CERTIFICATE

            Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative
of The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC"), to Issuer or
its agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and any certificate
issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or in such other name as is
requested by an authorized representative of DTC (and any payment is made to
Cede & Co. or to such other entity as is requested by an authorized
representative of DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL inasmuch the registered owner hereof,
Cede & Co., has an interest herein.



             CONTINENTAL AIRLINES PASS THROUGH TRUST 2000-2A-1-O

   7.707% Continental Airlines Pass Through Certificate, Series 2000-2A-1-O
                        Issuance Date: November 28, 2000

                      Final Maturity Date: October 2, 2022

      Evidencing A Fractional Undivided Interest In The Continental Airlines
      Pass Through Trust 2000-2A-1-O, The Property Of Which Shall Include
      Certain Equipment Notes Each Secured By An Aircraft Leased To Or Owned By
      Continental Airlines, Inc.


                  $380,340,000 Fractional Undivided Interest
        representing .0002629226% of the Trust per $1,000 face amount

            THIS CERTIFIES THAT CEDE & CO., for value received, is the
registered owner of a $380,340,000 (THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY MILLION THREE HUNDRED
FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS) Fractional Undivided Interest in the Continental
Airlines Pass Through Trust 2000-2A-1-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. 2000-2A-1-O thereto, dated as of
November 28, 2000 (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 "7.707% Continental Airlines Pass Through
Certificates, Series 2000-2A-1-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

<PAGE>

is secured by, among other things, a security interest in an Aircraft leased to
or owned by the Company.

            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 April 2 and October 2 (a "REGULAR DISTRIBUTION DATE")
commencing April 2, 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

<PAGE>

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

<PAGE>

and integral multiples thereof except that one Certificate may be issued in a
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.


<PAGE>

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

                                    CONTINENTAL AIRLINES PASS THROUGH TRUST
                                    2000-2A-1-O

                                    By:  WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
                                         as Trustee



                                    By:
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Name:
                                         Title:



<PAGE>

             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: