Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On January 17, 2006, Continental Airlines, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press release announcing its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2005. The press release contains certain non-GAAP financial information. The reconciliation of such non-GAAP financial information to GAAP financial measures is included in the press release and the schedules thereto. Further, the press release contains statements intended as "forward-looking statements," all of which are subject to the cautionary statement about forward-looking statements set forth therein. The press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with SEC Release No. 33-8176, the information contained in such press release shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Continental Airlines, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

EXHIBIT 99.1

Contact: Corporate Communications

Houston: 713.324.5080

Email: corpcomm@coair.com

(in millions) Revenue RASM ASMs

Domestic $ 1,217 10.5% 6.8% 3.4%

Transatlantic 424 28.2% 7.5% 19.2%

Latin America 248 10.8% 7.0% 3.5%

Pacific 192 28.2% 3.9% 23.3%

Total Mainline $ 2,081 15.2% 6.4% 8.4%

Regional $ 507 26.8% 11.2% 14.1%

Consolidated $ 2,588 17.3% 7.6% 9.0%

Continental and the entire airline industry continue to suffer the burden of excessive fees and non-income related taxes. Continental incurred $1.2 billion in these fees and non-income related taxes charged on passenger tickets by various governmental entities in 2005, with $292 million incurred in the fourth quarter.

Continental's employees worked together to overcome operational challenges posed by record load factors, the closure of one of the main departure runways at Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport and severe weather at its New York, Cleveland and Houston hubs. In addition, as employees were recovering from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, hurricane Wilma rolled across Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the Gulf Coast and South Florida, presenting its own set of challenges. Continental was the first U.S. carrier to evacuate stranded tourists from the Yucatan in the aftermath of the hurricane, operating flights from Merida, Cancun and Cozumel to Houston.

Continental continued its international expansion during the quarter. The airline was the first carrier to inaugurate scheduled nonstop service between the United States and India, with the launch of daily flights between its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. In addition, the airline began daily nonstop service between Liberty and Liberia, Costa Rica; and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles; and between LaGuardia and the Caribbean island of Aruba.

From its Houston hub, Continental began daily nonstop flights between Bush Intercontinental Airport and Buenos Aires, Argentina; Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

In addition, Continental announced that it will begin service in 2006 between Liberty and Barcelona, Spain; Copenhagen, Denmark and Cologne, Germany.

"We continued our international expansion in the fourth quarter, and our mainline international capacity is now approaching half of our total mainline capacity," said Jeff Smisek, president. "Our co-workers chose the right path in 2005, and we are now growing and hiring new employees in stark contrast to most of our competitors."

For the eighth year in a row, Continental outranked all of its U.S. competition in international Business Class service, according to results of a survey of Condé Nast Traveler readers published in the magazine's October 2005 edition. Overall rankings were determined using a variety of criteria including Seat Comfort/Legroom, Food/Beverages, Cabin Service, Onboard Amenities/Technology, Frequent-flier Privileges, Airport Club Lounges and Value for Cost.

Continental.com continued to generate record sales volume in the fourth quarter 2005, setting a single-day sales record of $9.8 million on Nov. 16, 2005. In addition, the company expanded Spanish-language booking and reservations functions on its Web site.

Driven largely by a 57.6-percent increase in the cost of fuel and related taxes, Continental's operating costs in the fourth quarter increased 13.0 percent over the same period in 2004. The company's mainline cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 3.0 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2004, due to high fuel prices. Excluding special items and holding fuel rate constant, CASM decreased 6.7 percent, primarily as a result of pay and benefit reductions and work rule changes that began in April, and other cost-saving initiatives.

"As we close another year with solid cost controls, I want to thank every member of the Continental team for their continued focus and efforts," said Jeff Misner, Continental's executive vice president and chief financial officer. "Unfortunately, with record high fuel costs, our efforts continue to be overshadowed."

In October, Continental completed a public offering of 18 million shares of its Class B common stock, raising $203 million of cash.

In December, Continental received $172 million from the sale of approximately nine million shares of common stock in the initial public offering of Copa Holdings, S.A., parent company of Copa Airlines. The sale decreased the company's ownership percentage from 49 to 27 percent. Continental still holds approximately 12 million shares of Copa's common stock.

With these financings, Continental ended the fourth quarter with approximately $1.96 billion in unrestricted cash and short-term investments.

In the fourth quarter, Continental contributed $115 million cash to its defined benefit pension plans. With this contribution, full year 2005 contributions totaled $354 million. Special charges of $21 million in the fourth quarter of 2005 consist primarily of a non-cash settlement charge related to lump-sum distributions from the pilot pension plans.

Continental took delivery of three 737-800s and three 757-300s during the fourth quarter of 2005. Continental expects to take delivery of two 757-300s during the first quarter of 2006 and six 737-800s in 2006.

In December, Continental reached an agreement with the International Association of Machinists (IAM) covering the company's flight attendants. This agreement, along with previously announced pay and benefit reductions for other work groups, concludes the negotiation process with all Continental's domestic employees. Flight attendants will vote on the agreement Jan. 18-29, 2006.

In December, Continental gave notice that it will withdraw 69 of 274 regional aircraft from its capacity purchase agreement with ExpressJet, as it believes the rates charged by ExpressJet for regional capacity are above current market rates. Continental is in the process of requesting proposals from other operators to provide regional jet service to replace the withdrawn capacity beginning in January 2007.

Continental Airlines is the world's sixth-largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 151 domestic and 133 international destinations, more than any other carrier in the world. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines, which include Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Korean Air and Northwest Airlines.  With more than 42,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 61 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.

For the second consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2005 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also included in the publication's annual "Top 50" list, which ranks all companies, across a wide variety of industries, that appear in the Global Most Admired Companies issue. Continental again won major awards at the 2005 OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Airline of the Year" and "Best Airline Based in North America" for the second consecutive year, and "Best Executive/Business Class" for the third consecutive year. For more company information, visit continental.com.

Continental Airlines will conduct a regular quarterly telephone briefing today to discuss these results and the company's financial and operating outlook with the financial community and news media at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET. To listen to a live broadcast of this briefing, go to continental.com/company.

[tables attached]

###