Continental Airlines Review

If you're going to get anywhere good and free with an airline, you've got to concentrate your flying on one airline. If you're in the US and want to get overseas on rewards, it's got to be one of the big legacy carriers. (You try getting business class to Paris on Southwest.) And unless you are in another legacy carrier's hub, I'd suggest going with Continental.

The things I appreciate about Continental are:

[]  The good first-class upgrade program, which is unlimited and driven by elite status rather than coupons, like United's or American's. If you are high-level elite, you get upgraded a lot. (If not, then you won't get many but that is true for all carriers)

[]  The overall consistency of service. They talk about pillows and blankets (though those are hit and miss) and food, but the bigger difference is because their labor relations are better you are less likely to get a bitter or nasty gate agent or flight attendant. It can happen, but less

[]  Having 3 US partners can give you more chances at free flights, although the partnership with Delta is loose and hard to use for hard-to-get seats

The biggest negative, and it's important, is if you work for a business that buys your tickets for you they screw you out of elite qualifying miles if you have a low-priced ticket in ways that some other airlines don't. The same person who buys a low-priced ticket one trip can buy a high-priced ticket the next time, and since they are both bought by corporate travel it is no skin off Continental's nose -- they aren't paying either way. If you rely on low-priced tickets to qualify for your elite status, you'd be better off with another carrier unless you've got a ton of them.