CERTIFICATE

Certificate
No. 1




               CONTINENTAL AIRLINES PASS THROUGH TRUST 2001-1A-2-O

    6.503% Continental Airlines Pass Through Certificate, Series 2001-1A-2-O
                          Issuance Date: April 19, 2001

                     Final Maturity Date: December 15, 2012

  Evidencing A Fractional Undivided Interest In The Continental Airlines
  Pass Through Trust 2001-1A-2-O, The Property Of Which Shall Include
  Certain Equipment Notes Each Secured By An Aircraft Leased To Or Owned
   By Continental Airlines, Inc.


                   $190,487,000 Fractional Undivided Interest
          representing .0005249702% of the Trust per $1,000 face amount

          THIS CERTIFIES THAT CEDE & CO. for value received, is the registered
owner of a $190,487,000 (ONE HUNDRED NINETY MILLION FOUR HUNDRED EIGHTY-SEVEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS) Fractional Undivided Interest in the Continental Airlines Pass
Through Trust 2001-1A-2-O (the "TRUST") created by Wilmington Trust Company, as
trustee (the "TRUSTEE"), pursuant to a Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of
September 25, 1997 (the "BASIC AGREEMENT"), between the Trustee and Continental
Airlines, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), as supplemented by Trust
Supplement No. 2001-1A-2-O thereto, dated as of April 19, 2001 (the "TRUST
SUPPLEMENT" and, together with the Basic Agreement, the "AGREEMENT"), between
the Trustee and the Company, a summary of certain of the pertinent provisions of
which is set forth below. To the extent not otherwise defined herein, the
capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the
Agreement. This Certificate is one of the duly authorized Certificates
designated as "6.503% Continental Airlines Pass Through Certificates, Series
2001-1A-2-O" (herein called the "CERTIFICATES"). This Certificate is issued
under and is subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement.
By virtue of its acceptance hereof, the holder of this Certificate (the
"CERTIFICATEHOLDER" and, together with all other holders of Certificates issued
by the Trust, the "CERTIFICATEHOLDERS") assents to and agrees to be bound by the
provisions of the Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement. The property of the
Trust includes certain Equipment Notes and all rights of the Trust to receive
payments under the Intercreditor Agreement and the Liquidity Facility (the
"TRUST PROPERTY"). Each issue of the Equipment Notes is secured by, among other
things, a security interest in an Aircraft leased to or owned by the Company.


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          The Certificates represent Fractional Undivided Interests in the Trust
and the Trust Property and have no rights, benefits or interest in respect of
any other separate trust established pursuant to the terms of the Basic
Agreement for any other series of certificates issued pursuant thereto.

          Subject to and in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and the
Intercreditor Agreement, from funds then available to the Trustee, there will be
distributed on each June 15 and December 15 (a "REGULAR DISTRIBUTION DATE"),
commencing December 15, 2001, to the Person in whose name this Certificate is
registered at the close of business on the 15th day preceding the Regular
Distribution Date, an amount in respect of the Scheduled Payments on the
Equipment Notes due on such Regular Distribution Date, the receipt of which has
been confirmed by the Trustee, equal to the product of the percentage interest
in the Trust evidenced by this Certificate and an amount equal to the sum of
such Scheduled Payments. Subject to and in accordance with the terms of the
Agreement and the Intercreditor Agreement, in the event that Special Payments on
the Equipment Notes are received by the Trustee, from funds then available to
the Trustee, there shall be distributed on the applicable Special Distribution
Date, to the Person in whose name this Certificate is registered at the close of
business on the 15th day preceding the Special Distribution Date, an amount in
respect of such Special Payments on the Equipment Notes, the receipt of which
has been confirmed by the Trustee, equal to the product of the percentage
interest in the Trust evidenced by this Certificate and an amount equal to the
sum of such Special Payments so received. If a Regular Distribution Date or
Special Distribution Date is not a Business Day, distribution shall be made on
the immediately following Business Day with the same force and effect as if made
on such Regular Distribution Date or Special Distribution Date and no interest
shall accrue during the intervening period. The Trustee shall mail notice of
each Special Payment and the Special Distribution Date therefor to the
Certificateholder of this Certificate.

          Distributions on this Certificate will be made by the Trustee by check
mailed to the Person entitled thereto, without presentation or surrender of this
Certificate or the making of any notation hereon, except that with respect to
Certificates registered on the Record Date in the name of a Clearing Agency (or
its nominee), such distribution shall be made by wire transfer. Except as
otherwise provided in the Agreement and notwithstanding the above, the final
distribution on this Certificate will be made after notice mailed by the Trustee
of the pendency of such distribution and only upon presentation and surrender of
this Certificate at the office or agency of the Trustee specified in such
notice.

                  The Certificates do not represent a direct obligation of, or
an obligation guaranteed by, or an interest in, the Company or the Trustee or
any affiliate thereof. The Certificates are limited in right of payment, all as
more specifically set forth on the face hereof and in the Agreement. All
payments or distributions made to Certificateholders under the Agreement shall
be made only from the Trust Property and only to the extent that the Trustee
shall have sufficient income or proceeds from the Trust Property to make such
payments in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. Each Certificateholder
of this Certificate, by its acceptance hereof, agrees that it will look solely
to the income and proceeds from the Trust Property to the extent available for
distribution to such Certificateholder as provided in the Agreement. This

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Certificate does not purport to summarize the Agreement and reference is made to
the Agreement for information with respect to the interests, rights, benefits,
obligations, privileges, and duties evidenced hereby. A copy of the Agreement
may be examined during normal business hours at the principal office of the
Trustee, and at such other places, if any, designated by the Trustee, by any
Certificateholder upon request.

          The Agreement permits, with certain exceptions therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Certificateholders under the Agreement at any time
by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Certificateholders
holding Certificates evidencing Fractional Undivided Interests aggregating not
less than a majority in interest in the Trust. Any such consent by the
Certificateholder of this Certificate shall be conclusive and binding on such
Certificateholder and upon all future Certificateholders of this Certificate and
of any Certificate issued upon the transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in
lieu hereof whether or not notation of such consent is made upon this
Certificate. The Agreement also permits the amendment thereof, in certain
limited circumstances, without the consent of the Certificateholders of any of
the Certificates.

          As provided in the Agreement and subject to certain limitations set
forth therein, the transfer of this Certificate is registrable in the Register
upon surrender of this Certificate for registration of transfer at the offices
or agencies maintained by the Trustee in its capacity as Registrar, or by any
successor Registrar, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Trustee and the Registrar, duly executed by
the Certificateholder hereof or such Certificateholder's attorney duly
authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Certificates of authorized
denominations evidencing the same aggregate Fractional Undivided Interest in the
Trust will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

          Under certain circumstances set forth in Section 7.01 of the Trust
Supplement, all of the Trustee's right, title and interest to the Trust Property
may be assigned, transferred and delivered to the Related Trustee of the Related
Trust pursuant to the Assignment and Assumption Agreement. Upon the
effectiveness of such Assignment and Assumption Agreement (the "TRANSFER"), the
Trust shall be terminated, the Certificateholders shall receive beneficial
interests in the Related Trust in exchange for their interests in the Trust
equal to their respective beneficial interests in the Trust, the Certificates
representing Fractional Undivided Interests in the Trust shall be deemed for all
purposes of the Agreement and the Related Pass Through Trust Agreement to be
certificates representing the same fractional undivided interests in the Related
Trust and its trust property. Each Certificateholder, by its acceptance of this
Certificate or a beneficial interest herein, agrees to be bound by the
Assignment and Assumption Agreement and subject to the terms of the Related Pass
Through Trust Agreement as a Certificateholder thereunder. From and after the
Transfer, unless and to the extent the context otherwise requires, references
herein to the Trust, the Agreement and the Trustee shall constitute references
to the Related Trust, the Related Pass Through Trust Agreement and trustee of
the Related Trust, respectively.

                  The Certificates are issuable only as registered Certificates
without coupons in minimum denominations of $1,000 Fractional Undivided Interest
and integral multiples thereof except that one Certificate may be issued in a

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different denomination. As provided in the Agreement and subject to certain
limitations therein set forth, the Certificates are exchangeable for new
Certificates of authorized denominations evidencing the same aggregate
Fractional Undivided Interest in the Trust, as requested by the
Certificateholder surrendering the same.

          No service charge will be made for any such registration of transfer
or exchange, but the Trustee shall require payment of a sum sufficient to cover
any tax or governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

          Each Certificateholder and Investor, by its acceptance of this
Certificate or a beneficial interest herein, agrees to treat the Trust as a
grantor trust for all U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes.

          The Trustee, the Registrar, and any agent of the Trustee or the
Registrar may treat the person in whose name this Certificate is registered as
the owner hereof for all purposes, and neither the Trustee, the Registrar, nor
any such agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

          The obligations and responsibilities created by the Agreement and the
Trust created thereby shall terminate upon the distribution to
Certificateholders of all amounts required to be distributed to them pursuant to
the Agreement and the disposition of all property held as part of the Trust
Property.

          Any Person acquiring or accepting this Certificate or an interest
herein will, by such acquisition or acceptance, be deemed to have represented
and warranted to and for the benefit of each Owner Participant and the Company
that either: (i) the assets of an employee benefit plan subject to Title I of
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), or of
a plan subject to Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "CODE"), have not been used to purchase this Certificate or an interest
herein or (ii) the purchase and holding of this Certificate or an interest
herein are exempt from the prohibited transaction restrictions of ERISA and the
Code pursuant to one or more prohibited transaction statutory or administrative
exemptions.

          THE AGREEMENT AND, UNTIL THE TRANSFER, THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE
DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS. THE RELATED PASS THROUGH TRUST
AGREEMENT AND, FROM AND AFTER THE TRANSFER, THIS CERTIFICATE SHALL BE GOVERNED
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE
OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.

          Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Trustee, by manual signature, this Certificate shall not be entitled to any
benefit under the Agreement or be valid for any purpose.


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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustee has caused this Certificate to be duly
executed.


                                       CONTINENTAL AIRLINES PASS THROUGH
                                       TRUST 2001-1A-2-O

                                       By:    WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
                                              as Trustee


                                       By:_________________________
                                       Name:
                                       Title:



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               FORM OF THE TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION


          This is one of the Certificates referred to in the within-mentioned
Agreement.


                                            WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
                                                as Trustee


                                            By:_________________________
                                             Name:
                                             Title: