CONTINENTAL AIRLINES NAMED TOP U.S.-BASED GLOBAL CARRIER IN FORTUNE MAGAZINE SURVEY

Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) has been named the top U.S.-based global carrier in Fortune magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies" list.

Continental ranked No. 3 overall in the Global Most Admired Airlines category published in the Oct. 2 issue.

Fifteen carriers were ranked in the Airline Industry list:

1. Singapore Airlines

2. Southwest Airlines

3. Continental Airlines

4. Lufthansa Group

5. UAL

6. American

7. British Airways

8. Delta Air Lines

9. KLM

10. Northwest Airlines

11. Japan Airlines

12. Swissair

13. All Nippon Airways

14. Air France Group

15. US Airways Group

Companies were rated by the business executives who run companies and the analysts who study them based upon the following eight criteria: quality of management; quality of products and services; innovativeness; long-term investment value; financial soundness; ability to attract, develop, and retain talent; community responsibility; and use of corporate assets.

"This recognition from the world's foremost business leaders shows how far we've come over the last five years," said Continental's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gordon Bethune. "My 52,300 co-workers based all over the world have done a tremendous job establishing Continental as the industry leader and taking a top spot in this prestigious survey is further proof of the great job they do every day."

Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,300 departures daily to 138 domestic and 96 international destinations. Operating major hubs in Newark, Houston and Cleveland, Continental (www.continental.com) serves more international cities than any other U.S. carrier, including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Continental is in the top quarter of FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work for in America," and is ranked the nation's No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction for long and short-haul flights by Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power and Associates. Continental has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Condé Nast Traveler, OAG, Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines), OnePass frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer's Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management (Air Transport World's 1996 Airline of the Year).