]]) during this period than any U.S. trunkline, affording savings in parts, maintenance, and crew training.<ref name="Scott" /> The DC-10 enabled the airline to capitalize on traffic growth in the west. Continental saw market share grow annually in each DC-10 market through the 1970s, until relative market parity was achieved with United, the principal competitor on most of the DC-10 routes. The same innovations introduced on the 747s appeared on Continental's DC-10s, including the "Polynesian Pub", but after the [[1973 oil crisis]] more seats were needed and the DC-10 pubs were removed.<ref name="Scott" /> Continental phased out its 747s in 1978 in favor of the DC-10s (747s would return to Continental during the Lorenzo era, flying Newark to London and Paris). From the mid-1970s until it merged with Texas International, Continental operated only DC-10s, 727-100s, and 727-200s.

From 1961 to 1982, Continental was headquartered at the west end of the [[Los Angeles International Airport]] on World Way West. The facility included the general offices, system operations control, the central maintenance facility, flight kitchen, and Los Angeles crew bases.<ref name="Serling" /><ref name="Scott" />{{Page needed|date=August 2010}}<ref>''World Airline Directory''. Flight International. March 20, 1975.[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200546.html 482] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303073909/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200546.html |date=March 3, 2012 }}.</ref>

[[File:Continental 747., Los Angeles, 1987.jpg|thumb|Continental [[Boeing 747]] at Los Angeles in 1987]]
In 1974, after years of delays and legal proceedings, Continental started flights between Houston and Miami, and on May 21, 1976, Continental was authorized to operate long-sought routes between San Diego and Denver. President [[Jimmy Carter]] and Civil Aeronautics Board chairman [[Alfred E. Kahn|Alfred Kahn]] had been promoting deregulation of the airline industry, which would dissolve the CAB and for the first time in industry history allow U.S. carriers to determine without government supervision where they would fly, and how much they could charge. Continental began flights from Denver to Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa/St. Petersburg in Florida. That year, President Carter authorized Continental to begin daily round trips between [[Air Micronesia]] destination [[Saipan]] and Japan, and approved a route for Continental from Los Angeles to Australia via [[Honolulu]], [[American Samoa]], Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. The South Pacific service began May 1, 1979.<ref name="Davies" /><ref name="Scott" />{{Page needed|date=August 2010}} After the 1978 passage of the [[Airline Deregulation Act]] Continental embarked on a route expansion. October 1978 saw Continental begin flights from the New York area airports to Houston and Denver, and from Denver to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]].<ref name="Scott" /> That month Continental started DC-10 flights between Los Angeles and [[Taipei]], via Honolulu and [[Guam]]. Service between Houston and Washington, D.C., began in January 1979. In June 1979 Continental linked Denver with Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, San Francisco and San Jose and also began Houston-Tampa service.<ref name="Scott" /> The airline suffered in 1979 when the DC-10 was grounded nationwide following the crash of [[American Airlines Flight 191]]. Continental Airlines only operated the DC-10 and the 727 at the time, so flights to Hawaii were cancelled during the grounding. By the time of the Texas Air Corp. acquisition in 1981, Continental's post-deregulation growth had allowed it to penetrate every major U.S. airline market (and all of the regional markets) from the hubs in Denver and Houston, with the corresponding expansion of facilities at both of these airports. But that growth came at the cost of continuing losses. In Denver, Continental's rapid growth provided the final impetus for the construction of the new [[Denver International Airport]], which would be completed almost fifteen years later.<ref name="Davies" /><ref name="Scott" />{{Page needed|date=August 2010}}

[[File:Continental Airlines DC-10-10 N68042.jpg|thumb|left|Continental DC-10 at Narita Airport, Japan]]
While deregulation allowed Continental to expand into new areas, it hurt the company's existing business as consumers were for the first time able to choose lower fares over Continental's better service. In 1978 Continental and [[Western Airlines]], which held a nearby headquarters and similar fleet, began a nearly three-year attempt to merge.<ref name="Scott" /> [[File:Continental DC-10 model from Western merger.jpg|thumb|DC-10 model used in announcement of planned Continental–Western merger]]  The route systems would have been complementary, with little overlap; although they both served the Western states, Continental had strength in Hawaii, southern-tier and the [[Great Plains]] states; Western's strengths were in the California intrastate market, Alaska, Mexico, and the [[Intermountain West]]. Both airlines served the [[Pacific Northwest]] and [[Rocky Mountain]] states, but along different routes from Los Angeles, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix. The merger attempt failed when Texas Air Corporation interceded with its acquisition of Continental.<ref name="Davies" /><ref name="Scott" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Barrett|first=William|date=March 1987|title=Top Gun: Frank Lorenzo Aced the Competition, But Can His Airline Stay Number One?|work=Texas Monthly|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/top-gun/|access-date=August 19, 2020|archive-date=August 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812154747/https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/top-gun/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=March 4, 1981|title=Texas International asks Continental shareholders for proxie.|work=United Press International|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/03/04/Texas-International-asks-Continental-shareholders-for-proxie/6991352530000/|access-date=August 19, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916155418/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/03/04/Texas-International-asks-Continental-shareholders-for-proxie/6991352530000/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Whitkin|first=Richard|date=March 4, 1981|title=Texas Air Bids to Get Continental|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/10/business/texas-air-bids-to-get-continental.html|access-date=August 23, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205916/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/10/business/texas-air-bids-to-get-continental.html|url-status=live}}</ref> With the Airline Deregulation Act the world changed for Continental as noted by Smithsonian historian R.E.G. Davies: "Unfortunately, the policies that had been successful for more than forty years under (Robert) Six's cavalier style of management were suddenly laid bare as the cold winds of airline deregulation changed all the rules -- specifically, the balance between revenues and expenditures."<ref name=":1" />

===1980s===
In 1981, [[Texas Air Corporation]], an airline holding company controlled by U.S. aviation entrepreneur [[Frank Lorenzo]], acquired Continental after a contentious battle with Continental's management who were determined to resist Lorenzo. Management teamed with unions to create a planned Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) that would have doubled the number of outstanding shares without shareholder approval, thus diluting Texas Air's ownership stake and maintaining control of the airline. But management lost the legal battle to enact the ESOP without shareholder approval and with its 48.5 percent ownership stake, Texas Air could win any shareholder vote.<ref name=":2" /> During this struggle, in August 1981, Continental Airlines CEO [[Alvin Feldman]] died from suicide in his office and was succeeded by George Warde.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 10, 1981|title=Continental Air Chief Dies, Apparent Suicide|work=[[The New York Times]]|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/10/us/continental-air-chief-dies-apparent-suicide.html?&pagewanted=print|access-date=July 16, 2008|archive-date=September 20, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920091747/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/10/us/continental-air-chief-dies-apparent-suicide.html?&pagewanted=print|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Hollie|first=Pamela|date=August 12, 1981|title=Continental Names New Chief|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/12/business/continental-names-new-chief.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/12/business/continental-names-new-chief.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In three letters left to his children, Feldman said he had been depressed since the death of his wife the previous year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hollie|first=Pamela|date=August 11, 1981|title=Continental Without Its Chief|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/11/business/continental-without-its-chief.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=August 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200813213121/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/11/business/continental-without-its-chief.html|url-status=live}}</ref>  Lorenzo became Continental Chairman and CEO in March 1982.  He and his team viewed the company as stuck in the pre-deregulation era and in need of serious changes to be competitive. Continental was experiencing significant financial challenges both before and after Texas Air's takeover, and management showed how Continental could not compete and survive with its cost structure.<ref name="Bamber, G.J., Gittell, J.H., Kochan, T.A. & von Nordenflytch, A. 2009">{{cite book |author=Bamber, G.J. |author2=Gittell, J.H. |author3=Kochan, T.A. |author4=von Nordenflytch, A. |year=2009 |title=Up in the Air: How Airlines Can Improve Performance by Engaging their Employees |publisher=Cornell University Press |location=Ithaca |chapter=Alternative Strategies for New Entrants: Southwest vs. Ryanair |isbn=978-0-8014-4747-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780801447471}}</ref> The pilots union agreed to some cost reductions in mid-1982, primarily through modest productivity improvements, but there was no progress with the other unions. On October 31, 1982, following approval by shareholders of both companies, Continental merged operations with [[Texas International]], retaining the Continental identity and offering service to four continents (North and South America, Asia and Australia) with a fleet of 112 aircraft. Continental launched its frequent flyer program, initially called Travel Bank, in September 1982, following that of Texas International Airlines in 1979,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rowell|first=David|date=August 13, 2010|title=A History of US Airline Deregulation Part 4: 1970-2010: The Effects of Deregulation - Lower Fares, More Travel, Frequent Flier Programs|url=https://old.thetravelinsider.info/airlinemismanagement/airlinederegulation2.htm|access-date=September 13, 2020|website=The Travel Insider|archive-date=April 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419013519/https://thetravelinsider.info/airlinemismanagement/airlinederegulation2.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> which was the industry's first frequent flyer program, and American Airlines [[AAdvantage]] program in 1981. In mid-1983, Continental relocated its headquarters to Texas International's base in Houston, Texas, which resulted in a large expansion of its hub at [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport|Houston Intercontinental Airport]] and extensive new routes to Mexico and the south central U.S.<ref name="Scott" />

[[File:AmericaTowerHoustonTX.JPG|thumb|The [[American General Center|America Tower]] in [[Neartown, Houston|Neartown Houston]], Continental's headquarters from 1983 to 1998]]
Even with the cost reductions from the pilots in 1982, Continental faced a major competitive threat in 1983 when American Airlines was able to implement two-tier wage structures with its unions.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Salpukas|first=Agis|date=October 30, 1985|title=The Two-Tier Wage Impact|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/30/business/the-two-tier-wage-impact.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/30/business/the-two-tier-wage-impact.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Jansonius|first=John|date=1984|title=Coping with Deregulation: Reduction of Labor Costs in the Airline Industry|url=https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2409&context=jalc|journal=Journal of Air Law and Commerce|volume=49|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=September 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924093801/https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2409&context=jalc|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Feaver|first=Douglas|date=December 4, 1983|title=Crandall 'Plays for Keeps'|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1983/12/04/crandall-plays-for-keeps/d985ba1f-e1ed-4b43-81be-4c3f9fcd95be/|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828094933/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1983/12/04/crandall-plays-for-keeps/d985ba1f-e1ed-4b43-81be-4c3f9fcd95be/|url-status=live}}</ref> American planned massive, rapid growth through new hires at starting pay 50 percent lower than existing contracts and equitable with low-cost, startup carriers and well below Continental's pay rates. American was already one of Continental's main competitors, operating a larger hub 250 miles north of Continental's southern hub in Houston and the growth that was funded by the lower pay rates was larger than all of Continental at the time.

In 1983, Continental went to its unions to restructure labor costs to compete with the startup carriers and American's Plan B labor costs. After 19 months of negotiations, the International Association of Mechanics and Aerospace Workers went on strike in August 1983, even though the company was offering 20 percent pay raises in return for substantial productivity improvements.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 14, 1983|title=Continental Pilots Refuse to Back Strike By Airline Mechanics|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/08/15/continental-pilots-refuse-to-back-strike-by-airline-mechanics/4dbc0edd-948b-4bd4-b2b8-ab1cf499a953/|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=September 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917100813/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/08/15/continental-pilots-refuse-to-back-strike-by-airline-mechanics/4dbc0edd-948b-4bd4-b2b8-ab1cf499a953/|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental was able to operate through the strike because many mechanics crossed picket lines and Continental hired new mechanics.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1983-08-13|title=Machinists Union Strikes Continental Airlines; Carrier to Keep Operating|work=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> The company continued to negotiate with the pilots and flight attendants and management gave a final proposal to its pilots in mid-September, which would have provided ownership by the pilots and other employees of 35 percent of the company's stock in return for meaningful wage and productivity changes.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 15, 1983|title=Continental Offers a Stock Plan|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/15/business/continental-offers-a-stock-plan.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/15/business/continental-offers-a-stock-plan.html|url-status=live}}</ref> With no agreement, Continental filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 24, 1983, and shut down for three days.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Feaver|first=Douglas|date=September 25, 1983|title=Continental Airlines Files for Bankruptcy|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/09/25/continental-airlines-files-for-bankruptcy/f5feff3b-7eab-498c-9cdb-f8aaf9689c61/|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=August 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170828083258/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/09/25/continental-airlines-files-for-bankruptcy/f5feff3b-7eab-498c-9cdb-f8aaf9689c61/|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental was the first airline to file for bankruptcy with a plan to continue operating as it did continuously starting September 27, 1983.

Airline unions fought Continental at every step. On October 1, 1983, the pilots and flight attendants joined the IAM, which was still on strike. When Continental resumed service three days after filing Chapter 11, it initially served 25 cities versus the more than 70 cities previously. In the initial stages of bankruptcy, with no legal agreement that would allow travel agents to book flights, passengers could only book directly with the airline. And, with no credit card agreements, Continental could only accept cash for travel. Continental began offering flights for only $49 for each nonstop segment, raising it later to $75 on any segment. In the federal courts, the unions unsuccessfully sued to stop the company's reorganization. They were later successful in working to persuade Congress to pass a new bankruptcy law preventing bankrupt companies from terminating contracts as Continental had successfully done, but the law was too late to affect Continental.<ref name="Buckley">{{Cite journal|last1=Buckley|first1=William F. Jr.|last2=Lorenzo|first2=Frank|date=September 17, 1990|journal=National Review|volume=5}}</ref><ref name="Delaney">{{Cite book|last=Delaney|first=Kevin J.|title=Strategic Bankruptcy: How Corporations and Creditors Use Chapter 11 to Their Advantage|isbn=0-520-07359-2|publisher=University of California Press|year=1999|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/strategicbankrup00kevi_0}}</ref>  Chapter 11 saved the company from liquidation, but required substantial reorganization, which began immediately. Following bankruptcy, Continental was freed of its contractual obligations and imposed a series of new labor agreements on its union workers, sharply reducing the airline's labor costs.<ref>Moss Kanter, Rosabeth, ''Confidence – How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End'' ({{ISBN|1-4000-5290-4}}), Crown Business, 2004</ref> Continental's senior management also reduced their salaries to those of the pilots.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 30, 1983|title=Continental vows to stay in air despite strike|work=Houston Post}}</ref> The pilot strike was ultimately unsuccessful due to Continental pilots and new hires who crossed the picket line, and customers who voted with their pocketbook.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/27/us/continental-s-pilots-suspend-picketing-but-continue-strike.html Continental's Pilots Suspend Picketing but Continue Strike] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229005206/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/27/us/continental-s-pilots-suspend-picketing-but-continue-strike.html |date=December 29, 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''. September 27, 1985.</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Nichols|first=Bruce|date=October 1, 1983|title=Continental Pilots defied a union strike order today|work=United Press International|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/10/01/Continental-Airlines-pilots-defied-a-union-strike-order-today/3594433828800/|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=September 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916170559/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/10/01/Continental-Airlines-pilots-defied-a-union-strike-order-today/3594433828800/|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental became vastly more competitive with the new airline startups then emerging and thriving in the southwestern U.S. By the end of 1984, Continental had grown back to be a larger airline than pre-bankruptcy and that year recorded a $50&nbsp;million profit.<ref>{{Cite news|date=February 5, 1985|title=Continental Earns $50.3 Million|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-05-fi-5080-story.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-05-fi-5080-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Salpukas|first=Agis|date=December 30, 1984|title=Continental's Chief: Frank Lorenzo; a Turnaround Artist for an Ailing Airline|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/30/business/continental-s-chief-frank-lorenzo-a-turnaround-artist-for-an-ailing-airline.html|access-date=September 13, 2020|archive-date=September 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910000209/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/30/business/continental-s-chief-frank-lorenzo-a-turnaround-artist-for-an-ailing-airline.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental was the first airline to largely gradually replace a pilot workforce and the working pilots ultimately voted the union out.

On April 28, 1985, Continental inaugurated its first scheduled service to Europe with flights from Houston to London/Gatwick. Additional service from Newark to London and Paris started after the airline's merger with PeopleExpress Airlines in 1987. With that merger came significant customer service issues, especially in the Northeast, for a period of time. In October 1985, Texas Air Corp. made an offer for a Denver-based regional carrier, [[Frontier Airlines (1950–1986)|Frontier Airlines]], opening a bidding war with [[People Express|PeopleExpress]], which was headed by Lorenzo's former Texas International associate [[Don Burr]]. PeopleExpress paid a substantial premium for Frontier's high-cost operation. The acquisition, funded by debt, did not seem rational to industry observers from either the route integration or the operating philosophy points of view.<ref name="Scott" /><ref name="Delaney" /> On August 24, 1986, Frontier filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations. With PeopleExpress losing money, Texas Air announced the acquisition of PeopleExpress on September 15, 1986, at the same time gaining Frontier, whose strong network in the Great Plains and intermountain West reinforced Continental's already formidable Denver hub. The PeopleExpress acquisition also provided the option to acquire Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport and allow Continental to build a formidable hub in the New York market.

With a reorganization plan that repaid creditors 100 percent, Continental emerged from bankruptcy on June 30, 1986,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rendon|first=Ruth|date=June 30, 1986|title=Judge Approves Plan Bringing Continental Out of Bankruptcy|work=Associated Press News|url=https://apnews.com/4fc300a943df4554aed441d52887754d#:~:text=HOUSTON%20(AP)%20_%20A%20federal,bankruptcy%20protection%20in%2060%20days.&text=Continental%20filed%20for%20reorganization%20under,U.S.%20Bankruptcy%20Code%20on%20Sept.|access-date=September 14, 2020|archive-date=September 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928024731/https://apnews.com/4fc300a943df4554aed441d52887754d#:~:text=HOUSTON%20(AP)%20_%20A%20federal,bankruptcy%20protection%20in%2060%20days.&text=Continental%20filed%20for%20reorganization%20under,U.S.%20Bankruptcy%20Code%20on%20Sept.|url-status=live}}</ref> with improved asset and cash flow positions and a more competitive route structure with routes radiating to every large U.S. city from major hubs at Denver and Houston.<ref name="Scott" /><ref name="Delaney" /> Continental also began developing its Midwest hub at [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport]] in 1986, just as United Airlines began to transfer its Cleveland hub operations to [[Washington Dulles International Airport]] in Fairfax County, Virginia. In October 1986, [[American Airlines]] senior vice president [[Thomas G. Plaskett]] became the president and CEO of Continental Airlines.<ref>{{cite news|title=AMR's American Air Names 2 Executives To Succeed Plaskett|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=November 12, 1986}}</ref> On February 1, 1987, [[People Express]], [[Frontier Airlines (1950–1986)|Frontier]], [[New York Air]], and several commuter carriers were merged into Continental Airlines to create the  sixth largest airline in the world and became the largest low-fare airline by introducing the industry's first non-refundable airfares, initially called MaxSavers. The mergers and the aggressive marketing led to Continental becoming an even larger player in the northeastern markets.<ref name="Scott" /> In July 1987, Plaskett resigned and Lorenzo returned to the position of CEO.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/22/business/chief-at-continental-yields-to-lorenzo.html |last=Hayes |first=Thomas C |date=July 22, 1987 |title=Chief at Continental Yields to Lorenzo |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 14, 2020 |archive-date=April 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/22/business/chief-at-continental-yields-to-lorenzo.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 1987 saw the creation of Continental's OnePass frequent flier program (jointly with [[Eastern Airlines]]); and, in 1988, Continental formed its first strategic partnership (and the first international [[airline alliance]] of its kind) with [[Scandinavian Airlines|Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)]].<ref name="Scott" /> Continental also made a major image change with a blue and gray livery and the "globe" logo that was adopted by the post-merger United Airlines.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|date=April 1, 1991|title=Article: Strategy, not failure. (Continental Airlines' bankruptcy) (editorial) &#124; AccessMyLibrary – Promoting library advocacy|publisher=AccessMyLibrary|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5469475_ITM|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=March 7, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307204810/http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5469475_ITM|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Aubrey|date=August 11, 2010|title=Continental and United update post-merger logo, livery|newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/2010/08/11/continental-and-united-update-post-merger-logo-livery/|access-date=July 2, 2011|archive-date=December 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190552/http://blog.seattlepi.com/aerospace/2010/08/11/continental-and-united-update-post-merger-logo-livery/|url-status=live}}</ref> The airline also eliminated first class service—and only the second global carrier to take that action—giving business class passengers the same first class seats, a service change later to be marketed as Business First.

===1990s===
[[File:Continentalarena002.jpg|thumb|Continental's reemergence from its second bankruptcy was signaled by its taking on the naming rights to the [[Meadowlands Arena|arena]] in the [[Meadowlands Sports Complex]], which is located near its New Jersey hub, in 1996. It held these rights until 2007.]]

On August 3, 1990, [[Scandinavian Airlines System|Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)]] and Texas Air announced that Jet Capital Corporation, which owned controlling interest in Texas Air, was selling its interest to SAS. Under the agreements, Lorenzo would be leaving the active management of the airline as CEO for the first time in 18 years and would remain on the board of directors for two further years. At the same time, [[Hollis L. Harris|Hollis Harris]], formerly President of Delta Air Lines, was named chairman and chief executive officer.
[[File:Continental Airlines DC-10.jpg|thumb|left|A Continental [[Douglas DC-10]]. The type was retired in 2001. ]]
On December 3, 1990,  due to the 1990 [[Iraqi invasion of Kuwait]] and the resultant [[Gulf War]], which had prompted a dramatic increase in the price of jet fuel, Continental filed for bankruptcy. In mid-1991 Harris was replaced as CEO by Robert Ferguson, who had been a Texas Air executive.<ref>{{Cite news|date=October 27, 1994|title=Ferguson Leaves Helm of Revamped Continental Airlines|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-27-fi-55068-story.html|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=September 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918034304/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-27-fi-55068-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 1992, Continental accepted a $450 million buyout offer from an investor group composed of Air Partners, an investor from Texas led by Texas Pacific Group, and Air Canada. Under the arrangements, Air Canada would have 24 percent of the voting stock, while Air Partners would hold 41 percent of voting interest in the reorganized Continental.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sanchez|first=Jesus|date=November 10, 1992|title=Continental Accepts $450-Million Buyout Bid : Airlines: The offer by Air Canada and Texas-based Air Partners is expected to allow the beleaguered carrier to emerge from bankruptcy court early next year.|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-10-fi-96-story.html|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210923054948/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-10-fi-96-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental emerged from bankruptcy in April 1993.<ref>{{Cite news|date=April 27, 1993|title=Continental Airlines to emerge Wednesday from Chapter 11|work=United Press International|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/04/27/Continental-Airlines-to-emerge-Wednesday-from-Chapter-11/3460735883200/#:~:text=HOUSTON%2C%20Texas%20%2D%2D%20Continental%20Airlines,Chapter%2011%20after%2029%20months.&text=A%20%24450%20million%20cash%20investment,cornerstone%20of%20Continental's%20reorganization%20plan.|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219233159/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/04/27/Continental-Airlines-to-emerge-Wednesday-from-Chapter-11/3460735883200/#:~:text=HOUSTON%2C%20Texas%20%2D%2D%20Continental%20Airlines,Chapter%2011%20after%2029%20months.&text=A%20%24450%20million%20cash%20investment,cornerstone%20of%20Continental's%20reorganization%20plan.|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Continental b777-200 n69020 arp.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200ER]] in April 2008.]]

In March 1993, the airline cancelled its services to nine U.S. destinations and six non-U.S. destinations, including all 24 weekly services between the United States and Australia and New Zealand in addition to its flights between Guam and Australia, effective October 31 of that year.<ref>Warwick, Graham. "[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1993/1993%20-%202069.html?search=Continental Continental cuts its costs after losses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190508/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1993/1993%20-%202069.html?search=Continental |date=December 16, 2013}}." ''[[Flight International]]''. August 25–31, 1993. p 12.</ref> In 1994, Continental substantially reduced its jet services in Denver and terminated all turboprop operations, which had been unprofitable, reducing Denver from being a hub to a spoke city.<ref>Annual Report 1994</ref>

Between 1993 and 1995, Continental experimented with an "airline within an airline" by launching ''CALite'', later renamed ''[[Continental Lite]]'', which provided all-economy, low-fare, no-frills service between primarily leisure destinations.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bryant|first=Adam|date=June 2, 1994|title=Now, Come Fly the Frenzied Skies|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/12/business/now-come-fly-the-frenzied-skies.html|access-date=September 15, 2020|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421205912/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/06/12/business/now-come-fly-the-frenzied-skies.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental Lite operated with a dedicated fleet of 100 [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30]], [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-300]], and [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-500]] aircraft, each repainted with the 'Lite' livery and stripped of its first class cabin. The service was based primarily at Continental's existing hub in [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport|Cleveland]] as well as a new hub established in [[Piedmont Triad International Airport|Greensboro, North Carolina]]. The experiment proved unsuccessful and was dissolved in 1995. Continental's short-lived [[Piedmont Triad International Airport|Greensboro]] hub was dismantled in the process.<ref>"Continental Airlines Flies onto the Internet" PR Newswire. March 26, 1996.</ref> During this time period Continental was the subject of hostile takeover bids submitted by Delta Air Lines and [[Northwest Airlines]].
[[File:Boeing 757-224, Continental Airlines AN1570886.jpg|thumb|left|[[Boeing 757|Boeing 757-200]] in 1991–2010 livery in August 2009.]]
Former Boeing executive [[Gordon Bethune]] became president and CEO in October 1994 and was elected chairman of the board of directors in 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22519369.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104023934/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22519369.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 4, 2012|title=Continental CEO is Now Chairman, too |work=The Record (Bergen County, New Jersey)|date=October 2, 1996|access-date=}}</ref> Continental went from being ranked last in most performance categories to winning more J.D. Power and Associates awards for Customer Satisfaction than any other airline. ''BusinessWeek'' magazine named Bethune one of the top 25 Global Managers in 1996 and 1997. Under his leadership Continental's stock price rose from $2 to over $50 per share. ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' named Continental among the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for six consecutive years. In his final year piloting the airline ''Fortune'' magazine ranked Continental 2004's No.&nbsp;1 Most Admired Global Airline, a title it earned again in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. While at Continental, Bethune created the Go-Forward plan, to fix problems with the airline, which included employee morale, the quality of the product, and the route structure, among others. Bethune began by ordering new aircraft in an effort to convert to an all-Boeing fleet.

Beginning in 1998, Continental again embarked on a program to expand its international operations. It inaugurated services to Ireland and Scotland, and in October 1998 the airline received its first [[Boeing 777-200ER]] aircraft, allowing [[nonstop flight]]s from Newark and Houston to [[Narita International Airport|Tokyo–Narita]], and from Newark to [[Ben Gurion International Airport|Tel Aviv, Israel]]. Continental in the same year launched partnerships with [[Northwest Airlines]], [[Copa Airlines]], [[Avant Airlines]], [[Transbrasil]], and [[Cape Air]], and Continental and [[America West Airlines]] became the first two US airlines to launch interline electronic ticketing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1991-2000.aspx|title=Continental Airlines Expands|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301215711/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1991-2000.aspx |archive-date=March 1, 2012}}</ref> In 1999, Continental Airlines started service between Newark and Zurich, Switzerland, and from Cleveland to London.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=%2Fweb%2Fen-US%2Fcontent%2Fcompany%2Fnews%2Frelease%2F1998-10-13-02.html Continental Airlines Expands Flycontinental.com Service]{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}." Continental Airlines. October 13, 1998. Retrieved on October 1, 2010.</ref>

===2000s===
[[File:Peter Max - IAH.jpg|thumb|left|[[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200ER]] "[[Peter Max]]" (the colorful aircraft) at [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] in [[Houston]], Texas (December 2006). [[Downtown Houston]] is visible in the background. The livery was removed in the winter of 2007–2008]]
On March 1, 2001, Continental launched a nonstop service from Newark to [[Hong Kong International Airport|Hong Kong]], operating over the North circumpolar route. It was the first nonstop long-haul route for any airline with flying duration exceeding 16 hours. The service initiated a brief dispute between Continental, United Airlines and [[Cathay Pacific]] over rights to nonstop flights between Hong Kong and New York.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/30/opinion/from-newark-over-the-north-pole.html|work=The New York Times|title=From Newark Over the North Pole|date=March 30, 2001|access-date=April 30, 2010|archive-date=April 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414081928/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/30/opinion/from-newark-over-the-north-pole.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On September 13, 2004, Continental entered the [[SkyTeam]] alliance along with Northwest/KLM and CSA.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2004/09/13/daily3.html|title=Continental joins SkyTeam Alliance – Houston Business Journal|publisher=Houston.bizjournals.com|date=September 13, 2004|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=December 22, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041222144342/http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2004/09/13/daily3.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2005, Continental expanded service from Newark to Beijing after being awarded the China route. Among U.S. airlines, only Delta (with its extensive network of legacy routes dating from Delta's acquisition of Pan American's European network) served more European destinations than Continental.
[[File:United Airlines (Continental Blue Skyway livery) Boeing 737-924(ER) N75436.jpg|thumb|right|To commemorate Continental's 75th Anniversary, a Boeing 737-900ER aircraft registered N75436 was painted with Continental's 1947 "Blue Skyways" livery when it was delivered in June 2009. [[United Airlines]] continues to fly this retro livery on a different Boeing 737-900ER, registered N75435.]]
In October 2005, service to Asia was expanded as Continental introduced daily nonstop service between Newark and [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|New Delhi]], India. The success of this Newark-New Delhi route presaged establishment of a second gateway in India with the announcement of daily nonstop service to [[Mumbai]]. With the establishment of Mumbai service, Continental offered the most nonstop flights by any carrier from the United States to India.<ref>{{cite web|author=smh|url=http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news05/64-Delhi.shtml|title=Continental Airlines to launch non-stop Flights between New York and New Delhi|publisher=Asiatraveltips.com|date=October 31, 2005|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=March 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305042209/http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news05/64-Delhi.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> By May 2006, the carrier's passenger traffic surpassed that of [[Northwest Airlines]], and Continental became the fourth-largest U.S. carrier.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2006-05-30-nwa-no5_x.htm|work=USA Today|agency=Detroit Free Press|title=Trimmer Northwest now flies as No. 5|first=Jewel|last=Gopwani|date=May 30, 2006|access-date=April 30, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628021705/https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2006-05-30-nwa-no5_x.htm|archive-date=June 28, 2006}}</ref> ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported on December 12, 2007, that Continental was in merger discussions with United Airlines. Of issue would be Continental's [[golden share]] held by Northwest Airlines and the divestiture of Continental's Guamanian hub. A deal was not "certain or imminent", with the talks being of a preliminary nature.<ref name="wsj_20061213_co_ua_fl_yx">{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116597376254248407|title=UAL, Continental Discuss Merger As AirTran Presses Bid for Midwest|last1=Carey|first1= S.|last2= Trottman|first2= M.|last3= Berman|first3= D. K.|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=December 13, 2006|access-date=August 3, 2017|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202042341/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116597376254248407|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author1=Andrew Ross Sorkin |author2=Jeff Bailey |title=United and Continental Discussing Possible Merger |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/business/12cnd-air.html?hp&ex=1165986000&en=ac06dd7e47ab6102&ei=5094&partner=homepage |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 12, 2006 |access-date=February 6, 2017 |archive-date=August 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814091332/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/12/business/12cnd-air.html?hp&ex=1165986000&en=ac06dd7e47ab6102&ei=5094&partner=homepage |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2008, at the height of oil prices, Northwest announced a merger with Delta Air Lines. This allowed Continental to buy back the golden share from Northwest Airlines, which it did.<ref name="nyt_20080417">{{cite news|url=http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/continental-buys-back-golden-share-from-northwest/|title=Continental Buys Back Golden Share From Northwest|author=Maynard, Micheline|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422032459/http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/continental-buys-back-golden-share-from-northwest/|archive-date=April 22, 2008}}</ref> Continental then renewed merger talks with United Airlines, but broke them off again that same month.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28air.html|work=The New York Times|title=Continental Abandons Merger Talks With United|date=April 28, 2008|access-date=April 30, 2010|archive-date=May 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501015657/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28air.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2008, Continental Airlines sold its remaining 4.38&nbsp;million share investment in Panamanian [[flag carrier]] [[Copa Airlines|Copa]] for $35.75 a share, netting proceeds of $149.8&nbsp;million. Continental had been a principal shareholder in Copa.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/05/21/afx5035184.html |title=Copa says Continental Airlines sold remaining stake in company |work=Forbes |date=May 21, 2008 |access-date=May 31, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002022741/http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/05/21/afx5035184.html |archive-date=October 2, 2008}}</ref> In June 2008, due to national and international economic conditions, Continental cut 3,000 jobs and the CEO and president had reduced salaries for the remainder of the year. The airline also reduced capacity and eliminated 67 mainline aircraft from its fleet by the end of 2009, retiring all of Continental's 737-300s and all but 35 of its 737-500s.<ref>{{Cite news|author1=DAVID KOENIG|url=http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jun06/0,4670,AirlinesCutbacks,00.html|title=Continental Airlines to cut 3,000 jobs, capacity|publisher=[[Fox News]]|agency=Associated Press|date=June 6, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=August 11, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811162841/http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jun06/0,4670,AirlinesCutbacks,00.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental also announced that it planned to withdraw from SkyTeam and would join [[Star Alliance]] in order to cooperate more extensively with United Airlines and other Star Alliance airlines. The new Continental-United relationship was characterized as a "virtual merger" in some circles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/06/continental_united_agree_to_li.html|title=Continental, United agree to link airline networks &#124; cleveland.com|date=June 19, 2008|publisher=Blog.cleveland.com|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=March 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315223238/http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2008/06/continental_united_agree_to_li.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2008, Continental announced that it would commence providing seasonal non-stop service between Houston and [[Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport|Rio de Janeiro]]. The new nonstop flight was timed to provide roundtrip flight connections at Continental's Houston hub to more than 160 cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Central America, Europe, and Asia.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/09/08/daily9.html|title=New Continental flight to connect Houston, Rio de Janeiro – Houston Business Journal|publisher=Bizjournals.com|date=September 8, 2008|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=December 25, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101225132850/http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/09/08/daily9.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental renewed its lease for around {{convert|450000|sqft|sqm}} in [[Continental Center I]].<ref name="houston.bizjournals.com">{{cite news|author=Dawson, Jennifer|url=http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/09/22/story2.html|title=Continental renews lease, decides to stay downtown|work=[[Houston Business Journal]]|date=September 19, 2008|access-date=November 11, 2009|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816145437/http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2008/09/22/story2.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental announced that its fourth quarter 2008 net loss widened to $266&nbsp;million on costs for pilot retirement and reducing the value of its fuel hedges.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news|title=Continental, USAir bring U.S. airline losses to $1.35&nbsp;billion|date=January 29, 2009|agency=Bloomberg|access-date=March 6, 2017|archive-date=July 5, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705135704/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2009, Continental became the first commercial carrier to successfully demonstrate the use of sustainable biofuel to power an aircraft in North America. During the demonstration flight, Continental's test pilots successfully conducted a number of flight maneuvers, and the biofuel met all performance requirements as compared with traditional jet fuel. The biofuel blend included components derived from algae and [[jatropha]] plants, both sustainable, second-generation sources that do not impact food crops or water resources or contribute to deforestation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://journalstar.com/business/continental-airlines-tests-biofuel-in-flight/article_b8c06b64-b83c-536a-8c4b-9303d57feed5.html|title=Continental Airlines tests biofuel in flight|first=PETER PAE/Los Angeles|last=Times|website=JournalStar.com|date=January 11, 2009|access-date=April 18, 2023|archive-date=April 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418080926/https://journalstar.com/business/continental-airlines-tests-biofuel-in-flight/article_b8c06b64-b83c-536a-8c4b-9303d57feed5.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2009, Continental became the first U.S. carrier to inaugurate scheduled service between New York and [[Shanghai Pudong International Airport|Shanghai]], China, with daily nonstop flights from Newark.<ref>{{cite web|author=Matt Rainey/The Star-Ledger|url=http://www.nj.com/newark/index.ssf/2009/03/continentals_shanghai_express.html|title=Continental's Shanghai express takes off &#124; Newark Live|publisher=NJ.com|date=March 26, 2009|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=October 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011072853/http://www.nj.com/newark/index.ssf/2009/03/continentals_shanghai_express.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Boeing 737-924 N71411 Continental Airlines.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Boeing 737|Continental Boeing 737-900 (N71411) after takeoff at [[Los Angeles International Airport]] in January 2007.]]
In June 2009, Continental Airlines took delivery of another new Boeing 737-900ER, which was painted with a retro livery to commemorate the airline's 75th anniversary. The livery, which was originally used on aircraft beginning in 1947 and is called The Blue Skyway, was selected by Continental employees. Continental flew the aircraft to its three hubs for anniversary celebration events for employees and retirees. Post-merger, United maintained the livery, but on a different 737-900ER than the aircraft originally carrying it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/24/328787/pictures-continental-goes-retro-with-blue-skyway-livery-on.html|title=PICTURES: Continental goes retro with 'Blue Skyway' livery on 737-900|work=Flight International|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=June 27, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627112134/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/06/24/328787/pictures-continental-goes-retro-with-blue-skyway-livery-on.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2009 Continental began to offer [[DirecTV]], giving customers the choice of 95 channels of live television programming, more channels than any other carrier.<ref>{{cite web|author=Plain Dealer file|url=http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/07/continental_2.html|title=Continental to offer DirectTV for $6 in economy, free in first class &#124; Business|date=July 15, 2009|publisher=cleveland.com|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=May 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100524090539/http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2009/07/continental_2.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental also launched Virtual Expert technology on their website at continental.com, offering customers 24-hour support on the Web for all their travel needs. Continental was the first airline to use this technology.<ref>{{citation |url=|title=Continental Airlines Revolutionizes Customer Support With Online Virtual Expert. – PR Newswire |date=July 30, 2009|access-date=}}</ref>

On January 1, 2010, Jeff Smisek, former president and COO, became the CEO of Continental Airlines.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Esterl|first=Mike|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704876804574628262355343196|title=Smisek Takes the Controls at Continental|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 31, 2009|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=October 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016172854/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704876804574628262355343196|url-status=live}}</ref>
Continental also planned to start seasonal nonstop service between [[Portland International Airport|Portland International Airport (PDX)]] and [[Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport|Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC)]], putting Continental in direct competition with former partner [[Alaska Airlines]]. The route was scheduled to start on June 10, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=PRNEWS|title=Continental Airlines|publisher=Continental.com|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115081015/http://www.continental.com/web/en-Us/apps/vendors/default.aspx?SID=D9CBC510F95442CAB68EB8CA289B7BEF&i=PRNEWS|archive-date=January 15, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> On February 16, Continental, along with its wholly owned subsidiary [[Continental Micronesia]], announced that it applied for nonstop flights to [[Haneda Airport|Tokyo-Haneda]] as part of an open-skies agreement between the US and Japan. Continental planned to begin services to Tokyo-Haneda from its New York/Newark hub in late October 2010, and Continental Micronesia planned to start service to Haneda Airport from its Guam hub.{{citation needed|date=June 2018|reason=dead link before}} However, Haneda slots were awarded to American, Delta, and Hawaiian Airlines instead. Continental Airlines became the first airline to launch a mobile boarding pass service to London's Heathrow. The service allowed customers to receive boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones or PDAs.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacificNews/Detail.aspx?Section=17991 |title=Continental launch paperless boarding passes at Heathrow |date=February 25, 2010 |publisher=Travel Daily |access-date=February 25, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203103421/http://traveldaily.co.uk/AsiaPacificNews/Detail.aspx?Section=17991 |archive-date=December 3, 2010 |df=mdy}}</ref> Continental Airlines left the [[SkyTeam]] alliance on October 24, 2009, and joined [[Star Alliance]] on October 27, 2009.<ref name="StarOct">{{cite web |url=http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/continental-to-leave-skyteam-in-october |title=Continental to leave Skyteam in October |publisher=Businesstraveller.com |date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062021/http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/continental-to-leave-skyteam-in-october |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Merger with United Airlines (2010)====
[[File:EM N71411 (5563088923).jpg|thumb|left|The same Boeing 737-900 (N71411) at [[McCarran International Airport]] in March 2011. The new [[Aircraft livery|livery]] after the merger between United and Continental in 2010 retains the Continental brand theme, but with the ''Continental'' replaced by ''United''. 2011 was the first full year (second year altogether) with the post-merger combination of the two carriers.]]
In February 2008, [[United Airlines]] and Continental Airlines began the advanced stages of merger talks and were expected to announce their decision in the immediate aftermath of a definitive merger agreement between rival [[Delta Air Lines]] and [[Northwest Airlines]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-fri_airlinesfeb15,0,3837947.story |title=United stands ready to merge |publisher=Chicagotribune.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416232532/http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-fri_airlinesfeb15%2C0%2C3837947.story |archive-date=April 16, 2008}}</ref> The timing of the events was notable because Northwest's golden shares in Continental (that gave Northwest veto authority against any merger involving Continental) could be redeemed, freeing Continental to pursue a marriage with United. On April 27, 2008, Continental broke off merger negotiations with United and stated it was going to stand alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28air.html|work=The New York Times|title=Continental Abandons Merger Talks With United|date=April 28, 2008|access-date=May 26, 2010|archive-date=May 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501015657/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/28air.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite ending merger talks, Continental announced that it would join United in the Star Alliance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/news/alliance.aspx |title=Continental Airlines |publisher=Continental.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628014304/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/news/alliance.aspx |archive-date=June 28, 2008 |df=mdy}}</ref>

United and [[US Airways]] were in advanced merger talks in late April 2008, following the announcement that Continental had broken off talks with United.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-united-usair-merger-idINN2830615720080428 UAL, USAir in "very advanced" merger talks: sources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200110180134/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-united-usair-merger-idINN2830615720080428 |date=January 10, 2020 }}, Reuters, April 28, 2008. Retrieved July 2, 2011.</ref> In June 2008, the CEOs of both United and Continental signed an alliance pact that led to their eventual merger. The alliance was an agreement to link international networks and share technology and passenger perks. This agreement was termed a "virtual merger" as it included many of the benefits of a merger without the actual costs and restructuring involved. The alliance took effect about a year after [[Delta Air Lines]] and [[Northwest Airlines]] completed their merger, as that released Continental from the SkyTeam contract and allowed for the required nine-month notice. Additionally, Continental joined the Star Alliance, as Delta and Northwest merged.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-fri-united-alliance-uaua-caljun20,0,3619794.story|title=United, Continental join forces|author=Johnsson, Julie|work=Chicago Tribune|date=June 20, 2008|access-date=June 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080702025202/http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-fri-united-alliance-uaua-caljun20,0,3619794.story|archive-date=July 2, 2008|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

United was reported to be in serious merger discussion with US Airways in early April 2010. A ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' report indicated that a deal was close. Union consent was cited as a major hurdle for negotiators to clear.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/united-and-us-airways-hold-merger-talks/?ref=business|title=United and US Airways Said to be in Merger Talks|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 7, 2010|access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref> On April 22, 2010, United announced that it would not pursue a merger with [[US Airways]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Reed|first=Dan|url=https://www.usatoday.com/MONEY/usaedition/2010-04-22-us-airways-ends-merger-talks-united-airlines_NU.htm?csp=34|title=Irked US Airways ends merger talks with United|work=USA Today|date=April 22, 2010|access-date=May 3, 2010}}</ref>

On May 2, 2010, the boards of directors at Continental and United approved a stock-swap deal that would combine them into the world's largest airline in [[revenue passenger mile]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/business/2010/05/united_airlines_board_said_to.html |title=Continental, United expected to announce merger on Monday |website=cleveland.com |publisher=Cleveland |author=Allison Grant |date=May 3, 2010 |access-date=October 8, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2010/05/02/sources-say-united-continental-have-agreed-to-merge/ |title=Sources say United, Continental have agreed to merge |website=denverpost.com |publisher=Denver Post |author=Joey Bunch |date=May 2, 2010 |access-date=October 10, 2025}}</ref> The new airline would take on United's name, Continental's globe logo and be based in United's hometown of Chicago. The new United would be run by Continental's CEO, [[Jeff Smisek]], along with United's CEO, Glenn Tilton, serving as non-executive chairman of the board. The deal received approval from US and European regulators in the summer of 2010. On August 11, 2010, Continental and United revealed a new logo that would be used.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=PRNEWS |title=New Visual Brand Identity for the New United Airlines |publisher=Continental.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115081015/http://www.continental.com/web/en-Us/apps/vendors/default.aspx?SID=D9CBC510F95442CAB68EB8CA289B7BEF&i=PRNEWS |archive-date=January 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The shareholders of both airlines approved the deal on September 17, 2010.<ref name="reuters approve">{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ual-continental-idUSTRE68G3VM20100917|title=UAL and Continental shareholders approve deal|last=Peterson|first=Kyle|date=September 17, 2010|work=Reuters|access-date=July 2, 2011|archive-date=April 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402103725/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ual-continental-idUSTRE68G3VM20100917|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/business/2010/08/continental_gives_up_newark_sl.html |title= Department of Justice clears way for merger of Continental Airlines and United Airlines |website=cleveland.com |publisher=Cleveland |author=AllisonGrant |date=August 27, 2010 |access-date=October 8, 2025}}</ref> Both airlines had been reporting losses in the recession and expected the merger to generate savings of more than {{Nowrap|$1 billion}} a year.<ref name=BBCmerger>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10095080.stm|title=United and Continental Airlines to merge|date=May 3, 2010|agency=BBC News|access-date=May 3, 2010|archive-date=May 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504225337/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/10095080.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines completed the planned merger and changed the name to United Continental Holdings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mightytravels.com/2024/10/how-united-airlines-2010-merger-with-continental-reshaped-modern-aviation-networks/ |title=How United Airlines' 2010 Merger with Continental Reshaped Modern Aviation Networks |website=mightytravels.com |publisher=Mighty Travels |author=Mighty Travels |date=October 24, 2024 |access-date=October 8, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/business/2010/10/united_continental_report_prof.html |title=Airlines reports strong third-quarter profits |website=cleveland.com |publisher=Cleveland |author=Allison Grant |date=October 21, 2010 |access-date=October 10, 2025}}</ref>

Although the two airlines remained separate until the operational integration was completed by early-2012, as of that day both airlines were corporately controlled by the same leadership. 

On December 22, 2010, Continental Airlines merged operating certificates with Continental Micronesia. All Continental Micronesia flights were then branded and operated by Continental Airlines.<ref>{{cite news|title=United-Continental Merger Clears Federal Hurdle|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/business/28air.html?ref=business|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 28, 2010|date=August 27, 2010|first=Jad|last=Mouawad|archive-date=December 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228230713/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/28/business/28air.html?ref=business|url-status=live}}</ref> Both carriers began merging their operations in 2011.<ref>[http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,1314,00.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112034128/http://www.united.com/page/article/0%2C6867%2C1314%2C00.html|date=January 12, 2012}}</ref> On March 22, 2011, UCH announced that they had plans to offer Wi-Fi Service on more than 200 domestic Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ir.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=83680&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1541660&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120712053335/http://ir.unitedcontinentalholdings.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=83680&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1541660&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 12, 2012 |title=United Continental Holdings, Inc. – Investor Relations – News |publisher=Ir.unitedcontinentalholdings.com |date=March 22, 2011 |access-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref> The airlines attained a single operating certificate from the FAA on November 30, 2011 as the carriers no longer operates as a separate airline. That day, all Continental flights began to use the "United" callsign in air traffic control communications which marked the end of Continental Airlines.<ref name="Freed">{{cite news|last=Freed|first=Joshua|title=Pilots: United gets single operating certificate|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKO6fjeCKz15xlm1HWkwRlJugk1Q?docId=d5ac50837647422bbd59e1dd6b72f779|agency=Associated Press}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Both carriers planned to begin merging operations in 2011 and were expected to receive a single operating certificate by 2012.<ref name="sfgate.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/09/19/BU7H1FGCIJ.DTL|work=The San Francisco Chronicle|title=United, Continental to merge operations in 2011|date=September 20, 2010|access-date=September 20, 2010|archive-date=September 19, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919100419/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2010%2F09%2F19%2FBU7H1FGCIJ.DTL|url-status=live}}</ref> Continental's [[air operator's certificate]] (AOC) was retained, while those of United and Continental Micronesia were surrendered.<ref>Flint, Perry. (2010-09-06) [http://atwonline.com/international-aviation-regulation/news/united-transition-continental-operating-certificate-part-merg United to transition to Continental operating certificate as part of merger] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929210710/http://atwonline.com/international-aviation-regulation/news/united-transition-continental-operating-certificate-part-merg |date=September 29, 2011 }}. ATW Online. Retrieved on December 16, 2010.</ref> On the other hand, United's maintenance certificate remained while Continental's did not.

On June 27, 2019, United changed its parent company name from United Continental Holdings to [[United Airlines Holdings]].<ref name="bloomberg.com" />

The new United is the [[world's largest airline]] in terms of fleet size. The combined airline houses a fleet of over 1,000 mainline aircraft that features a mixture of [[Airbus]] and [[Boeing]] aircraft: [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A319s]], [[Airbus A320 family|Airbus A320s]], [[Airbus A320neo family|Airbus A321neos]], [[Boeing 737]]s, [[Boeing 757]]s, [[Boeing 767]]s, [[Boeing 777]]s, and [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]]s with orders of [[Airbus A320neo family|Airbus A321XLRs]] and [[Airbus A350]]s.

At the time of the merger with United, Continental was the fourth-largest airline in the US based on passenger-miles flown and the fifth largest in total passengers carried. Continental operated flights to destinations throughout the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific regions. Principal operations were from its four hubs at [[Newark Liberty International Airport]], [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] ([[Houston]]), [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport]] and [[Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport]] in Guam. Initially, the only Continental hubs to be rebranded were [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport]] and Houston's [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.continental.com/CMS/en-US/travel/Pages/airportupdates.aspx |title=United Airlines - Airline Tickets, Vacations Packages, Travel Deals, and Company Information on united.com |publisher=Continental.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209062738/http://www.continental.com/CMS/en-US/travel/Pages/airportupdates.aspx |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The Newark hub began the rebranding process on October 19, 2011, with all United-operated ticket counters and gates rebranded in Phase One; Phase Two of rebranding at Newark began in early-2012 with Continental ticket counters and gates being rebranded.<ref name="Airline Spotlight: Continental Airlines">{{cite web|title=Airline Spotlight: Continental Airlines|url=http://www.flightnetwork.com/blog/airline-spotlight-continental-airlines/|website=Airline Spotlight: Continental Airlines|access-date=12 February 2015|archive-date=February 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212210902/http://www.flightnetwork.com/blog/airline-spotlight-continental-airlines/|url-status=live}}</ref> 

On March 3, 2012, Continental's passenger reservation system and frequent flyer program was merged into United. The last Continental Airlines flight taking off was "Continental Flight 1267", flying from Phoenix to Cleveland, and arriving into the latter as "United Flight 1267".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/west_university/news/two-mega-airlines-are-united-continental-is-no-more/article_9da2792f-6162-59c5-bedf-903f226d8ff8.html |title=Two mega-airlines are United: Continental is no more |publisher=Your Houston News |date=March 3, 2012 |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521085337/http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/west_university/news/two-mega-airlines-are-united-continental-is-no-more/article_9da2792f-6162-59c5-bedf-903f226d8ff8.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

United Airlines, Inc. merged into Continental Airlines, Inc., with Continental Airlines, Inc. being the surviving corporate entity and a wholly owned subsidiary of the UAL Corporation, on March 31, 2013. The name of Continental Airlines, Inc., was changed to United Airlines, Inc.<ref>"[http://biz.yahoo.com/e/130403/ual8-k.html Form 8-K for UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306033148/http://biz.yahoo.com/e/130403/ual8-k.html |date=March 6, 2014 }}" () [[Securities and Exchange Commission]]. April 3, 2013. "On March 31, 2013, United merged with and into Continental, with Continental continuing as the surviving corporation of the Merger and as a wholly owned subsidiary of UAL. Upon the closing of the Merger on March 31, 2013, Continental's name was changed to "United Airlines, Inc." (the "Survivor"). "</ref>

==Corporate identity==

===Branding===
[[File:Boeing 777-200 (United Airlines) (5161227064).jpg|thumb|right|[[United Airlines|United]] [[777-200ER]] in the (2010–2019) livery at [[Heathrow Airport|London–Heathrow]] in November 2010]]

The designer [[Saul Bass]] designed the Continental "Jet Stream" logo in the late 1960s. In the 1990s, the design agency [[Lippincott (brand consultancy)|Lippincott]] introduced the globe logo. Before it merged, Continental's livery consisted of a white fuselage, with the globe in blue and gold, and a gray underside. The combined [[United Airlines]] adopted the pre-merger Continental Airlines livery and logo following the 2010 merger.<ref>Mouawad, Jad. "On Jet Exteriors, a Parade of Vanilla." ''[[The New York Times]]''. December 23, 2011. [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/24/business/on-the-exterior-of-jetliners-a-parade-of-plain-vanilla.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ref=business 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229005701/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/24/business/on-the-exterior-of-jetliners-a-parade-of-plain-vanilla.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ref=business |date=December 29, 2016 }}. Retrieved on December 24, 2011.</ref>

===Slogans===
* Work Hard. Fly Right. (1998–2012)<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://adage.com/article/news/continental-campaign-work-hard-fly/22701/|title=New Continental campaign: 'Work hard. Fly right'|access-date=2018-05-14|language=en|archive-date=May 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515043904/http://adage.com/article/news/continental-campaign-work-hard-fly/22701/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* More Airline for Your Money (mid-1990s)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calmemories.com/The%20Advertising.html |title=The Ads |publisher=Calmemories.com |access-date=2012-10-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628071012/http://www.calmemories.com/The%20Advertising.html |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |df=mdy}}</ref>
* One Airline Can Make a Difference (early 1990s – introduced with the "Globe" livery)
* Working to Be Your Choice (1989)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.departedflights.com/COhotspots.html |title=COhotspots |publisher=Departedflights.com |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-date=July 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718112607/http://www.departedflights.com/COhotspots.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Up Where You Belong (1987) <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.departedflights.com/COimproveparadise.html |title=COimproveparadise |publisher=Departedflights.com |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-date=July 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718152818/http://www.departedflights.com/COimproveparadise.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* The Only Airline Worth Flying (1985)
* We Really Move Our Tail for You (1975–1979)
* If You Can't Fly Continental, Try to Have a Nice Trip Anyway (1970s)
* The Airline That Pride Built (1968)
* The Proud Bird with the Golden Tail (1967–1981)

==Company affairs==

===Headquarters===
[[File:Chicago United Continental Building 07.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|[[77 West Wacker Drive]], the airline's final headquarters]]

{{See also|77 West Wacker|Continental Center I|American General Center}}On October 31, 1937, Continental moved its headquarters to [[Stapleton Airport]] in Denver, Colorado.<ref>Kasel, Carol. "[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=RM&p_theme=rm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4DF14E6C62146&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM CONTINENTAL AIRLINES: THE DENVER YEARS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609023644/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=RM&p_theme=rm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB4DF14E6C62146&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |date=June 9, 2011 }}." ''[[Rocky Mountain News]]''. October 30, 1994. Retrieved on January 24, 2010.</ref> [[Robert F. Six]] arranged to have the headquarters moved to Denver from [[El Paso, Texas]], because Six believed that the airline should have its headquarters in a large city with a potential base of customers.<ref name="TheCompany">"[http://magazine.continental.com/200907-the-company The Company] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718103925/http://magazine.continental.com/200907-the-company |date=July 18, 2010}}." Continental Airlines Magazine. July 2009. Retrieved on February 8, 2010.</ref>

[[File:ContinentalCenterAtNightHoustonTX.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|left|The [[Continental Center I]] in [[Houston]], with the airline logo displayed, and the [[KBR Tower]]]]
At a 1962 press conference in the office of [[Mayor of Los Angeles]] [[Sam Yorty]], Continental Airlines announced that it planned to move its headquarters to Los Angeles in July 1963.<ref>"[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/455936232.html?dids=455936232:455936232&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+16%2C+1962&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Continental+Airlines+to+Move+Its+Main+Offices+Here+From+Denver&pqatl=google Continental Airlines to Move Its Main Offices Here From Denver] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315113213/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/455936232.html?dids=455936232:455936232&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Aug+16%2C+1962&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Continental+Airlines+to+Move+Its+Main+Offices+Here+From+Denver&pqatl=google |date=March 15, 2013}}." ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. August 16, 1962. B11. Retrieved on January 24, 2010. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/156806117/ Clipping] at [[Newspapers.com]].</ref> In 1963 Continental's headquarters moved to a two-story, $2.3&nbsp;million building on the grounds of [[Los Angeles International Airport]] in [[Westchester, Los Angeles]].<ref>"[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/491841672.html?dids=491841672:491841672&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+15%2C+1963&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=AIRLINE+OCCUPIES+NEW+HEADQUARTERS+IN+L.A.&pqatl=google AIRLINE OCCUPIES NEW HEADQUARTERS IN L.A.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315113200/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/491841672.html?dids=491841672:491841672&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+15%2C+1963&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=AIRLINE+OCCUPIES+NEW+HEADQUARTERS+IN+L.A.&pqatl=google |date=March 15, 2013}}" ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. September 15, 1963. Section J, page N6. Retrieved on January 24, 2010. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/156806153/ Clipping] at [[Newspapers.com]].</ref><ref>"[http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/westchester/ Westchester – Mapping L.A.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101014203605/http://projects.latimes.com/mapping-la/neighborhoods/neighborhood/westchester/ |date=October 14, 2010 }}" ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.</ref> The July 2009 ''[[Continental (magazine)|Continental Magazine]]'' issue stated that the move "underlined Continental's western and Pacific orientation."<ref name="TheCompany"/>

On July 1, 1983, the airline's headquarters were relocated to the [[American General Center|America Tower]] in the [[Neartown, Houston|Neartown]] area of [[Houston]], and remained there until 1998.<ref>"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9XgUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=swIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6239,4678381&dq=continental-airlines+america-tower Insurer to Buy Continental Stock] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519021513/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9XgUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=swIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6239,4678381&dq=continental-airlines+america-tower |date=May 19, 2016 }}." [[Associated Press]] at ''[[Toledo Blade]]''. Wednesday March 16, 1983. Page 4. [[Google News]] 3 of 52. Retrieved on August 22, 2009.</ref><ref>"World Airline Directory." ''Flight International''. March 30, 1985. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200931.html 71] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303074120/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200931.html |date=March 3, 2012 }}." Retrieved on June 17, 2009.</ref><ref name="Map">[http://www.neartown.org/images/nta-map.jpg Map of Neartown] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005062603/http://www.neartown.org/images/nta-map.jpg |date=October 5, 2018}}. Neartown Association. Retrieved October 20, 2008.</ref><ref>''World Airline Directory''. Flight International. March 22–28, 1995. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%200749.html 64] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303073858/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1995/1995%20-%200749.html |date=March 3, 2012 }}.</ref><ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1978-1990.aspx Company History 1978 to 1990] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301230941/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1978-1990.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on July 28, 2009.</ref> Stephen M. Wolf, the president of Continental said that the company moved its headquarters because [[Houston]] became the largest hub for Continental.<ref>"[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sVwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vAIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,3246812&dq=continental+moving+headquarters+houston&hl=en Continental Moving Offices to Houston] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123055311/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sVwxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vAIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6794,3246812&dq=continental+moving+headquarters+houston&hl=en |date=November 23, 2015 }}." [[Associated Press]] at ''[[Toledo Blade|The Blade]]''. Saturday February 12, 1983. Page 15. ''Google News'' 8 of 16. Retrieved on February 15, 2010.</ref>

In January 1997, Continental occupied {{convert|250000|sqft|sqm}} of space at the [[American General Center|America Tower]]. In addition it had {{convert|200000|sqft|sqm}} of office space in a building in proximity to [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] and {{convert|75000|sqft|sqm}} in a building located on Fuqua Road in Houston. The airline planned to move into a new headquarters site; originally it wanted a single site for its operations.<ref>Rutledge, Tanya. "[http://assets.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/1997/02/03/story6.html Continental picks Cullen Center as destination for downtown HQ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023102816/http://assets.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/1997/02/03/story6.html |date=October 23, 2014}}." ''[[Houston Business Journal]]''. Friday January 31, 1997. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.</ref> In September 1997, the airline officially announced that it would consolidate its Houston headquarters in Continental Center I.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1991-2000.aspx Company History 1991 to 2000] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301215711/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/history/1991-2000.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on February 11, 2009.</ref> The airline scheduled to move around 3,200 employees in stages beginning in July 1998 and ending in January 1999. The airline consolidated the headquarters operation at the America Tower and three other local operations into Continental Center I and Continental Center II in the [[Cullen Center]]. [[Bob Lanier (mayor)|Bob Lanier]], [[Mayor of Houston]], said that he was "tickled to death" by the airline's move to relocate to [[Downtown Houston]].<ref>Boisseau, Charles. "[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1997_1434442 Airline confirms relocation/Continental moving offices downtown] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512173615/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=1997_1434442 |date=May 12, 2012 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Wednesday September 3, 1997. Business 1. Retrieved on August 23, 2009.</ref>

After the [[September 11 attacks]] and by September 2004 Continental laid off 24% of its clerical and management workers. Despite the reduction of the workforce, Continental did not announce any plans to sublease any of its space in Continental Center I and Continental Center II.<ref>Sarnoff, Nancy. "[http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2004_3799689 Tunnel business going up? / Aboveground shops on rail line draw attention to new competition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512174205/http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2004_3799689 |date=May 12, 2012 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Sunday September 12, 2004. Business 3. Retrieved on November 11, 2004.</ref>

In 2008 Continental renewed its lease for around {{convert|450000|sqft|sqm}} in Continental Center I. Before the lease renewal, rumors spread stating that the airline would relocate its headquarters to office space around [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] due to high fuel costs affecting the airline industry; the rumors stated that the airline was studying possibilities of less expensive alternatives to Continental Center I.<ref name="houston.bizjournals.com"/> The parties did not reveal the terms of the lease agreement.<ref>Feser, Katherine."[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6025372.html Continental to stay put at 1600 Smith]." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. September 26, 2008. Retrieved on November 11, 2009.</ref> In 2017, United Airlines consolidated its 1,600 Houston-area employees into a 225,000 square feet lease in the [[609 Main at Texas]] building.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mulvaney |first=By Erin |title=United to lease space in new downtown high-rise |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/United-to-lease-space-in-new-downtown-high-rise-6854965.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523080144/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/real-estate/article/United-to-lease-space-in-new-downtown-high-rise-6854965.php |archive-date=May 23, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-27 |work=Houston Chronicle |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> 

In 2010, Continental Airlines and United Airlines announced that they would merge and that the headquarters of the combined company would be in the [[Chicago Loop]] in [[Chicago]].<ref>Moreno, Jenalia. "CEO aims for smooth landing in United-Continental merge." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. Sunday September 25, 2011. [http://www.chron.com/business/article/CEO-aims-for-smooth-landing-in-United-Continental-2186540.php#page-2 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009235719/http://www.chron.com/business/article/CEO-aims-for-smooth-landing-in-United-Continental-2186540.php#page-2 |date=October 9, 2011 }}. Retrieved on October 10, 2011.</ref> As of 2025, United Airlines headquarters are located at the [[Willis Tower]] in Chicago.<ref>{{Cite news |title=United keeps options open for possible HQ move out of Chicago |url=https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/united-keeps-options-open-for-possible-hq-move/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250410223943/https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/united-keeps-options-open-for-possible-hq-move/ |archive-date=April 10, 2025 |access-date=2025-06-27 |work=WGN-TV |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref>   

===Environmental record===
Continental Airlines made efforts to minimize the negative environmental effects of commercial aviation. For example, the carrier invested over $12&nbsp;billion for the purchase of 270 fuel-efficient aircraft and related equipment that made up part of the airline's fleet.<ref name="saipantribune">{{Cite news|title=Continental gets EPA award for PreKote use |url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=5&newsID=79091 |work=[[Saipan Tribune]] |date=April 18, 2008 |access-date=May 6, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424201122/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=5&newsID=79091 |archive-date=April 24, 2008 |df=mdy}}</ref> These efforts contributed to significant reductions of greenhouse gas and noise emissions.<ref name="saipantribune" /> Continental Airlines was also one of the first carriers in the world to fit [[winglets]] to as much of its fleet as it could, reducing fuel burn by 3–5%.<ref>"API Performance Enhancing Winglets" – ''[[Airliner World]]'', March 2009</ref>

The [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]]'s "Design for the Environment" program recognized Continental in 2008 for use of a non-chromium aircraft surface pre-treatment that is environmentally compatible. Continental Airlines was the first carrier in the world to utilize this technology on their aircraft. The product, "PreKote", eliminates hazardous chemicals that are usually used in the pre-treatment phase before painting an aircraft. This technology provides improved environmental conditions for maintenance employees, while also reducing wastewater.<ref name="saipantribune" /> 

In 2009, Continental also became one of the first major U.S. carriers to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy's Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), contributing research data from its biofuel test flights to support the development of sustainable aviation fuel standards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/commercial-aviation-alternative-fuels-initiative|title=Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI)|publisher=U.S. Department of Energy|access-date=October 9, 2025}}</ref>

Continental Airlines conducted flight tests using aircraft powered by [[biofuel]] rather than traditional [[Jet fuel|Jet-A1]]. On January 7, 2009, Continental partnered with [[GE Aviation]] to conduct a biofuel demonstration flight, making the airline the first U.S. carrier to conduct tests using biofuels. The test bed, a Boeing 737-800 (registered as N76516), ran one of its engines on a mix of 50% [[kerosene]], 6% [[algae]] oil, and 44% oil from [[jatropha]], a weed that bears oil producing seeds.<ref name="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-biofuel8-2009jan08,0,761065.story">{{cite web|url=http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2265|title=Airline industry advances use of biofuels|access-date=May 6, 2008|work=[[Biodiesel Magazine]]|archive-date=November 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109211832/https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/2265/airline-industry-advances-use-of-biofuels/|url-status=live}}</ref> The engine running partly on biofuel burned {{cvt|46|kg}} less fuel than the conventional engine in {{frac|1|1|2}} hours while producing more thrust using the same volume of fuel. Continental's CEO, Larry Kellner, commented "This is a good step forward, an opportunity to really make a difference to the environment" citing jatropha's 50–60% lower CO<sub>2</sub> emissions as opposed to Jet-A1 in its lifecycle.<ref>"A Greener Future?" – ''Aircraft Illustrated'', March 2009</ref>

Continental Airlines was recognized by NASA and ''Fortune'' magazine for positive environmental contributions.<ref name="saipantribune" />

===Awards===
* No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline; ''Fortune'' Magazine (2004–2009)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS176168+11-Mar-2008+PRN20080311 |title=Continental Airlines Ranked No. 1 World's Most Admired Airline by FORTUNE Magazine |date=March 11, 2008 |work=Reuters |access-date=June 21, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109091330/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS176168%2B11-Mar-2008%2BPRN20080311 |archive-date=January 9, 2009}}</ref>
* No. 1 Most Admired U.S. Airline; ''Fortune'' Magazine (2006–2007, 2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/Continental-Airlines-Again-prnews-3695352488.html?x=0&.v=1 |title=Continental Airlines Again Highest-Ranked U.S. Airline on FORTUNE World's Most Admired List |date=March 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309095414/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/Continental-Airlines-Again-prnews-3695352488.html?x=0&.v=1 |archive-date=March 9, 2010}}</ref>
* No. 1 Greenest U.S. Airline; Greenopia (2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenopia.com/USA/news/15386/5-28-2009/Greener-Airlines-10-Least-Environmentally-Harmful-Companies |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090601072343/http://www.greenopia.com/USA/news/15386/5-28-2009/Greener-Airlines-10-Least-Environmentally-Harmful-Companies |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 1, 2009 |title=Continental Airlines Ranked US Greenest Airline}}</ref>
* No. 1 Pet-Friendly Airline; [[Petfinder]] (2009)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/07/10/which-airline-is-the-most-pet-friendly/|title=Continental Airlines Ranked No. 1 Pet Friendly|work=The Wall Street Journal|first=Alice|last=Truong|date=July 10, 2009|access-date=August 4, 2017|archive-date=July 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709125114/https://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2009/07/10/which-airline-is-the-most-pet-friendly/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Best Executive/Business Class; [[OAG (Air Travel Intelligence)|OAG]] Airline of the Year Awards (2003–2007, 2009)<ref name="continental.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.continental.com/WEB/en-us/content/company/globalcitizenship/awards.aspx|title=Continental Airlines – Awards|publisher=Continental.com|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100501210027/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/globalcitizenship/awards.aspx|archive-date=May 1, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Best Airline Based in North America; [[OAG (Air Travel Intelligence)|OAG]] Airline of the Year Awards (2003–2009)<ref name="continental.com" />
* Best U.S. Carrier Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific Business Class; [[Condé Nast Traveler]] (1999–2006)<ref name="continental.com" />
* Best Airline for North American Travel; Business Traveler Magazine (2006–2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Continental-Airlines-Chosen-Best-Airline/story.aspx?guid={6B188AE6-0FBB-4DC1-8B1C-97915BACD8F4}|title=Continental Airlines Chosen as Best Airline for North American Travel by Business Traveler Magazine Readers (2008, 2009)|date=December 12, 2008|publisher=MarketWatch|access-date=December 12, 2008}}</ref>
* Best Large Domestic Airline (Premium Seating); [[Zagat]] Airline Survey(2008)<ref name="marketwatch1">{{cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Continental-Airlines-Named-Best-Large/story.aspx?guid={0860256A-C8A2-4FFB-AAE3-D87851BE143C}|title=Continental Airlines Named Best Large Domestic Airline by Zagat|date=November 25, 2008|publisher=MarketWatch|access-date=December 7, 2008}}</ref>
* Best Value for the Money (International); [[Zagat]] Airline Survey (2009)<ref name="marketwatch1" />
* Highest-Ranked Network Airline; [[J.D. Power and Associates]] (2007)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2007097|title=2007 North America Airline Satisfaction Study|date=June 19, 2007|publisher=J.D. Power|access-date=June 24, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302201829/http://www.jdpower.com/library/index.htm?contentType=press-release|archive-date=March 2, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Airline of the Year; [[OAG (Air Travel Intelligence)|OAG]] (2004–2005)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oagairlineawards.com/previousAOY.html |title=OAG Airline Industry Awards – Previous AOY |year=2008 |publisher=OAG |access-date=June 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615204257/http://www.oagairlineawards.com/previousAOY.html |archive-date=June 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy}}</ref>
* Business Leadership Recycling Award; [[American Forest & Paper Association]] (2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afandpa.org/pressreleases.aspx?id=1342 |title=2010 Business Leadership Recycling Award Presented to Continental Airlines |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504112527/http://www.afandpa.org/pressreleases.aspx?id=1342 |archive-date=May 4, 2010 |df=mdy}}</ref>

==Destinations==

Continental, together with [[Continental Express]] and [[Continental Connection]], offered more than 2,400 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The summer 2008 schedule saw Continental serving 130 domestic and 132 international destinations.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Continental Airlines Announces New Policy for Same-Day Flight Changes. |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS161663+26-Jun-2008+PRN20080626?symbol=CAL.N |work=Continental Airlines News Release |publisher=via [[Reuters]] |date=June 26, 2008 |access-date=August 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110153852/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS161663%2B26-Jun-2008%2BPRN20080626?symbol=CAL.N |archive-date=January 10, 2009}}</ref>

Continental Airlines operated primarily a hub-and-spoke route network with North American hubs in Cleveland, Houston, and Newark, and a west Pacific hub in Guam. The majority of Continental flights were operated from its hubs. Some affiliated airlines used the [[Continental Connection]] name also operate flights not involving hubs, such as [[Gulfstream International Airlines]], which operated intra-Florida and Florida-Bahamas services.

[[File:Terminal E Waiting area.jpg|thumb|Continental was the dominant operator at [[Houston Intercontinental Airport]]]]

For almost 40 years, Continental operated a very large hub in [[Denver, Colorado]], but took the decision to close that hub in 1995 immediately after the opening of [[Denver International Airport]] (DIA), which represented a significantly higher-cost operation than the former Stapleton Airport, which DIA had replaced. The abrupt nature of this change came as a shock to Denver, which was experiencing dramatic growth. The void left by Continental's departure allowed the establishment of the "new" [[Frontier Airlines]] (a startup, rather than the original carrier of that name). Both Frontier and Southwest Airlines (which entered the Denver market after Continental's dehubbing) expanded quickly to fill the vacuum created by Continental's closing of its Denver hub.

For the first forty years of its existence, Continental was a domestic airline; however, especially after the incorporation of [[Texas International Airlines|Texas International]] routes, it served more Mexican destinations than any other U.S. carrier since the mid-1980s.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Continental first entered the transatlantic market in April 1985, with the introduction of a Houston-[[Gatwick Airport|London-Gatwick]] service. Long prevented from serving [[London Heathrow Airport]] because of the provisions of the [[Bermuda II]] agreement, which only allowed [[British Airways]], [[Virgin Atlantic]], [[United Airlines]] and [[American Airlines]] to operate flights from Heathrow to the United States, Continental maintained its London services at Gatwick, where in 2007 as many as six flights a day were offered to Newark, Houston, and Cleveland.

In March 2008, an [[Open Skies Agreement]] between the U.S. and the European Union became effective, invalidating Bermuda II restrictions that had limited the number of carriers and cities in the U.S. that could serve London-Heathrow. In November 2007 Continental announced that new, nonstop, twice-daily service from its hubs at [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] and [[Newark Liberty International Airport]] to London-Heathrow would be offered; and this service was inaugurated on March 29, 2008. The service replaced existing frequencies to London-Gatwick and were offered with a combination of [[Boeing 777|Boeing 777-200ER]] and [[757-200]] equipment, with flat beds guaranteed in the BusinessFirst cabin.<ref>"[https://archive.today/20120628230019/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=85779&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1078367&highlight= Continental Airlines to Launch Twice-Daily Nonstop Flights to Heathrow From Both New York and Houston]", ''Continental Airlines''</ref> By the time of its merger with United, Continental had grown its presence at London-Heathrow to seven daily flights; two to Houston-Intercontinental and five to Newark.

[[File:Bush terminal E.jpg|thumb|Continental operated international flights from Terminal E at [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] in [[Houston]].]]

During the [[Vietnam War]], Continental's extensive military charter operations established a presence in the Pacific region that formed the basis for the [[Air Micronesia]] operation. Service to Japan was initiated in the 1970s from Guam and Saipan, and by the late 1980s, nonstop service between Seattle and Tokyo was briefly offered with [[Boeing 747|747]] equipment, soon to be replaced with a direct Honolulu-[[Narita International Airport|Tokyo (Narita)]] flight. Through the 1990s, Continental maintained a minimal presence in the long-haul trans-Pacific market, until the delivery of 777-200ERs in 1998 which saw the addition of nonstop Tokyo service from Houston and Newark. By 2007, Hong Kong and Beijing were added to the network, and in 2009 Shanghai was added, all from the Newark hub. Continental served Australia in the past with DC-10<ref>"[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-4804460.html Continental to cut Fiji service in response to Australian protest. (Continental Airlines)]", ''Travel Weekly'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104015744/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-4804460.html |date=November 4, 2012}}</ref> and [[Boeing 747]] service from Hawaii, with some flights via Auckland. Continental withdrew from much of the Australasian market, but continued Air Micronesia [[Boeing 737 Next Generation|Boeing 737-800]] services between Cairns and Guam on a 4x weekly basis. Beginning in June 2011, it initiated service to [[Hilo]], Hawaii, providing that city the only nonstop air service to and from any destination outside the state of Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com/airlines/continental-to-begin-serving-hilo-in-hawaii-in-june-2011/ |title=Continental to Begin Serving Hilo in Hawai'i in June 2011 |publisher=Airlinesanddestinations.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=May 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516131412/http://www.airlinesanddestinations.com/airlines/continental-to-begin-serving-hilo-in-hawaii-in-june-2011/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Continental offered the most destinations of any of the U.S. carriers to Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom, and was the only U.S. airline that flew to the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Norway. Continental began service from Newark to [[Mumbai]], India on October 1, 2007, making that city Continental's second Indian destination.

===Codeshare agreements===
Throughout its existence, Continental Airlines had [[codeshare agreement]]s with the following airlines:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/default.aspx?camp=virtual_expert|title=Continental Airlines – Global Alliances|publisher=Continental Airlines|access-date=September 20, 2010}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

{{div col}}
* [[Aeromar]]
* [[Air France]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Alitalia]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[America West Airlines]] {{small|(ended on May 1, 2002, citing low code-shared flight sales)}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/28/business/company-news-continental-ends-ticket-alliance-with-america-west.html| title=Continental Ends Ticket Alliance With America West| date=March 28, 2002| newspaper=The New York Times| agency=[[Bloomberg News]]| url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* [[Amtrak]] {{small|([[Northeast Regional]] rail service to select destinations from the [[Newark Airport (Amtrak station)|Newark Airport Rail Station]], despite the fact Amtrak is not an airline)}}
* [[Avianca]]
* [[Cape Air]]
* [[China Southern Airlines]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Copa Airlines]]
* [[Copa Airlines Colombia]]
* [[Czech Airlines]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Delta Air Lines]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[EVA Air]]
* [[Hawaiian Airlines]]
* [[Island Air (Hawaii)|Island Air]]
* [[KLM]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Korean Air]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Northwest Airlines]] {{small|(ended with Continental's withdrawal from [[SkyTeam]])}}
* [[Spanair]] {{small|(ended with Spanair's collapse in January 2012)}}
* [[TACA Airlines]]
* [[United Airlines]] {{small|(Merger partner)}}
* [[US Airways]]
{{div col end}}

===Regional operators===
[[File:ContinentalConnection.jpg|thumb|[[Continental Connection]] [[Beechcraft 1900]]]]
[[File:Continental Connection Bombardier Q400.jpg|thumb|A Continental Connection Bombardier Q400.]]

Continental was a minority owner of [[ExpressJet]], which operated under the "[[Continental Express]]" trade name but was a separately managed and public company. [[Chautauqua Airlines]] also flew under the Continental Express identity, while [[Cape Air]], [[Colgan Air]], [[CommutAir]], and [[Silver Airways]] fed Continental's flights under the [[Continental Connection]] identity. Continental did not have any ownership interests in these companies.

The operators of Continental Connection were:
* [[Cape Air]] operated out of San Juan (SJU), Puerto Rico, to other Puerto Rican destinations, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Nevis. It also serviced routes from Guam to Saipan, Saipan to [[Rota International Airport|Rota]] and Rota to Guam.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/capeair.aspx Cape Air] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302103146/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/capeair.aspx |date=March 2, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on July 13, 2009.</ref>
* [[Colgan Air]] operated out of Cleveland, Houston and Newark as a subsidiary of [[Pinnacle Airlines Corp.]]<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/colganair.aspx Colgan Air] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302103134/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/colganair.aspx |date=March 2, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on July 13, 2009.</ref>
* [[CommutAir]] operated mostly from Continental's [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport|Cleveland]] and [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark]] hubs.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/commutair.aspx Commutair] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302103044/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/alliance/commutair.aspx |date=March 2, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on July 13, 2009.</ref>
* [[Gulfstream International Airlines]] operated in the Bahamas, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Tallahassee, Pensacola, and Key West. Also operated some flights under the [[Essential Air Service]] program from Continental's [[Cleveland Hopkins International Airport|Cleveland]] hub.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulfstreamair.com/destinations.shtml|title=Destinations|publisher=Gulfstream International Airlines|access-date=December 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091114075721/http://www.gulfstreamair.com/destinations.shtml|archive-date=November 14, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Silver Airways]]

==Fleet==
Continental's all-[[Boeing Commercial Airplanes|Boeing]] fleet consisted of four types (737, 757, 767, and 777) in ten variants, with two variants of the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]] scheduled to enter service in 2011. The company's daily aircraft utilization was usually at the top of the industry.<ref name="Scott" />

As of October 1, 2010, at the time of the merger, the Continental Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft with an average age of 9.5 years:<ref>[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/investor/docs/continental_fleet_plan_2010_042202.pdf Continental Airlines Fleet Plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606144011/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/company/investor/docs/continental_fleet_plan_2010_042202.pdf |date=June 6, 2011}}, April 22, 2010</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Continental Airlines fleet in 2010
|- 
!rowspan=2 style="width:150px"|Aircraft
!rowspan=2|In service
!rowspan=2|Orders
!colspan=4|Passengers
!rowspan=2|Notes
|-
!style="width:25px;"|<abbr title="BusinessFirst">J</abbr>
!style="width:25px;"|<abbr title="First Class">F</abbr>
!style="width:25px;"|<abbr title="Economy Class">Y</abbr>
!style="width:25px;"|Total
|-
|[[Boeing 737-500]]
|36
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|8
|106
|114
|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]] and later retired in 2013.
|-
|[[Boeing 737-700]]
|36
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|12
|112
|124
|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Boeing 737-800]]
|rowspan=2|126
|rowspan=2|4<!--Delivered to United before they discontinued the Continental brand name.-->
|rowspan=2|&mdash;
|14
|141
|155
|rowspan=2|All fleet and remaining orders transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|16
|144
|160
|-
|[[Boeing 737-900]]
|12
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|20
|153
|173
|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 737-900ER]]
|30
|22
|&mdash;
|20
|153
|173
|All fleet and remaining orders transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 757-200]]
|41
|&mdash;
|16
|&mdash;
|159
|175
|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 757-300]]
|21
|&mdash;
|&mdash;
|24
|192
|216
|Largest operator.<br />All were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 767-200ER]]
|10
|&mdash;
|25
|&mdash;
|149
|174
|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]] and later retired in 2013.
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Boeing 767-400ER]]
|12
|rowspan=2|&mdash;
|35
|rowspan=2|&mdash;
|200
|235
|rowspan=3|All were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|4
|20
|236
|256
|-
|[[Boeing 777-200ER]]
|22
|&mdash;
|50
|&mdash;
|226
|276
|-
|[[Boeing 787-8]]
|&mdash;
|11
|colspan="4" class="unsortable" style="text-align:center" | <abbr title="N/A">N/A</abbr>
|rowspan=2|All orders were transferred to [[United Airlines]].
|-
|[[Boeing 787-9]]
|&mdash;
|14
|colspan="4" class="unsortable" style="text-align:center" | <abbr title="N/A">N/A</abbr>
|- 
!Total
!350
!51
!colspan="5"|
|}

By 2013, all of the former Continental fleet, excluding the Boeing 737-500 and Boeing 767-200ER (which were sold, primarily to Russian operators) were repainted in the new United livery making them officially part of the [[United Airlines Fleet]], except for the one Boeing 737-900ER in the Continental Blue Skyway retro livery (N75436). United repainted this aircraft to the standard Globe livery in May 2016, and then painted a different airframe in the Blue Skyway, sister ship N75435. The reason for the change is currently unknown to the public.

First Class was offered on Domestic Flights, and BusinessFirst was offered on Transatlantic/Transpacific Flights.

Continental Airlines was one of three carriers (with [[American Airlines]] and [[Delta Air Lines]]) to sign an exclusivity agreement with Boeing in the late 1990s. When Boeing acquired [[McDonnell Douglas]], the European Union forced Boeing to void the contracts. Both parties had been adhering to the terms under a [[gentlemen's agreement]].

Continental was one of the first major airlines to fly Boeing 757s on transatlantic routes. There have been some instances of range limitations on west-bound transatlantic flights due to strong headwinds resulting in a fuel stop which does not appear on the timetable, but these stops are not common. The use of the 757 with its smaller [[seating capacity]] allowed for "thin" routes (routes with less passenger traffic) to be economically viable. It allowed nonstop service from smaller cities, such as [[Belfast]], Northern Ireland and [[Hamburg]], Germany to the New York gateway. Previously, customers originating at these and similar cities needed to connect at European gateways like London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, or Frankfurt, in order to travel to New York. United retains a number of these flight routes, mostly based out of Newark, including Newark-Dublin and Newark-Berlin.

===Historic fleet===
Over the years, Continental Airlines had in the past operated a variety of the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Continental.html|title=Continental fleet|website=aerobernie.bplaced.net|access-date=February 20, 2021|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411202624/http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Continental.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Continental Airlines historic fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A300B4-200]]
|26
|1986
|1995
|The only Airbus aircraft in their fleet
|-
|[[Beechcraft Baron]]
|10
|{{unknown}}
|{{unknown}}
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Beechcraft Model 18]]
|3
|1965
|1975
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Boeing 707-120]]
|5
|1959
|1967
|
|-
|[[Boeing 707-320C]]
|13
|1964
|1973
|
|-
|[[Boeing 720B]]
|8
|1962
|1976
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727-100]]
|26
|1967
|1994
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727-200]]
|109
|1970
|1999
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-100]]
|17
|1987
|1999
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-200]]
|30
|1986
|1999
|
|-
|[[Boeing 737-300]]
|65
|1985
|2010
|
|-
|[[Boeing 747-100]]
|6
|1970
|1996
|
|-
|[[Boeing 747-200B]]
|7
|1987
|1999
|
|-
|[[Convair CV-240]]
|8
|1948
|1959
|
|-
|[[Convair CV-340]]
|7
|1952
|1959
|
|-
|[[Convair CV-440]]
|3
|1956
|1959
|
|-
|[[Curtiss C-46 Commando]]
|8
|1965
|1976
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Dornier Do 28]]
|5
|1965
|1968
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]]
|30
|1944
|1974
|
|-
|[[Douglas C-54 Skymaster]]
|1
|1971
|1972
|Leased
|-
|[[Douglas DC-3]]
|8
|1955
|1965
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-7B]]
|6
|1957
|1963
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14]]
|15
|1966
|1991
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15MC/RC]]
|22
|1967
|1988
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31]]
|5
|1987
|1999
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32]]
|31
|1990
|2000
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]]
|5
|1991
|1992
|Leased from [[Eastern Air Lines]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10]]
|8
|1972
|2000
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10|McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10CF]]
|8
|1974
|1986
|Transferred to [[FedEx Express]]
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]]
|33
|1985
|2002
|
|-
|[[Lockheed Model 9 Orion]]
|5
|1934
|1935
|
|-
|[[Lockheed Model 10 Electra]]
|1
|1936
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior]]
|2
|1937
|1940
|
|-
|[[Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar]]
|3
|{{unknown}}
|1945
|
|-
|[[Lockheed L-100 Hercules]]
|2
|1965
|1966
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Lockheed Vega]]
|6
|1934
|1937
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-81]]
|5
|1990
|2003
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
|62
|1984
|2006
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-83]]
|3
|1987
|2006
|
|-
|[[North American B-25 Mitchell]]
|1
|1948
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[North American Sabreliner]]
|4
|{{unknown}}
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Northrop Gamma]]
|1
|1942
|1948
|
|-
|[[Pilatus PC-6 Porter]]
|29
|1965
|1977
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer]]
|4
|1965
|{{unknown}}
|Operated by [[Continental Air Services, Inc|Continental Air services]]
|-
|[[Sikorsky S-39]]
|2
|1934
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Travel Air 2000|Travel Air 4000]]
|2
|{{unknown}}
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Vickers Viscount|Vickers Viscount 700D]]
|1
|1958
|1958
|
|-
|[[Vickers Viscount|Vickers Viscount 800]]
|15
|1958
|1967
|
|}

===Fleet in 1960, 1970, and 1980===
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ '''CAL, March 1960'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%200497.html |title=Flight International April 8, 1960 |publisher=Flightglobal.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=July 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709114624/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1960/1960%20-%200497.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Orders
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 707|Boeing 707-120]]
|4
|1
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-3]]
|10
|0
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-6]]
|1
|0
|Leased
|-
|[[Douglas DC-6]]B
|2
|0
|1 leased
|-
|[[Douglas DC-7]]B
|5
|0
|
|-
|[[Vickers Viscount|Vickers Viscount 812]]
|15
|
|
|-
!Total
!37
!1
!
|}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|-
|+ '''CAL, March 1970'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200529.html |title=Flight International March 26, 1970 |publisher=Flightglobal.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201205701/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200529.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Orders
!Notes
|-
|[[Concorde]] ([[Supersonic transport|SST]])
|0
|3
| Not delivered
|-
|[[Boeing 2707]] ([[Supersonic transport|SST]])
|0
|3
| Not manufactured
|-
|[[Boeing 707|Boeing 707-320C]]
|13
|0
|
|-
|[[Boeing 720B]]
|8
|0
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-100C]]
|1
|0
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-200]]
|12
|0
|
|-
|[[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-100]]
|0
|4
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-9|Douglas DC-9-10F]]
|19
|0
|
|-
!Total
!62
!10
!
|}
{{Col-break}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|-
|+ '''CAL, July 1980'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201919.html|title=World Airline Directory 1980|publisher=Flight International|date=July 26, 1980|access-date=December 11, 2011|archive-date=July 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709115408/https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201919.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
!Aircraft
!Total
!Orders
!Notes
|-
|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-100]]
|16
|0
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-200]]
|36
|9
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10|Douglas DC-10-10]]
|7
|0
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10|Douglas DC-10-10CF]]
|6
|0
|
|-
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10|Douglas DC-10-30]]
|0
|2
|
|-
!Total
!65
!11
!
|}
{{col-end}}

===Cabin===
Continental Airlines had two classes of service, First/Business and Economy, for aircraft in the mainline fleet.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/default.aspx |title=Continental Airlines Aircraft Information |publisher=Continental.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302102529/https://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/aircraft/default.aspx |archive-date=March 2, 2012 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

====BusinessFirst====
BusinessFirst was Continental's international [[business class]] product. It was offered on all Boeing 757-200s, Boeing 767s, and Boeing 777-200ERs. Continental had begun deploying BusinessFirst seats that allowed customers to lie completely flat, reclining 180-degrees and providing {{convert|6+1/2|ft|m}} of sleeping space in the fully extended position on its 777-200ER and 757-200 aircraft. The Flat Bed Seat offered a seat measuring up to {{convert|25|in|mm}} wide when the adjustable armrest was positioned flush with the seat cushion. Electronic controls enabled customers to easily move the seats to an infinite combination of seat adjustments, including lumbar support, leg and foot rests. iPod connectivity was available in the Flat Bed Seat. The new BusinessFirst seats had a six-way adjustable head rest, an individual overhead reading light and an adjustable seat light allowing customers to read in bed without disturbing their neighbor and a privacy shell that allowed for seclusion from other travelers. BusinessFirst customers also received one of the highest crew to passenger ratios (1:8) among all international business class products.<ref>[https://www.continental.com/web/en-GB/content/bf.aspx Continental Airlines – BusinessFirst] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626081909/http://www.continental.com/web/en-GB/content/bf.aspx |date=June 26, 2009}}. Continental.com. Retrieved on December 23, 2010.</ref>

[[File:Continental Airlines BusinessFirst gen1 777.jpg|thumb|left|Previous generation 777 BusinessFirst seats, Replaced in 2010]]
The new BusinessFirst seats were featured on all of Continental's [[Boeing 777|777-200ER]]s and [[Boeing 757|757-200]]s. Installation on the [[Boeing 767]] fleet was to follow in 2011. The anticipated completion of the roll-out across Continental's entire international fleet was planned for August 2012. In addition, all 787 deliveries were to have the seats installed.

Continental considered BusinessFirst to be its signature onboard product, and the service is a frequent subject of advertising campaigns. Customers seated in the BusinessFirst cabin on longhaul flights from the United States to Europe, Asia, select cities in South America, and the Middle East received special ground services, including EliteAccess priority bag service at check-in, expedited security screening (where available), access to Continental's Presidents Club or affiliated Star Alliance lounges, personalized Continental Concierge service, and dedicated boarding procedures.

[[File:Continental Airlines BusinessFirst entree.jpg|thumb|In-flight meal in BusinessFirst]]

On board, multi-course meals were designed by Continental's Congress of Chefs, beverages were selected by Continental's Wine Masters, and service was provided by flight attendants from separate International crew bases at Newark and Houston. Most flights had at least two meal services. Entertainment was offered at each individual seat, and passengers on Boeing 777 and 757 aircraft had access to a new Audio-Video On Demand system with touch-screen controls. 767 aircraft featured older, looped-video multi-channel entertainment systems, generally with a wider programming selection than Economy Class. 767 aircraft were expected to receive AVOD in the near future. Customers also were provided headphones, a large pillow, wool blanket, and amenity kit prior to departure. Upon arrival, BusinessFirst customers have access to shower facilities and arrival lounges at most airports.

Continental offered a modified BusinessFirst service on flights from the United States mainland to Hawaii. All flights offered the same suite of EliteAccess ground services, along with a similar main meal service on board. Amenities such as pillows and headsets also were the same, but no amenity kits were offered. On flights from Newark and Houston to Honolulu, Continental operated Boeing 767-400ER aircraft with typical recliner-style BusinessFirst seats. On flights from Los Angeles and Orange County to Honolulu/Kahului with [[Boeing 737]] equipment, domestic First Class seats were substituted. Nonstop flights from Guam to Honolulu were exempt from most of these modifications and more closely resembled the standard BusinessFirst service.

No complimentary upgrades were offered to Continental OnePass Elite members on any intercontinental flights offering BusinessFirst service. However, on 767-operated BusinessFirst services to Hawaii, Continental offered a day-of-departure buy up fee for any revenue coach class fare, provided seats were available. Mainland-Hawaii was the only BusinessFirst market where such upgrades are available. In addition, OnePass Elites were eligible for complimentary automatic upgrades on Continental-operated flights from California to Hawaii.
[[File:Continental Airlines domestic First Class dinner.jpg|thumb|left|Domestic First Class dinner]]

====Domestic First Class====
First Class was offered on all domestically configured aircraft. It was offered on all Boeing 737s and Boeing 757-300s. Seats range from 20.75 to {{convert|21|in|mm}} wide, and had between 37 and {{convert|38|in|mm}} of pitch. Passengers aboard this class received free meals, refreshments, and alcoholic beverages. Passengers could watch movies on overhead television screens located throughout the cabin. In 2009, Continental began to add [[LiveTV]] television and [[Wi-Fi]] services to all next-generation Boeing 737s and Boeing 757-300s which was free of charge to First Class customers.<ref name="LiveTV">[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=PRNEWS Continental Airlines To Add LiveTV and Wi-Fi To Next-Gen 737 and 757-300 Aircraft] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115081015/http://www.continental.com/web/en-Us/apps/vendors/default.aspx?SID=D9CBC510F95442CAB68EB8CA289B7BEF&i=PRNEWS |date=January 15, 2010}} (Official Press Release: January 29, 2008)</ref>

On international flights to Latin America, the Caribbean, and select cities in South America, Continental's Domestic First Class service was re-branded as Regional Business Class. These customers received access to Continental's Presidents Club and affiliated Star Alliance lounges on day-of-departure. Also, meal choices were frequently substituted to reflect the local cuisine of destinations served, especially on flights to Latin America.

====International Economy Class====
[[File:Continental Airlines 767-400ER economy cabin.jpg|thumb|767-400ER economy cabin]]

Economy Class was offered on all internationally configured aircraft. Seats range from 17.2 to {{convert|17.9|in|mm}} wide, and have between 31 and {{convert|32|in|mm}} of pitch. Passengers aboard this class received free meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages could be purchased for US$6 per drink or one Continental Currency coupon per drink.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/beverages/default.aspx In-flight Beverage Selection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302102722/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/beverages/default.aspx |date=March 2, 2012}}", ''Continental Airlines''</ref> All seats on 757 and 777 equipment were fitted with AVOD touch screen with a wide-ranging selection of films, games, television shows and music.

====Domestic Economy Class====
Economy Class was offered on all domestically configured aircraft. Seats were {{convert|17.2|in|mm}} wide, and had between 31 and {{convert|32|in|mm}} of pitch. Passengers aboard this class received free non-alcoholic refreshments. Alcoholic beverages could be purchased on board. Passengers on all Boeing 737-700, −800, −900, −900ER, and 757-300 aircraft could watch movies on overhead television screens located throughout the cabin, with headsets available at a charge. In January 2009, Continental began to add [[LiveTV]] television services to all next-generation Boeing 737s and Boeing 757-300s. LiveTV would be chargeable for Economy Class customers. Continental Airlines offered free meals on domestic economy class flights. In March 2010, for economy class passengers on domestic and Canadian flights under six hours and on certain flights to and from Latin America, the airline discontinued free meals and began [[buy on board]] service in the northern hemisphere in the fall of 2010.<ref>Mutzabaugh, Ben. "[https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=83427.blog Continental to start charging for meals on most domestic flights]." ''[[USA Today]]''. Retrieved on March 16, 2010.</ref>

===Meal and drink services===
Meals were free on BusinessFirst on all flights.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/businessfirst/dining.aspx BusinessFirst Dining] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301021250/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/businessfirst/dining.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on October 29, 2010.</ref> Flights of a duration of over one hour within North America and flights to and from resort destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America had meals in First Class depending on the mealtimes that the flights are within. All flights to and from non-resort destinations in the Caribbean and Latin America had free meals in First Class, with the exception of certain flights that depart after midnight.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/firstclass/dining.aspx First Class/Business Class Dining] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301020957/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/firstclass/dining.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on October 29, 2010.</ref> Meals in Economy Class were served on most flights to and from Asia and Europe. Meals were offered in economy class on all flights to and from non-resort destinations in the Caribbean Latin America, with the exception of some flights departing after midnight. Flights within Asia and the Pacific that were previously operated by [[Continental Micronesia]] had free meals and/or snacks offered during mealtimes. Meals were available for purchase on all economy class flights within North America, to/from Canada, and to/from resort destinations within the Caribbean and Latin America if the flight's duration was over 6{{fraction|1|2}} hours.<ref name="EconDin">"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/economy/dining.aspx Economy Class Dining] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301031940/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/economy/dining.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on October 29, 2010.</ref>

Towards the end of the airline's life, on most economy class flights within North America, to/from Canada, and to/from resort destinations within the Caribbean and Latin America, Continental had a [[buy on board]] service. On those flights between 2{{fraction|1|2}} hours and 6{{fraction|1|2}} hours, snacks were available for purchase, and food for purchase was available on most of those flights that are 3{{fraction|1|2}} to 6{{fraction|1|2}} hours.<ref name="EconDin"/> Originally the airline provided meals free of charge on flights more than 1{{fraction|1|2}} hours. The airline continued doing so after competitors charged for meals. In March 2010 the airline announced that it would switch to buy on board for food in fall 2010. The airline said that the absence of free meals would save the airline $35&nbsp;million per year (${{inflation|US|35000000|2010|fmt=c}} when adjusted for inflation), and if half of economy class passengers on the affected flights purchased food, the airline would make an additional $17&nbsp;million per year (${{inflation|USD|17000000|2010|fmt=c}} when adjusted for inflation). The airline did not say how the transition to buy on board would affect the employment of workers at the subsidiary [[Chelsea Food Services]].<ref>Moreno, Jenalia. "[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6913828.html No more free lunch for Continental coach passengers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322205227/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6913828.html? |date=March 22, 2010 }}." ''[[Houston Chronicle]]''. March 15, 2010. Retrieved on November 1, 2010.</ref> Buy on board began on October 12, 2010.<ref>"[http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20101005052124/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=85779&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1475060 Continental Airlines Introduces New Meals and Snacks for On-Board Purchase]." Continental Airlines. September 27, 2010.</ref> On March 1, 2011, Continental stopped serving free snacks on domestic flights to coach passengers in order to align itself with the policy of [[United Airlines]].<ref>Baskas, Harriet. "[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41888897 No more pretzels? Airlines ditch free snacks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212091658/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41888897 |date=February 12, 2020 }}." [[NBC News]]. March 3, 2011. Retrieved on March 6, 2011.</ref> In addition, on that day all fights between Hawaii, Alaska, and the Mainland U.S. became buy on board flights.<ref name="EconDin2">"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/economy/dining.aspx Economy Class Dining] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301031940/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/economy/dining.aspx |date=March 1, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on March 6, 2011. "Effective March 1, 2011, Continental will offer snacks and fresh meal options for purchase in Economy Class on flights between Hawaii, Alaska and the Mainland U.S."</ref>

Continental Airlines offered free special meal options on certain flights; special meals include the Child, [[Gluten intolerant]], Hindu vegetarian, Jain, Kosher, Muslim, and Vegan options. The airline offered special meals for all classes of service on flights to and between [[Houston]] and Argentina, Asia, Brazil, Europe, and Hawaii, and the airline offered special meals for all classes of service on flights between [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]] and Asia, Brazil, Europe, and Hawaii; flights between Newark and India use Hindu vegetarian as a standard meal choice. In addition, special meals were available in first class on flights between Newark and Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Other routes with special meal service available in first class include Los Angeles to/from Honolulu, Los Angeles to/from Maui, Orange County to/from Honolulu, and Orange County to/from Maui.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/special/default.aspx Special Meals] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126205408/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/special/default.aspx |date=January 26, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on October 29, 2010.</ref>

The airline offered soft drinks that are free on all flights. Beer, liqueurs, spirits, and wine were free of charge in BusinessFirst and Business Class on all flights, and for a charge in economy class on all flights. On flights within North America and to or from the Caribbean and Latin America, the airline offered "Specialty Beverages" for purchase in economy class.<ref>"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/beverages/default.aspx In-flight Beverage Selection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302102722/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/dining/beverages/default.aspx |date=March 2, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on October 29, 2010.</ref>

===In-flight entertainment===
{{multiple image
|align = right
|direction = horizontal
|image2 =
|width2 = 70
|caption2 = LiveTV Seat Controls
|image1 =
|width1 = 158
|caption1 = Continental's LiveTV System aboard a Boeing 737-900ER
}}
Boeing 757-200 and 777-200ER aircraft included Audio-Video On-Demand ([[AVOD]]) in every seat back. Boeing 767 family aircraft were equipped with a personal television located in every seat back, using a tape system. On all Boeing 757-200 and Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, all rows were equipped with power-ports (two power ports per group of 3 seats) that do not require special power adapters or cables.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/business/788782/continental_airlines_installs_new_audiovideo_on_demand_entertainment_systems_on/index.html|title=Continental Airlines Installs New Audio/Video on Demand Entertainment Systems on International Routes – Business News|publisher=redOrbit|date=January 4, 2007|access-date=May 4, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:DirecTV COA B738.jpg|thumb|DirecTV on board a Continental 737-800]]
Continental Airlines began offering 95 channels of live [[DirecTV]] television to all passengers on its domestic fleet beginning in January 2009.<ref name="Reiter">Reiter, Chris. "[http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2959189520080129 Continental to offer live TV and email on domestic flights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109211839/https://www.reuters.com/?edition-redirect=uk |date=November 9, 2023 }}." [[Reuters UK]]. Tuesday January 29, 2008. Retrieved on January 19, 2010.</ref> Boeing 737-700s, 800s, 900s, and 900ERs and Boeing 757-300s were going to receive the service.<ref name="Fleetstatus">"[https://web.archive.org/web/20090518111618/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/inflight/entertainment/directv/fleetstatus.aspx DIRECTV &gt; Fleet Status]." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on January 19, 2010.</ref> The service became available immediately after a credit card is swiped and confirmed, and could be activated at any point during the flight. Movies started at a set time and cannot be paused, rewound or fast-forwarded. The service was free to first-class passengers and was available for a charge of US$6 in the coach cabin.<ref name="Reiter" /> Service could become limited and/or interrupted during descent.<ref name="Fleetstatus" />

On December 16, 2009, Continental Airlines, announced that, beginning in the second quarter 2010(see note) it will offer [[Gogo Inflight Internet]] service on its fleet of 21 Boeing 757-300 aircraft that primarily serve domestic routes. The new Gogo Inflight Internet service will provide customers full Internet access on their own standard, Wi-Fi equipped laptop or Personal Electronic Device (PED) at speeds similar to wireless mobile broadband services on the ground. Customers will be able to sign up and log in once the aircraft reaches {{convert|10000|ft|m}}. The Gogo system, powered by the Aircell Network and available in the continental U.S., will be available to customers at a cost from $4.95 and up, based on length of flight{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}.

At airport [[kiosk]]s Continental Airlines allowed customers to buy "Continental Currency", a prepaid credit for audio headsets and alcoholic beverages on flights.<ref name="Cocurr">"[http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/kiosks/default.aspx#currency Airport Kiosks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302103023/http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/airport/kiosks/default.aspx#currency |date=March 2, 2012}}." Continental Airlines. Retrieved on May 18, 2009.</ref>

==OnePass==
[[File:Continental Airlines OnePass logo.png|thumb|Continental's OnePass logo]]

Established in 1987 in cooperation with now defunct [[Eastern Air Lines]], OnePass was the [[frequent flyer program]] for Continental Airlines, the [[Trump Shuttle]], [[Copa Airlines]] and [[Copa Airlines Colombia]]. OnePass offered regular travelers the privilege to obtain free tickets, First Class upgrades on flights, discounted membership for its airport lounge ([[#President's Club|President's Club]]), and other types of rewards. Customers accumulated miles from flight segments they fly or through Continental Airlines partners. OnePass elite tiers were Silver, Gold, and Platinum Elite which have benefits such as free upgrades, mileage bonus, priority check-in, priority boarding, and much more. Continental previously had a frequent flyer program prior to OnePass called TravelBank, which was started not long after American Airlines started its frequent flyer program in 1981 and when most large United States airlines followed, but this was merged with Eastern Airlines' frequent flyer program in 1987 to form OnePass.<ref>personal collection of Eastern Airlines frequent flyer program newsletters from 1987.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insideflyer.com/articles/o2_sidebar.php?key=4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525073303/http://www.insideflyer.com/articles/o2_sidebar.php?key=4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 25, 2006 |title=The First Frequent Flyer Programs |publisher=InsideFlyer.com |access-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref> The name "OnePass" refers to the ability to accumulate miles on two major airlines, namely Continental and Eastern, in one frequent flyer program.

In addition to its [[Continental Express]], [[Continental Connection]] and Star Alliance partnerships, Continental had frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines (as of February 2012):
* [[Aeromar]]
* [[Cape Air]]
* [[Copa Airlines]]
* [[EVA Air]]
* [[Hawaiian Airlines]]
* [[Island Air (Hawaii)|Island Air]]

As a result of [[#Merger with United Airlines|United Airlines and Continental Airlines merger]], on March 3, 2012, OnePass program was phased out and merged into United [[MileagePlus]] program.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://creditshout.com/blog/continental-onepass-is-now-united-mileageplus-questions-from-current-account-holders/ |title=Continental OnePass is Now United MileagePlus – Questions From Current Account Holders |publisher=Creditshout.com |access-date=May 29, 2012 |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309014005/http://creditshout.com/blog/continental-onepass-is-now-united-mileageplus-questions-from-current-account-holders/ |url-status=live }}</ref> OnePass stopped accepting new membership applications effective February 29, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theman1000.com/2012/02/23/dying-continental-onepass-card/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912194101/http://www.theman1000.com/2012/02/23/dying-continental-onepass-card/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |title=Don't Get Suckered by the Dying Continental OnePass Card! |publisher=Theman1000.com |date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref>

==Accidents and incidents==
The following were major accidents and incidents that have occurred on Continental Airlines mainline aircraft.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Continental Airlines reported accidents and incidents
|-
!rowspan="2"|Flight
!rowspan="2"|Date
!rowspan="2"|Aircraft
!rowspan="2"|Location
!rowspan="2"|Passengers/crew
!colspan="4"|Injuries
! rowspan="2" |Other
|-
!Fatal
!Serious
!Minor
!Ground or other injuries/fatalities
|-
|N/A<ref name=ASN082745>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450827-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed 18-01-01 Lodestar NC25636 Albuquerque, NM|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=May 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509223920/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19450827-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|August 27, 1945
|[[Lockheed Lodestar]]
|[[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|46<ref name=ASN160354>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19540316-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Convair CV-340-35 N90853 Midland, TX|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|access-date=August 19, 2011|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104104125/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19540316-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|March 16, 1954
|[[Convair CV-340]]
|[[Midland, Texas]]
|8/3
|0
|0
|11
|0
|
|-
|[[Continental Airlines Flight 11|11]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620522-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 707-124 N70775 Unionville, MO|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=May 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519111804/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620522-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|May 22, 1962
|[[Boeing 707-100]]
|[[Unionville, Missouri]]
|37/8
|45 
|0
|0
|0
|
|-
|210<ref name=ASN080762>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620708-0|title=Accident description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=October 2, 2009|archive-date=October 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025085658/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620708-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|July 8, 1962
|[[Vickers Viscount]]
|[[Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport|Lubbock International Airport]]
|13/3
|0
|0
|0
|0
|
|-
|290<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630129-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Vickers 812 Viscount N242V Kansas City, MO|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|date=January 29, 1963|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=July 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120720162838/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19630129-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|January 29, 1963
|[[Vickers Viscount]]
|[[Kansas City Municipal Airport|Kansas City, Missouri]]
|5/3
|8
|0
|0
|0
|
|-
|[[Continental Airlines Flight 12|12]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/332610 |title=Runway excursion Accident Boeing 707-124 N70773, Thursday 1 July 1965 |website=asn.flightsafety.org |access-date=2024-10-22}}</ref>
|July 1, 1965
|[[Boeing 707|Boeing 707-124]]
|[[Kansas City Municipal Airport|Kansas City, Missouri]]
|60/6
|0
|0
|0
|0
|-
|712<br /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fss.aero/accident-reports/dvdfiles/US/1971-08-04-US.pdf |date=December 29, 1971 |title=Midair collision, Continental Air Lines, Inc., Flight 712, Boeing 707-320C, N47330, Floyd Flying Service, Cessna 150J, N61011, Compton, California August 4, 1971 |publisher=[[National Transportation Safety Board|NTSB]] |access-date=October 14, 2020 |archive-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017010938/https://www.fss.aero/accident-reports/dvdfiles/US/1971-08-04-US.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|August 4, 1971
|[[Boeing 707#707-320C|Boeing 707-320C]]
|[[Compton, California]]
|87/9
|0
|0
|0
|2 injuries (on Cessna 150)
|Mid-air collision, both occupants of [[Cessna 150]] survived with injuries
|-
|N/A<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730413-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident North American NA-265 Sabreliner 60 N743R Montrose, CO|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|date=April 13, 1973|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=May 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525212353/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730413-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|April 13, 1973
|[[North American Sabreliner|Sabreliner 60]]
|[[Montrose, Colorado]]
|0/2
|2
|0
|0
|0
|
|-
|426<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19750807-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-224 N88777 Denver-Stapleton International Airport, CO (DEN)|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|date=August 7, 1975|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=October 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026135548/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19750807-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|August 7, 1975
|[[Boeing 727-200]]
|[[Denver, Colorado]]
|124/7
|0
|0
|15
|0
|
|-
|[[Continental Airlines Flight 603|603]]<br /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR79-01.pdf |title=E.R.A.U. Library: National Transportation Safety Board |publisher=Libraryonline.erau.edu |access-date=2012-10-14 |archive-date=May 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160528053730/http://libraryonline.erau.edu/online-full-text/ntsb/aircraft-accident-reports/AAR79-01.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
|March 1, 1978
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]]
|[[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]]
|189/11
|4
|29
|167
|10 (firefighters injured)
|2 died during evacuation, 2 died three months later of their injuries
|-
|25<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/11/us/pilot-in-near-collision-over-ocean-suggested-incident-be-kept-secret.html?pagewanted=all|title=Pilot in near collision over ocean suggested incident be kept secret|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 11, 1987|first=Richard|last=Witkin|access-date=February 6, 2017|archive-date=December 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228195841/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/07/11/us/pilot-in-near-collision-over-ocean-suggested-incident-be-kept-secret.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/A87_105_106.pdf|title=Safety Recommendation|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|date=September 1, 1987|access-date=December 28, 2016|archive-date=December 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229100036/http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-recs/recletters/A87_105_106.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,965468,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101022235506/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,965468,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 22, 2010|title=Wrong Track: Delta is blamed for a close call|magazine=Time|date=September 14, 1987|first=Ed|last=Magnuson}}</ref>
|July 8, 1987
|[[Boeing 747]]
|North Atlantic Ocean
|399/19
|0
|0
|0
|0
|Near mid-air collision with off-course Delta flight
|-
|[[Continental Airlines Flight 1713|1713]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19871115-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-9-14 N626TX Denver-Stapleton International Airport, CO (DEN)|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|date=November 15, 1987|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=March 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324052642/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19871115-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|November 15, 1987
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]]
|[[Stapleton International Airport|Denver]]
|77/5
|28
|28
|26
|0
|
|-
|795<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Aviation Accident Report AAR-95-01 |url=https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA94MA038.aspx |access-date=2018-12-17 |website=www.ntsb.gov |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603170333/https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA94MA038.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
|March 2, 1994
|[[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]]
|New York
|110/6
|0
|0
|30
|0
|
|-
|1943<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/1997/aar9701.pdf|title=NTSB Aircraft accident report wheels-up landing Continental Airlines Flight 1943 Douglas DC-9 N10556 Houston, TX February 19, 1996|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|date=February 11, 1997|access-date=June 29, 2020|archive-date=February 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202005342/https://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/1997/aar9701.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|February 19, 1996
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]]
|[[Houston Intercontinental Airport|Houston]]
|82/5
|0
|0
|12
|0
|
|-
|475<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980916-0|title=Accident description: Continental Airlines flight 475, September 16, 1998|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=December 28, 2016|archive-date=January 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127165235/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19980916-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|September 16, 1998
|[[Boeing 737-500]]
|[[Guadalajara International Airport|Guadalajara]]
|102/6
|0
|0
|0
|0
|Aircraft damaged beyond repair
|-
|[[Air France Flight 4590|55]]<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20000725-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Aérospatiale / BAC Concorde 101 F-BTSC Gonesse|publisher=Aviation-safety.net|access-date=January 8, 2009|archive-date=June 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606071418/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20000725-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
|July 25, 2000
|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]]
|[[Charles de Gaulle Airport|Paris, France]]
|
|0
|0
|0
|0
|Mechanical failure (source of foreign object that caused [[Air France Flight 4590]] to crash)
|-
|1515
|January 16, 2006
|[[Boeing 737-524]]
|[[El Paso International Airport|El Paso, Texas]]
|114/5
|0
|0
|0
|1 fatality (ground crew mechanic)
|Mechanic checking for oil leak stepped into hazard zone, got ingested into the engine.
|-
|[[Continental Airlines Flight 1404|1404]]
|December 20, 2008
|[[Boeing 737-500]]
|[[Denver International Airport|Denver]]
|110/5
|0
|2
|45
|0
|
|-
|128<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accident: Continental B762 over Caribbean on Aug 3rd 2009, severe turbulence injures 26 |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=41dadc4d&opt=0 |access-date=2023-10-04 |website=avherald.com |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109211846/http://avherald.com/h?article=41dadc4d&opt=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|August 3, 2009
|[[Boeing 767|Boeing 767-224]]
|[[Dominican Republic]]
|168/11
|0
|4
|22
|0
|Strong clear-air turbulence approximately 50&nbsp;nm North of Dominican Republic, 600&nbsp;nm south of Miami, 26 injured.
|}
* August 27, 1945
** A Lockheed Lodestar burned out while parked at Albuquerque, New Mexico; there was no one on board.
* March 16, 1954
** Flight 46, on a flight from Midland, Texas, to Kansas City, Missouri, suffered vibration just after takeoff and went into a dive; the flight crew managed to make a wheels-up landing in an open field.
* May 22, 1962
** Thomas Doty, a passenger intent on having his wife claim money from life insurance, boarded [[Continental Airlines Flight 11|Flight 11]] with a bomb, which departed [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago-O’Hare]], destined for [[Kansas City Municipal Airport]]. The bomb exploded, breaking off the aircraft's tail, and the plane crashed on a farm near [[Unionville, Missouri]]. All 45 on board died, including the suicide bomber. This aircraft had previously been subject to an attempted hijacking to Cuba, although the hijackers were captured in [[El Paso, Texas]].
* July 8, 1962
** A Vickers Viscount was damaged beyond economic repair when the propellers struck the runway shortly after take-off. A wheels-up landing was made in a wheat field.
* January 29, 1963
** Flight 290, en route from [[Midland International Airport|Midland, Texas]], to Kansas City, crashed on approach near the south end of the runway and burst into flames.
* August 4, 1971
** Continental Airlines Flight 712, on a flight coming from [[Hilo International Airport]] into [[Los Angeles International Airport]] collided in midair over [[Compton, California|Compton]] with a [[Cessna 150]] at about 3,950 feet during an evening approach to LAX. The Boeing 707-320C suffered substantial damage to the outer right-wing panel but landed safely. The Cessna 150 crashed and was destroyed but both occupants survived with injuries.
* April 13, 1973
** After bringing [[Robert Six|Bob]] and [[Audrey Meadows|Audrey Six]] to their Colorado ranch, the Sabreliner crew departed [[Montrose Regional Airport]]<!-- don't use abbreviations I don't understand!! MTJ??--><!-- It's an airport code-->, for the return flight to Los Angeles (LAX). The thrust reverser of the aircraft was deployed in flight shortly after takeoff. The aircraft descended from {{convert|1000|ft|m}}, struck the ground, and was destroyed.
* August 7, 1975
** Flight 426, bound for [[Wichita, Kansas]], crashed near the departure end of runway shortly after takeoff from Denver-Stapleton International Airport. The aircraft encountered severe windshear at an altitude and airspeed which precluded recovery to level flight. The aircraft descended at a rate which could not be overcome even though the aircraft was flown at or near its maximum lift capability throughout the encounter. The windshear was generated by the outflow from a thunderstorm which was over the aircraft's departure path. All passengers and crew were safely evacuated. The aircraft, a Boeing 727, was a total loss.
* March 1, 1978
** [[Continental Airlines Flight 603|Flight 603]] was scheduled to [[Honolulu International Airport|Honolulu, HI]] from Los Angeles. At takeoff, the McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 overran the runway at Los Angeles ([[LAX]]) when the takeoff was aborted as a result of a tire explosion. The resulting overrun caused a fire that engulfed the aircraft. The aircraft was a total loss; two passengers died when they evacuated the aircraft directly into the fire. Two other passengers died three months later of their injuries.
* July 8, 1987
** A Continental Boeing 747 had a near collision with an off-course [[Delta Air Lines]] [[Lockheed L-1011]]. Both the Delta (London-Cincinnati) and Continental (London-Newark) were heading to the U.S., with a total of nearly 600 people on board. The Delta flight strayed {{convert|60|mi|km}} off course during its flight, and came within {{convert|30|ft|m}} of colliding with the 747 as the L-1011 flew under it in Canadian airspace. It was potentially the deadliest aviation accident in history. Delta pilots attempted to convince the Continental crew to cover up the incident and not report it.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Witkin|first=Richard|date=July 10, 1987|title=Pilot in Near Collision Over Ocean Suggested Incident Be Kept Secret|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1987/07/11/554287.html?pageNumber=1|access-date=September 10, 2020|archive-date=March 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309235916/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1987/07/11/554287.html?pageNumber=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
* November 15, 1987
** [[Continental Airlines Flight 1713|Flight 1713]], bound for [[Boise, Idaho]], crashed on take-off during a snowstorm at Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado. 25 passengers and 3 crew were killed.
* March 2, 1994
** Flight 795, a [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-82]], suffered damage due to a rejected takeoff from runway 13 at [[LaGuardia Airport]] during wintry conditions. The aircraft failed to takeoff and came to a stop at the edge of a ditch near the runway. 30 Passengers and crew suffered minor injuries.<ref name=":0" />
* February 19, 1996
** Flight 1943 landed wheels up on runway 27 at the Houston Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas.
* September 16, 1998
** Flight 475 from Houston to Guadalajara, a Boeing 737-500, was damaged beyond repair upon exiting the left side of the runway while landing. There were no injuries, and wind shear is suspected to have been a factor.<ref name="auto" />
* July 25, 2000
** The official investigation found that Flight 55 (a Continental DC-10) caused the crash of [[Air France]] [[Concorde]] [[Air France Flight 4590|Flight 4590]] in Paris. The DC-10 dropped a strip of titanium alloy from its [[thrust reverser]] on the runway during takeoff. When AF4590 subsequently departed, Concorde's left main landing gear tires struck the strip of metal and were punctured. The tires then exploded and tire rubber fragments penetrated Concorde's wing fuel tanks, starting fires in engines 1 and 2, leading to the crash which killed all aboard and four people on the ground. According to the official report on the accident, the strip of metal installed on the Continental jet was made from a different alloy than had been approved by the US [[Federal Aviation Administration]] or the engine manufacturer. This led French authorities to undertake a criminal investigation into Continental Airlines,<ref>"[https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-03-10-continental-concorde_x.htm Judge places Continental under investigation in Concorde crash] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090125081931/http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-03-10-continental-concorde_x.htm |date=January 25, 2009 }}." ''[[USA Today]]''</ref> which ended in Continental being fined 200,000 euros and ordered to pay 1 million euros to Air France.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11923556|publisher=BBC News|title=Continental 'responsible' for Concorde crash in 2000|date=December 6, 2010|access-date=July 20, 2018|archive-date=December 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206045552/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11923556|url-status=live}}</ref>
* January 16, 2006
** A mechanic standing near a Boeing 737 at El Paso International Airport in Texas was sucked into one of the engines and killed. The mechanic's failure to maintain proper clearance with the engine intake during a jet engine run, and the failure of contract maintenance personnel to follow written procedures and directives contained in the airline's general maintenance manual were determined to be the cause. Factors contributing to the accident were the insufficient training provided to the contract mechanics by the airline, and the failure of the airport to disseminate a policy prohibiting ground engine runs above idle power in the terminal area.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 16, 2006 |title=Mechanic sucked into jet engine |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/16/airplane.fatality/index.html |access-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-date=August 28, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828034412/http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/16/airplane.fatality/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* December 20, 2008
** Flight 1404 bound for [[Houston]], pulled left and ran off of the runway during its takeoff roll at [[Denver International Airport]]. The cause of the incident is unknown, however the right side of aircraft caught fire once coming to a stop. Of the 115 people on board, 47 sustained injuries, with 2 seriously injured, including the pilot.<ref>NTSB final report, section 1.2 "Injuries to persons", page 6</ref>

===Incidents===

* July 1, 1965
** [[Continental Airlines Flight 12]], a [[Boeing 707-100]], ran off the runway at [[Kansas City Downtown Airport]] landing in heavy rain. All 66 on board survived however the aircraft broke apart in several places and was a total loss.
* March 1, 1978
**[[Continental Airlines Flight 603]] was a scheduled [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]] flight between [[Los Angeles International Airport]] and [[Honolulu International Airport]]. On March 1, 1978, it crashed during an aborted takeoff, resulting in the deaths of four passengers.
*October 28, 2006
** [[Continental Airlines Flight 1883|Continental Flight 1883]], a [[Boeing 757|Boeing 757-200]] aircraft carrying 160 passengers, landed on a narrow unoccupied taxiway parallel to runway 29 at [[Newark Liberty International Airport]]. No one was injured and both pilots were removed from flying status duties pending an investigation. They have since been reinstated. Potentially confusing runway lighting and pilot error were cited in the investigation.<ref>Weiss, Murray & Jeremy Olshanp.[http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312006/news/regionalnews/airline_pilot_in_blunder_land_regionalnews_murray_weiss_and_jeremy_olshan.htm "Airline Pilot in Blunder Land"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090111122107/http://www.nypost.com/seven/10312006/news/regionalnews/airline_pilot_in_blunder_land_regionalnews_murray_weiss_and_jeremy_olshan.htm |date=January 11, 2009}}, ''New York Post'', October 31, 2006. Retrieved June 21, 2007.</ref>
* In January 2007
** A Continental Boeing 757 pilot died en route from Houston to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The flight was diverted to McAllen, Texas.
* In November 2008
** The airline temporarily cancelled it's flights to [[Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport|Mumbai Airport]] due to passenger and crew safety during the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|terrorist attacks]] in Mumbai led by 10 Pakistan based [[Lashkar-e-Taiba]] terrorists. Continental resumed it's flights once the attacks ended after the last attacker was killed by security forces.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122774214504461219?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo |title=Mumbai Notebook: Squeeze to India's Cash-Strapped Carriers |work=Wall Street Journal |date=27 November 2008 |accessdate=27 November 2008 |last=Prada |first=Paulo |author2=Daniel Fitzpatrick|author3=Nitin Luthra|author4=Dan Michaels|author5= Jeanne Whalen| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081203035805/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122774214504461219.html?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo| archivedate= 3 December 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>
* June 18, 2009
** The captain of Continental Airlines Flight 61, a Boeing 777-200ER, en route from Brussels, Belgium, to Newark, New Jersey, died of natural causes during the trip. The airline alerted federal authorities around 10:30 that morning that Flight 61 was being flown by the first officer and relief pilot. The plane with 247 passengers aboard landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport at about noon EDT.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31426550|title=60-year-old Continental pilot dies in flight – News|publisher=NBC News|date=June 18, 2009|access-date=May 4, 2010|archive-date=November 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109212331/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31426550|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/continental-airlines-pilot-dies-on-flight-from-brussels-to-newark "Continental Airlines Pilot Dies on Flight From Brussels to Newark"], Fox News, June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090620235328/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-continental-pilot19-2009jun19,0,6091517.story "Pilot dies mid-flight; plane lands safely"], ''Los Angeles Times'', June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.</ref>
* August 3, 2009
** Continental Airlines Flight 128, a [[Boeing 767]], made an emergency landing in Miami ([[Miami International Airport]]) due to extreme turbulence. This flight was scheduled from Rio de Janeiro ([[Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport]]) to Houston ([[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]]). The plane carried 11 crew members and 168 passengers. At least 26 passengers were injured, including four seriously.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32266096 |title=26 hurt as turbulence diverts U.S.-bound jet |date=August 3, 2009 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=2013-08-18 |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109212332/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32266096 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* December 6, 2010
** Continental Airlines was found criminally responsible for the disaster to Concorde ([[Air France Flight 4590]]) at Gonesse on July 25, 2000 (an accident that killed one hundred passengers and nine crew members on board the plane, and four persons on the ground) by a Parisian court and was fined €200,000 ($271,628) and ordered to pay Air France €1&nbsp;million. Continental mechanic John Taylor was given a 15-month suspended sentence, while another airline operative and three French officials were cleared of all charges. The court ruled that the crash resulted from a piece of metal from a Continental jet that was left on the runway; the object punctured a tire on the Concorde and then ruptured a fuel tank. Another Continental employee, Stanley Ford, was found not guilty. On November 29, 2012, a French appeals court overturned that decision, thereby clearing Continental of criminal responsibility, although the civil compensation claims were left intact.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/business/global/french-court-overturns-conviction-in-concorde-crash.html |last=Clark |first=Nicola |date=29 November 2012 |title=French Court Overturns Convictions in Concorde Crash |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=15 August 2019 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=15 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815125501/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/30/business/global/french-court-overturns-conviction-in-concorde-crash.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Air transportation in the United States]]
* [[Independent Association of Continental Pilots]]
* [[List of airlines of the United States]]
* [[List of defunct airlines of the United States]]
* [[List of airports in the United States]]
* [[Transportation in the United States]]
* [[United Airlines]]
* [[Northwest Airlines]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Continental Airlines, ''Customer Service Manual'', 1970 edition.
* Vietor, Richard H. K. "Contrived Competition: Airline Regulation and Deregulation, 1925–1988", ''The Business History Review'', Vol. 64, No. 1, Government and Business (Spring 1990), pp.&nbsp;61–108

==External links==
{{Sister project links|wikt=no|b=no|q=no|s=no|v=no|species=no}}
*{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.continental.com|title=Continental Airlines (continental.com)}}
*{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.flycontinental.com|title=Continental Airlines (flycontinental.com, late 1990s)}}
*[https://digitalcollections.museumofflight.org/nodes/view/27547?type=all Continental Airlines | Museum of Flight Digital Collections]

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