8-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):

September 17, 2003

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-10323	74-2099724
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)		Identification No.)

1600 Smith Street, Dept. HQSEO, Houston, Texas	77002
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

(713) 324-2950

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Item 5. Other Events.

On September 17, 2003, we issued a press release announcing the election by our Board of Directors of Henry L. Meyer III to fill a vacancy on the Board occasioned by the resignation from the Board of Donald L. Sturm. The press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Mr. Meyer has been Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of KeyCorp (a financial services company) since May 2001. He served as KeyCorp's President and Chief Executive Officer from February to May 2001 and as its President and Chief Operating Officer from May 1997 until February 2001. Mr. Meyer is 53 years old and is also a director of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

1. Exhibits

1. Press Release

SIGNATURE

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.

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.

September 17, 2003	By /s/ Jennifer L. Vogel
	Jennifer L. Vogel
	Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1 Press Release

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

News Release

Contact: Corporate Communications

Houston: 713.324.5080

Email: corpcomm@coair.com

News archive: continental.com/news/ Address: P.O. Box 4607, Houston, TX 77210-4607

CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ANNOUNCES ELECTION

OF HENRY L. MEYER III TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Announces resignation of Director Donald L. Sturm

HOUSTON, Sept. 17, 2003 - Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) announced today that Henry L. Meyer III, chairman, president and chief executive officer of KeyCorp, has been elected to the airline's board of directors.

Meyer has served as chairman of Cleveland-based KeyCorp, one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies with assets of approximately $85 billion, since May 2001. He was named chief executive officer in February 2001 and president in May 1997. KeyCorp is ranked 285 in the 2003 Fortune 500 with more than $6 billion in annual revenues.

Meyer will replace former director Donald L. Sturm, who resigned from the board this month after 10 years as a Continental director. Sturm is chairman and chief executive officer of the Sturm Group, Inc.

"We are fortunate to have someone of Henry's caliber and experience to join our board," said Gordon Bethune, Continental Airlines chairman and chief executive officer. "We appreciate Don's many contributions over the years and wish him all the best."

Meyer, who holds an MBA from Harvard University, is currently a director of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. In addition, he serves on several civic and cultural boards in the greater Cleveland area, and is immediate past chairman of the board of the University Hospitals Health System, Inc. and University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Continental Airlines is the world's seventh-largest airline and has more than 2,200 daily departures. With 130 domestic and 95 international destinations, Continental has the broadest global route network of any U.S. airline, including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

###

03155