Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL and CAL.A) has been named the top airline by readers of Ziff Davis Smart Business magazine.

“Survey respondents gave Continental the grand prize for service,” the magazine says in its July issue. “Excellent service, plush lounges, and a generous frequent flier program pushed Continental to the top of our readers` list.”

The recognition reinforces other recent research pointing to Continental as the airline that best meets travelers` needs. Continental is ranked the nation’s No. 1 airline in customer satisfaction for long and short-haul flights by Frequent Flyer Magazine and J.D. Power and Associates. It has received numerous awards for its BusinessFirst premium cabin (Condé Nast Traveler, OAG, Entrepreneur and SmartMoney magazines), OnePass frequent flyer program (InsideFlyer’s Freddie Awards) and overall operations and management (Air Transport World’s 1996 Airline of the Year). Continental also is in the top quarter of FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.”

Continental Airlines is the fifth largest airline in the U.S., offering more than 2,200 departures daily to 136 domestic and 87 international destinations. Operating major hubs in Newark, Houston and Cleveland, Continental (www.continental.com) serves more international cities than any other U.S. carrier, including extensive service throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.

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