Original: October 2010 â "On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation (the parent company of United Airlines) completed its acquisition of Continental Airlines and changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc..
Simplified: Continental Airlines announced on Monday, May 3, 2010, that they were merging with United Airlines. The merger was approved in September 2010, and the parent company changed its name to United Continental Holdings when United completed its acquisition of Continental.