Earn 25,000 Continental OnePass Miles from Chase Bank

Pretty...pretty...pretty good offer here. Get 10,000 OnePass miles for opening a Chase checking account (minimum $100 opening balance), and either set up direct deposit or make (5) debit card purchases. Earn another 15,000 miles after your first qualified purchase on a Chase Continental Airlines Preferred Debit card ($25 or $65 annual fee applies - depending on dollar-to-point conversion you choose).

What I like about this offer: No long-term commitment: Give Chase a try, and if you are not satisfied, close your accounts and walk away with 25,000 extra miles in your account. Plus, baggage fee-waivers apply to debit card holders flying Continental Airlines. One more plus: 25,000 miles might just convert over to United Airlines miles next year as the merger process continues.

What I don't like: Very little: The annual fee, but it is fairly insignificant considering it is in exchange for 25,000 miles (a free domestic ticket in coach). The bank will probably need to run a credit report (read: inquiry) on you as well. And, must walk into a brick-and-mortar to open the account; no can do online.

Overall, seems like a pretty good deal! One I will be taking advantage of this week.

Continental and Mexicana Join New Alliances Soon

Continental Airlines joins Star Alliance (United, U.S Air,et al. ) effective October 27, 2009.

Mexicana Airlines joins OneWorld (American Airlines, et al.) eff November 10, 2009.

If you have flights planned with either of these carriers, be sure you are receiving proper mileage credit in the corresponding airline/alliance program.

Continental Airlines Offers Double Elite Miles Promotion

Continental is the latest airline to offer a Fall/Winter double elite-qualifying miles promotion. Under the terms, members of Continental's OnePass program will earn double EQM's for all flights between September 9 and December 15, 2009. Registration is required. In the past week, American and United announced similar promotions.

Earn 100 Bonus Miles With Continental Airlines

Here's a quick and easy way to earn 100 bonus miles with Continental Airlines: Simply opt-in to receive Continental news and offers by email, and the miles are yours. Offer for new subscribers only. Click here and use promo code 57064.

Continental Offers 500 Miles for Online Reservations

Following the lead of Delta and Northwest Airlines last week, Continental Airlines announced they to will award 500 bonus miles for round-trip flights booked through it's website, continental.com. 

Registration is not required; simply book and purchase your tickets by May 31, 2009 to qualify. 

'Learn and Earn' 300 Bonus Miles from Continental Airlines

Here's another something for nothing deal: Visit the Continental Airlines website, click on each of the three icons describing benefits of the Continental Airlines credit and debit cards, and earn 300 bonus OnePass miles (100 for each icon). Offer expires April 30, 2009.

If you are not currently a member of Continental's frequent flyer program, click here to sign up for free.

Continental Airlines 'Take Away' Commercial

This Continental Airlines ad, posted two years ago on YouTube, pokes fun at other airlines for taking away some of the basic amenities passengers are accustomed to - ones still offered at Continental.

Continental OnePass Program Changes

In an announcement this week, Continental Airlines announced two key changes to OnePass, it's frequent flyer program.

First, the elimination of 500-mile minimum on short-haul flights for tickets purchased on or after November 15, 2008, for travel on or after January 1, 2009. Previously the airline awarded a minimum 500 frequent flyer miles for short trips - destinations less than 500 air miles. This change matches a similar move by United and U.S Airways earlier this summer.

Second, a change that affects Continental elite members. Starting March 1, 2009, Platinum elite members receive a 100% (down from 125%) bonus miles on each flight, while Silver elite members receive a 25% bonus (down from 50%). Gold elites will continue to receive a 50% bonus. Although this comes as a sting to many Continental elite flyers, the miles adjustment matches current bonuses awarded by other airlines.

San Francisco to Belize $363 "all in"

Continental Airlines is offering a $263+ airfare to Belize City, Belize (BZE) for travel now through October 28th. This is not considered "peak season" for Belize, but depending on your tolerance for weather (more variable than all sun) and number of other tourists visiting at the same time (not a ton of them), you may actually find this a good time to visit. The total cost is $363 round-trip, including taxes and fees. Visit http://www.continental.com/ to book.

Read more: Belize weather

Continental Shrinks; Cutting Jobs, Reducing Capacity

Following in the footsteps of American, Delta and United, Continental airlines today announced they will cut domestic capacity a full 16% and cut 3,000 jobs. “The airline industry is in a crisis,” two company executives said in a message to employees. “Its business model doesn’t work with the current price of fuel and the existing level of capacity in the marketplace. We need to make changes in response.” The airline will also reportedly retire 67 Boeing aircraft as part of the downsizing.
More from the New York Times.