Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.          )

Filed by the Registrant o

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o

Check the appropriate box:

o

 

Preliminary Proxy Statement

o

 

Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

ý

 

Definitive Proxy Statement

o

 

Definitive Additional Materials

o

 

Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

 

United Continental Holdings, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

ý

 

No fee required.

o

 

Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
    (1)   Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
        
 
    (2)   Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
        
 
    (3)   Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
        
 
    (4)   Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
        
 
    (5)   Total fee paid:
        
 

o

 

Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

o

 

Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

 

 

(1)

 

Amount Previously Paid:
        
 
    (2)   Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
        
 
    (3)   Filing Party:
        
 
    (4)   Date Filed:
        
 

Table of Contents

LOGO

April 26, 2013

Dear Stockholder:

        On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to invite you to the 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of United Continental Holdings, Inc. A notice of the 2013 Annual Meeting and proxy statement follows. Please read the enclosed information and our 2012 Annual Report carefully before voting your proxy.

        This year, we will continue to take advantage of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules that allow companies to furnish proxy materials to their stockholders on the internet. We believe that these rules allow us to provide our stockholders with the information they need while lowering the costs of delivery and reducing the environmental impact of our Annual Meeting.

        Your vote is important. Even if you plan to attend the meeting in person, please authorize your proxy or direct your vote by following the instructions on each of your voting options described in the proxy statement and the Notice of Internet Availability. You may vote your shares by internet, telephone or mail pursuant to the instructions included on the proxy card or voting instruction card. We encourage you to use the first option and vote by internet.

        Thank you for your continued support of United. We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 Annual Meeting.

    Sincerely,

 

 


GRAPHIC

 

 

Jeffery A. Smisek
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Table of Contents

UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.
233 S. Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606



NOTICE OF 2013 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD JUNE 12, 2013



DATE:   Wednesday, June 12, 2013    
TIME:   9:00 a.m., Eastern Time    
PLACE:   Doubletree by Hilton Hotel—Crystal City    
    300 Army Navy Drive    
    Arlington, VA 22202    

MATTERS TO BE VOTED ON:

1.
Election of the nominees named in the proxy statement to the Board of Directors, as follows:

Ten directors, to be elected by the holders of Common Stock;

One ALPA director, to be elected by the holder of Class Pilot MEC Junior Preferred Stock; and

One IAM director, to be elected by the holder of Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock.

2.
Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013.

3.
An advisory resolution approving the compensation of the Company's named executive officers as presented in the proxy statement.

4.
Reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan.

5.
Approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010.

6.
Approval of an amendment to the Company's amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders.

7.
Any other matters that may be properly brought before the meeting.

   
GRAPHIC
    Brett J. Hart
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Chicago, Illinois
April 26, 2013

 

 

Even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person, please authorize your proxy or direct your vote by following the instructions on each of the voting options described in the proxy statement and the Notice of Internet Availability. You may vote your shares by internet, telephone or mail pursuant to the instructions included on the proxy card or voting instruction card. If you mail the proxy or voting instruction card, no postage is required if mailed in the United States. If you attend the Annual Meeting in person and want to withdraw your proxy, you may do so as described in the attached proxy statement and vote in person on all matters properly brought before the meeting.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JUNE 12, 2013. The Company's Notice of Annual Meeting, Proxy Statement and 2012 Annual Report to stockholders are available on the internet at http://www.envisionreports.com/ual.


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
   
  Page  

GENERAL INFORMATION

    1  

PROPOSAL NO. 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

   
6
 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

   
16
 

BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

   
29
 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

   
34
 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

   
34
 

Compensation Committee Report

   
49
 

2012 Summary Compensation Table

   
50
 

Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012

   
52
 

Outstanding Equity Awards at 2012 Fiscal Year-End

   
57
 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested for 2012

   
60
 

2012 Pension Benefits Table

   
61
 

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

   
64
 

2012 DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

   
76
 

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

   
79
 

PROPOSAL NO. 2 RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

   
81
 

PROPOSAL NO. 3 ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY'S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

   
83
 

PROPOSAL NO. 4 REAPPROVAL OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES UNDER UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. 2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

   
85
 

PROPOSAL NO. 5 APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED PERFORMANCE MEASURES UNDER UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. INCENTIVE PLAN 2010

   
87
 

PROPOSAL NO. 6 APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS TO PROVIDE STOCKHOLDERS WITH THE RIGHT TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

   
91
 

SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 2014 ANNUAL MEETING

   
92
 

ANNUAL REPORT

   
93
 

OTHER BUSINESS

   
93
 

ANNEX A

 

UAL CORPORATION 2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN AND FIRST AMENDMENT TO 2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

   
A-1
 

ANNEX B

 

UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. INCENTIVE PLAN 2010 AND FIRST AMENDMENT TO INCENTIVE PLAN 2010

   
B-1
 

ANNEX C

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS OF UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. 

   
C-1
 

i


Table of Contents

UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.
233 S. Wacker Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60606



PROXY STATEMENT

2013 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To Be Held June 12, 2013




GENERAL INFORMATION

Purpose, Place, Date and Time

        This proxy statement is furnished to you by our Board of Directors (the "Board") in connection with the solicitation of your proxy to be voted at the 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of United Continental Holdings, Inc., which we refer to as the "Annual Meeting," to be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel—Crystal City, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. This proxy statement is being made available to you on approximately April 26, 2013. In this proxy statement, the terms "we," "our," "us," "UAL" and the "Company" refer to United Continental Holdings, Inc. The Company became the parent company of Continental Airlines, Inc. ("Continental") upon the closing of a merger transaction (the "Merger") on October 1, 2010. As part of the Merger integration, on March 31, 2013, the Company merged its two operating subsidiaries, Continental and United Air Lines, Inc. ("United"), with Continental continuing as the surviving corporation and as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Upon the closing of this transaction on March 31, 2013, Continental's name was changed to "United Airlines, Inc.".


Internet Availability of Proxy Materials

        We will continue to take advantage of the "Notice and Access" rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which allow public companies to deliver a "Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials" and provide internet access to proxy materials and annual reports to their stockholders. The use of Notice and Access generates cost savings for the Company and reduces the environmental impact of our Annual Meeting. In lieu of paper copies of the proxy statement and other materials, most of our stockholders will receive a "Notice of Internet Availability." The Notice of Internet Availability will include instructions on accessing and reviewing our proxy materials and annual report to stockholders on the internet, and will provide instructions on submitting a proxy on the internet. If you would like to receive paper or email copies of our proxy materials and annual report, please follow the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability for requesting paper or email copies of our proxy materials and annual report.

        Pursuant to the SEC's rules, our 2012 Annual Report, which includes our audited consolidated financial statements for 2012, is not considered a part of, or incorporated by reference in, our proxy solicitation materials.


Householding

        The SEC's rules allow us to deliver a single Notice of Internet Availability or set of proxy materials and annual report to one address shared by two or more of our stockholders. This delivery method is referred to as "householding" and can result in significant cost savings. To take advantage of this opportunity, we have delivered only one Notice of Internet Availability or set of proxy materials and annual report to multiple stockholders who share an address, unless we received different instructions from the impacted stockholders prior to the mailing date. We agree to deliver promptly,

1


Table of Contents

upon written or oral request, a separate copy of the Notice of Internet Availability or set of proxy materials and annual report, as requested, to any stockholder at the shared address to which a single copy of those documents was delivered. If you prefer to receive separate copies of the Notice or Annual Meeting materials, contact Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. at +1.800.542.1061 or in writing at Broadridge, Householding Department, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, New York 11717.

        If you are currently a stockholder sharing an address with another stockholder and wish to receive only one copy of future Notices of Internet Availability or proxy statements and annual reports for your household, please contact Broadridge at the above phone number or address.


Voting Rights and Proxy Information

Who is entitled to vote?

        If you are a stockholder with shares of our voting stock, including our common stock, $0.01 par value per share ("Common Stock") registered in your name with Computershare Investor Services, the Company's transfer agent and registrar, then you are considered a "stockholder of record." Stockholders of record at the close of business on April 15, 2013, which is known as the "record date" for the meeting, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof.

        The following chart shows the number of shares of each class of our voting stock outstanding as of the record date, the number of holders of each class as of the record date entitled to vote at the meeting, the votes per share for each class for all matters on which the shares vote, and the directors each class is entitled to elect. The aggregate number of votes to which each class is entitled is equal to the number of shares outstanding of each respective class.

Title of Class
  Shares
Outstanding
  Holders of Record   Votes per
Share
  Voting for Directors

Common Stock

    333,937,517   12,729     1   Class elects
10 directors

Class Pilot MEC Junior Preferred Stock

   
1
 

1(ALPA-MEC)

   
1
 

Class elects
1 ALPA director

Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock

   
1
 

1(IAM)

   
1
 

Class elects
1 IAM director


How do I vote if I am a stockholder of record?

        If you are a stockholder of record that holds shares as of the record date, you have three options for delivering your proxy to vote your shares:

        You can vote via the internet by logging onto http://www.envisionreports.com/ual and following the prompts using the control number located on your meeting notice or proxy card. This vote will be counted immediately and there is no need to mail your proxy card.

        To use the telephone voting procedure, dial 1-800-652-8683 and listen for further directions. You must have a touch-tone phone in order to respond to the questions. This vote will be counted immediately and there is no need to mail your proxy card.

2


Table of Contents

        Shares eligible to be voted, and for which a properly signed proxy card is returned, will be voted in accordance with the instructions specified on the proxy card.

        Proxies submitted by internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

How are my shares voted if I do not indicate how to vote on the proxy card?

        If no instructions are indicated on the proxy card, your shares will be voted "FOR" the election of each of the nominees for director (Proposal No. 1), "FOR" the ratification of the appointment of the independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 2), "FOR" the advisory resolution approving the compensation of the Company's named executive officers as presented in this proxy statement (Proposal No. 3), "FOR" the reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (Proposal No. 4), "FOR" the approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 (Proposal No. 5) and "FOR" the approval of an amendment to the Company's amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders (Proposal No. 6).


How do I vote if I hold my shares through an account at a broker, bank, trust or other nominee?

        If you hold your shares in an account at a broker, bank, trust or other nominee, you are considered the "beneficial owner" of shares held in "street name." If you received a Notice of Internet Availability, votes directed by internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013, the day before the Annual Meeting. You may direct the voting of those shares over the internet or by telephone by following the instructions provided. If you received printed proxy materials, you may vote by internet, telephone or mail pursuant to the instructions included on the voting instruction card provided to you by your broker, bank, trust or other nominee. Directing the vote of your shares will not affect your right to vote in person if you decide to attend the meeting; however, you must first obtain a legal proxy from the stockholder of record for your shares.


How do I vote my shares if I participate in one of the United 401(k) plans?

        If you hold shares in an account under the United Airlines Ground Employee 401(k) Plan, the United Airlines Flight Attendant 401(k) Plan or the United Airlines Management and Administrative 401(k) Plan (each a "Plan," and collectively, the "Plans"), Computershare has sent you the Company's proxy materials directly. You may direct the trustee of the Plans, Evercore Trust Company, N.A., on how to vote your Plan shares by following the instructions on each of the voting options described in the Notice of Internet Availability you received or, if you received printed proxy materials, you may direct the voting of your Plan shares by internet, telephone or mail pursuant to the instructions included on the proxy card. Please note that, in order to permit the trustee for the Plans to tally and vote all of the shares of Common Stock held in the Plans, your instructions, whether by internet, telephone, or proxy card, must be completed and received prior to 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Sunday, June 9, 2013. You may not change your vote related to such Plan shares after this deadline.

        If you do not provide voting instructions to the trustee, your Plan shares will be voted by the trustee in the same proportion that it votes shares in other Plan accounts for which it did receive timely voting instructions. The proportional voting policy is detailed under the terms of each Plan and trust agreement.

3


Table of Contents


How is a quorum determined?

        A quorum is necessary for conducting a valid annual meeting. The presence in person or represented by proxy of the holders of a majority of the total shares outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the meeting.

        Abstentions (shares of the Company's capital stock for which proxies have been received but for which the holders have abstained from voting) and broker non-votes, which are described below, will be included in the calculation of the number of shares of the Company's capital stock represented at the meeting for purposes of determining whether a quorum has been achieved.


What are "broker non-votes"?

        Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), brokers, banks, trusts or other nominees holding shares on behalf of a beneficial owner may vote those shares in their discretion on certain routine matters when they do not receive timely voting instructions from the beneficial owner. With respect to certain non-routine matters, the broker, bank, trust or other nominee is not permitted to vote shares for a beneficial owner when they do not receive timely voting instructions. A "broker non-vote" occurs under the NYSE rules when a broker, bank, trust or other nominee is not permitted to vote on a particular proposal because it has not received voting instructions from a beneficial owner and does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that proposal. Accordingly, if you are a beneficial owner and do not provide timely voting instructions to a broker, bank, trust or other nominee that holds your shares, that institution will be prohibited from voting your shares in its discretion on all of the proposals set forth in this proxy statement other than the ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 2), which is the only "routine" matter included in the proposals.

        If you are a beneficial owner, please note that, as indicated above, a broker, bank, trust or other nominee holding shares on your behalf will not be permitted to vote your shares with respect to the election of directors (Proposal No. 1), the advisory resolution approving the compensation of the named executive officers (Proposal No. 3), the reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (Proposal No. 4), the approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 (Proposal No. 5) and the approval of an amendment to the Company's amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders (Proposal No. 6), all of which are considered non-routine matters, unless you provide timely voting instructions. We urge you to submit your voting instructions to your broker, bank, trust or other nominee in advance of the meeting. Please see "How do I vote if I hold my shares through an account at a broker, bank, trust or other nominee?" above for a discussion of the procedures and deadline for submitting your voting instructions.


What classes of stock vote on each proposal and what is the vote required?

        The holders of Common Stock, the Class Pilot MEC Junior Preferred Stock and the Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock will vote together as a single class on all proposals presented at the meeting other than the election of directors (Proposal No. 1).

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law and our Amended and Restated Bylaws (the "Bylaws"), provided a quorum is present: (i) the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of capital stock representing a plurality of the votes present in person or by proxy at the meeting and entitled to be cast on the matter will be required to elect the directors to be elected by the applicable class of capital stock (Proposal No. 1); (ii) the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of capital stock representing a majority of the votes present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to be cast on the matter will be required to approve the ratification of the appointment of the

4


Table of Contents

independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 2), the advisory resolution approving the compensation of the named executive officers (Proposal No. 3), the reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (Proposal No. 4) and the approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 (Proposal No. 5); and (iii) the affirmative vote of the holders of the shares of capital stock representing a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter will be required to approve the amendment to the Company's amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders (Proposal No. 6).


How do abstentions and broker non-votes work?

        Abstentions are counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present. Abstentions will have the effect of a vote against the matters presented for a vote of the stockholders, other than the election of directors. Abstentions have no effect with respect to the election of directors (Proposal No. 1). For all other matters, abstaining shares are considered present and unvoted, which means they have the same effect as votes against the proposal.

        Broker non-votes will not be counted as present and entitled to vote with respect to the election of directors (Proposal No. 1), the advisory resolution approving the compensation of the named executive officers (Proposal No. 3), the reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (Proposal No. 4) and the approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 (Proposal No. 5), which means they will have no effect on the outcome of these proposals. There will not be any broker non-votes with respect to the ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal No. 2) because it is a "routine" matter. Broker non-votes will have the effect of a negative vote on the approval of an amendment to the Company's amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders (Proposal No. 6).


How does the proxy voting process work?

        If the proxy card is voted properly using the internet or telephone procedures specified, or is properly dated, signed and returned by mail, the proxy will be voted at the meeting in accordance with the instructions indicated by it. Our Board does not know of any matters, other than as described in this proxy statement, which are to come before the meeting. If a proxy is given, the persons named in the proxy will have authority to vote in accordance with their best judgment on any other matter that is properly presented at the meeting for action, including any proposal to adjourn the meeting or concerning the conduct of the meeting.

        If a quorum is not present at the time the meeting is convened for any particular purpose, or if for any other reason we believe that additional time should be allowed for the solicitation of proxies, we may adjourn the meeting with the vote of the stockholders then present. The persons named in the proxy may vote any shares of capital stock for which they have voting authority in favor of an adjournment.


How do I revoke a proxy?

        Any proxy may be revoked by the person giving it at any time before it is voted. We have not established any specified formal procedure for revocation. A proxy may be revoked by a later proxy delivered using the internet or telephone voting procedures or by written notice mailed to the Secretary prior to the meeting. If you hold your shares through a broker, bank, trust or other nominee, you should follow their instructions as to how you can revoke a proxy. Attendance at the meeting will not automatically revoke a proxy, but a holder of Common Stock who is in attendance and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting may request a ballot and vote in person, which revokes a previously granted proxy.

5


Table of Contents


How are proxies being solicited and who pays solicitation expenses?

        Proxies are being solicited by the Board on behalf of the Company. All expenses of the solicitation, including the cost of preparing and mailing this proxy statement, will be borne by us. In addition to solicitation by use of mails, proxies may be solicited by our directors, officers and employees in person or by telephone or other means of communication. These individuals will not be additionally compensated, but may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses associated with solicitation. Arrangements will also be made with custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for forwarding of proxy solicitation material to beneficial owners of Common Stock and voting preferred stock held of record, and we may reimburse these individuals for their reasonable expenses. To help assure the presence in person or representation by proxy of the largest number of stockholders possible, we have engaged Georgeson Inc., a proxy solicitation firm, to solicit proxies on our behalf. We are paying Georgeson a proxy solicitation fee of $12,000 plus reimbursement for reasonable out-of pocket costs and expenses.


What do I need to attend the meeting?

        Admittance is limited to stockholders of the Company. The following procedures have been adopted to ensure that the Company's stockholders can check in efficiently when entering the meeting.

        If you are a stockholder of record on April 15, 2013, you (or your duly appointed proxy holder) are entitled to attend the meeting. If you are a registered stockholder or you own shares through a Plan, there is an admission ticket located on your meeting notice or proxy card. You will be asked to present the admission ticket and valid picture identification to obtain admittance to the meeting.

        If you are a record holder (or a record holder's duly appointed proxy) and you do not have an admission ticket with you at the meeting, you will be admitted upon verification of ownership at the stockholders' registration desk. Please be prepared to present valid picture identification.

        If you are a beneficial owner of Common Stock as of April 15, 2013, you may obtain admittance at the stockholders' registration desk by presenting evidence of your Common Stock ownership. This evidence could be a legal proxy from the institution that is the record holder of your shares, or your most recent account statement from your broker, bank, trust or other nominee that includes the record date, along with valid picture identification. Please note that in order to vote at the meeting, beneficial owners must present the legal proxy from the record holder.


PROPOSAL NO. 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

        The Nominating/Governance Committee has recommended to our Board, and our Board has unanimously nominated, the individuals named below for election as directors at our Annual Meeting. Except where you withhold authority or instruct otherwise, your proxy will be voted at the meeting, or any adjournments or postponements thereof, "FOR" the election of the nominee(s) named below for a term of one year and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. Incumbent directors will hold office until our next Annual Meeting of Stockholders, until their successors are elected and qualified, or until their earlier death, resignation or removal. Our Board expects all of the nominees named below, each of whom currently serves on our Board, to be available for election. Glenn Tilton, a current member of the Board, will not stand for re-election at the 2013 Annual Meeting and as a result, will retire at the end of his current term.

6


Table of Contents

        Stockholder nominations will not be accepted for filling Board seats at the Annual Meeting as our Bylaws require advance notice for such a nomination, the time for which has passed as of the date of this proxy statement. Your proxy cannot be voted for a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named herein. There is no family relationship between any of the nominees for director or between any nominee and any executive officer of the Company.


Director Qualifications

        Set forth on the following pages is biographical and other information about each nominee for election as a director. This information includes the principal occupations and directorships on the boards of public companies and registered investment companies held by the nominees during the past five years. This information also includes a discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each nominee that led to the Board's determination that each nominee is qualified and should serve as a director.

        In addition to the information presented below regarding each nominee's specific experience, qualifications, attributes and skills, our Board believes that all of our director nominees have demonstrated certain common attributes that the Board would generally expect any director nominee to possess. Those common attributes include an appropriate level of business, government or professional acumen, the capacity for strategic and critical thinking, leadership capabilities, a reputation for integrity and ethical conduct, and an ability to work collaboratively. Please see "Corporate Governance—Nominations for Directors" below for further discussion of the criteria considered by the Nominating/Governance Committee when identifying director nominees.


Directors to be Elected by Common Stock

        Ten directors are to be elected by the holders of Common Stock. Each director has served continuously since the date of his or her appointment. If a nominee unexpectedly becomes unavailable before election, proxies from the holders of Common Stock may be voted for another person designated by the Board or the appropriate Board Committee. No persons other than our directors are responsible for the naming of nominees.

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

Carolyn Corvi

  (1)  

Retired Vice President and General Manager, Airplane Programs, Commercial Airplanes of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (commercial jet aircraft segment) (2005-2008); Various other positions with Boeing for 34 years, including Vice President and General Manager of 737/757 Programs, Vice President of Aircraft Systems and Interiors, Vice President of the Propulsion Systems Division, Director of Quality Assurance for the Fabrication Division and Director of Program Management for 737/757 Programs.

    61     2010  

  (2)  

Director—Allegheny Technologies Inc. (2012-Present); Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (2012-Present); Goodrich Corporation (2009-2012) and Continental (2009-2010).

             

7


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

  (3)  

Ms. Corvi provides extensive management expertise to the Board, having served in key management and operational oversight roles for Boeing during her 34 years of service. She also brings an expertise with respect to the manufacturing of commercial aircraft, which she developed through her management of commercial airplane production for Boeing as Vice President and General Manager, Airplane Programs, Commercial Airplanes, Vice President and General Manager of 737/757 Programs, Vice President of Aircraft Systems and Interiors, Vice President of the Propulsion Systems Division, and in the other positions indicated above. Ms. Corvi brings experience to the audit committee function of the Board through her previous service on the Audit Committees of Continental and Goodrich Corporation, and her current service on the Audit Committees of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and Allegheny Technologies, Inc., and her service on the Continental board of directors provided her with valuable experience in the airline industry.

             

Jane C. Garvey

 

(1)

 

Chairman of Meridiam, North America (infrastructure development fund) (2009-present); Vice President of U.S. Public Private Partnerships in Transportation at JPMorgan Chase (global financial services firm) (2008-2009); Executive Vice President and Chairman of Transportation Practice of APCO Worldwide (public affairs and strategic communications consulting firm) (2003-2008).

   
69
   
2009
 

  (2)  

Director—Bombardier Inc. (2007-2008); Skanska (2003-2008).

             

8


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

  (3)  

Ms. Garvey brings extensive management oversight experience to the Board as Chairman of Meridiam, North America. She also provides valuable leadership experience and knowledge of the airline industry in her past role as fourteenth administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, where she was the first administrator to serve a five-year term, and as the recipient of the National Air Transportation Association's Distinguished Service Award. In addition to those accomplishments, Ms. Garvey served on the transition team for President Barack Obama, focusing on transportation policies and related infrastructure challenges, and acted as Vice President of U.S. Public Private Partnerships in Transportation at JPMorgan Chase, advising on financing strategies to facilitate project delivery for state governments. She has also served as Executive Vice President and Chairman of Transportation Practice of APCO Worldwide, acting administrator and deputy administrator for the Federal Highway Administration and director of Boston Logan International Airport. Through her various professional experiences, Ms. Garvey has also gained experience in a broad range of industries, including infrastructure development, financial services, transportation, construction and consulting.

             

Walter Isaacson

 

(1)

 

President and Chief Executive Officer of The Aspen Institute (international education and leadership institute) (2003-present).

   
60
   
2006
 

  (2)  

Not applicable.

             

  (3)  

Mr. Isaacson provides valuable business operations expertise and extensive management knowledge, having served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Aspen Institute. Prior to that position, he gained additional leadership experience and strategic development and implementation skills as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CNN. Mr. Isaacson has also served as the editor of Time Magazine. Through his various professional experiences, Mr. Isaacson has gained experience in a broad range of industries, including education, economics, communications and broadcasting.

             

Henry L. Meyer III

 

(1)

 

Retired Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of KeyCorp (a bank-based financial services company) (2010-2011); Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of KeyCorp (2001-2010).

   
63
   
2010
 

  (2)  

Director—KeyCorp (1996-2011); Continental (2003-2010).

             

9


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

  (3)  

Mr. Meyer provides valuable and extensive management, financial and banking expertise to the Board, developed during his nearly forty years of service in the financial services industry. He joined the former Society National Bank (now KeyBank National Association) in 1972, attaining positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career, which culminated in his election in 2001 as the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of KeyCorp, one of the largest bank-based financial services companies in the United States. He is a former member of the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the Financial Services Roundtable, and the Federal Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve System. Mr. Meyer also brings to the Board expertise on corporate governance and board leadership, having served as the Chairman of the KeyCorp Board of Directors and as the lead independent director and the Chairman of the Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility Committee of the Board of Directors of Continental. In addition, he developed extensive experience with the airline industry during his seven years of service on the Continental Board of Directors. He also serves in leadership roles in a number of civic and community organizations in the Cleveland area, the location of one of the Company's hub airports.

             

Oscar Munoz

 

(1)

 

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CSX Corporation (freight transportation) (2012-present); Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of CSX Corporation (2003-2012).

   
54
   
2010
 

  (2)  

Director—Continental (2004-2010).

             

10


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

  (3)  

Mr. Munoz provides valuable expertise in management, finance, accounting and auditing to the Board. He developed this expertise during his more than 25 years of service in key executive positions within the telecommunications, beverage and transportation industries. Mr. Munoz has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CSX since January 2012, with responsibility for managing all aspects of CSX's operations across its 21,000-mile network, including transportation, service design, customer service, engineering, mechanical and technology. Mr. Munoz previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of CSX from 2003 to January 2012, with responsibility for management and oversight of all financial, strategic planning, information technology, purchasing and real estate activities of CSX. He also brings to the Board expertise on the audit committee function, having served as the Chairman of the Audit Committee of Continental for more than four years prior to the Merger. In addition, he developed extensive experience in the airline industry during his six years of service on the Continental Board of Directors.

             

Laurence E. Simmons

 

(1)

 

President of SCF Partners (private equity investment management) (1989-present).

   
66
   
2010
 

  (2)  

Director—Zions Bancorporation (1978-present); Continental (2009-2010); Oil States International, Inc. (2001-2007).

             

  (3)  

Mr. Simmons provides the Board his extensive expertise in finance, corporate strategic transactions and the energy industry. Mr. Simmons is the founder and President of SCF Partners, a firm providing equity capital and strategic growth assistance to build energy service and equipment companies. Prior to founding SCF Partners, Mr. Simmons co-founded Simmons & Company International, one of the largest investment banking firms serving the energy industry. He also helped to create the corporate finance department at The First National Bank of Chicago. Mr. Simmons also brings to the Board his experience in both the airline industry and the audit committee function, having served on the Boards of Directors and Audit Committees of Continental and ExpressJet Holdings, Inc. In addition, he serves in leadership roles in a number of civic and community organizations in the Houston area, the location of one of the Company's hub airports.

             

11


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

Jeffery A. Smisek

 

(1)

 

Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (December 31, 2012-present); President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company (2010-present); Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of United (air transportation) and Continental (air transportation) (2010-present); President and Chief Operating Officer of Continental (2008-2009); President of Continental (2004-2008).

    58     2010  

  (2)  

Director—National Oilwell Varco, Inc. (2005-present); Continental (2004-2010).

             

  (3)  

Mr. Smisek brings to the Board his significant expertise in the airline industry, developed during his 18 years of service in leadership roles with Continental and the Company. After joining Continental in 1995 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Mr. Smisek became Continental's President and was elected to Continental's Board of Directors in 2004. He became President and Chief Operating Officer of Continental in September 2008, and assumed the role of Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continental in January 2010. In October 2010, Mr. Smisek became President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective upon the closing of the Merger. In December 2012, Mr. Smisek assumed the additional role of Chairman of the Board of the Company. As he is responsible for, and has extensive familiarity with, the Company's ongoing operations and management's efforts to implement the strategic priorities identified by the Board, Mr. Smisek is uniquely suited to inform the Board with respect to these matters. In addition, he provides experience on executive and director compensation and corporate governance to the Board, having served for several years on the National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Board of Directors as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Nominating/Governance Committee, as well as experience with a variety of corporate legal issues, which he developed as a partner at Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., an international law firm.

             

12


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

David J. Vitale

 

(1)

 

President, Chicago Board of Education (education) (2011-present); Chair of the Urban Partnership Bank (2010-present); Chairman of DNP Select Income Fund, Inc. (2009-present), DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. (2009-present) and Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust (2009-present) (investment companies); Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools (2007-2008) and Chief Administrative Officer of the Chicago Public Schools (2003-2007) (education).

    66     2006  

  (2)  

Director—Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund (2011-present); Alion Science & Technology Corporation (2009-present); DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. (2005-present); Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust (2005-present); DNP Select Income Fund, Inc. (2000-present).

             

  (3)  

Mr. Vitale provides valuable financial and management expertise to the Board through many years of experience in significant business roles. Mr. Vitale has served as President of the Chicago Board of Education since June 2011, with responsibility for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Vitale has acted both as Chief Administrative Officer of the Chicago Public Schools and Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools, where he provided oversight for all educational departments, including finance, operations, human resources, technology and procurement. He also provides significant financial, investment, corporate and strategic planning experience to the Board, having served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Chicago Board of Trade and Vice Chairman of Bank One Corporation. In addition to these positions, he has served as Executive Vice President and Vice Chairman of First Chicago Corporation, Vice Chairman of The First National Bank of Chicago, Vice Chairman of First Chicago NBD Corporation and President of The First National Bank of Chicago. He brings to the Board expertise on the audit committee function, having served on the Audit Committee of Alion Science & Technology Corporation. He brings additional leadership experience to the Board by serving as Chairman of Duff & Phelps Global Utility Income Fund, DNP Select Income Fund, Inc., DTF Tax-Free Income Inc. and Duff & Phelps Utility and Corporate Bond Trust. Through his extensive professional roles, Mr. Vitale gained experience in a number of industries, including education, banking, financial services and investment management.

             

13


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

John H. Walker

 

(1)

 

Chief Executive Officer of Global Brass and Copper (copper and brass strip and bar manufacturer and distributor) (2007-present).

    55     2002  

  (2)  

Director—Nucor Corporation (2008-present); Delphi Corporation (2005-2009).

             

  (3)  

Mr. Walker provides valuable business expertise and extensive management knowledge to the Board, having served in key management and operational oversight roles, including serving as Chief Executive Officer of Global Brass and Copper, Chief Executive Officer and President of The Boler Company, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President of Weirton Steel Corporation and President of Kaiser Aluminum Flat Rolled Products. He also brings consulting and strategy expertise from his early career with McKinsey & Company. Mr. Walker brings audit and financial experience to the Board through his service on the Audit Committees of Delphi Corporation and Nucor Corporation. Through his professional roles, Mr. Walker has experience in a number of industries, including copper manufacturing, steel manufacturing, aluminum manufacturing and vehicle parts manufacturing.

             

Charles A. Yamarone

 

(1)

 

Director of Houlihan Lokey (investment banking) (2009-present); Executive Vice President of the Libra Securities Division of the Oak Ridge Financial Services Group, Inc. (institutional broker-dealer) (2009); Executive Vice President of Libra Securities, LLC (institutional broker-dealer) (2002-2008).

   
54
   
2010
 

  (2)  

Director—El Paso Electric Company (1996-present); Continental (1995-2010).

             

14


Table of Contents

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

  (3)  

Mr. Yamarone brings to the Board his expertise in management and finance, including capital market transactions and mergers and acquisitions. He has served as a director of Houlihan Lokey since 2009, where he is a senior member of the Debt Capital Markets group. Prior to that, Mr. Yamarone worked for over 18 years at Libra Securities with involvement in all areas of Libra's business as an institutional broker-dealer, including capital markets, corporate finance, sales and trading, research, legal, compliance, operations and administration. He also provides expertise on executive and director compensation to the Board, having served as a member of the Compensation Committee of the El Paso Electric Board of Directors and as the Chairman of the Human Resources Committee of Continental's Board of Directors. In addition, Mr. Yamarone has experience with a variety of corporate legal issues from his service as General Counsel of Columbia Savings, as well as experience serving on the boards of directors of companies in the entertainment and hospitality industries.

             

        THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS PROPOSAL NO. 1.


Directors to be Elected by Other Classes of Stock

        The following classes of directors are to be elected by the holders of certain classes of our stock other than Common Stock.

        THE HOLDERS OF COMMON STOCK DO NOT VOTE ON THE ELECTION OF THE FOLLOWING DIRECTORS.

        Each nominee was previously elected or appointed by the holders of the applicable class of our stock and has served continuously as a director since the date of his first election or appointment. If a nominee unexpectedly becomes unavailable before election, or we are notified that a substitute nominee has been selected, votes will be cast pursuant to the authority granted by the proxies from the respective holder(s) for the person who may be designated as a substitute nominee.

        One Air Line Pilots Association, International ("ALPA") director (as defined in our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation")) is to be elected by the United Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council of ALPA (the "ALPA-MEC"), the holder of our Class

15


Table of Contents

Pilot MEC Junior Preferred Stock. The ALPA-MEC has nominated and intends to re-elect James J. Heppner as the ALPA director.

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

James J. Heppner

  (1)  

Master Executive Council Chairman of ALPA-MEC (2012-present); Captain, United Boeing 777 (2005-present).

    59     2012  

  (2)  

Not applicable.

             

  (3)  

Mr. Heppner provides valuable management expertise and knowledge of aviation and airline services to the Board. Mr. Heppner has served in key labor union management positions within ALPA, including most recently as MEC Negotiating Committee Chairman and Co-Chairman of the ALPA Joint Negotiating Committee. In addition, Mr. Heppner has served as a captain for Boeing 777 aircraft since January 2005.

             

        One International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers ("IAM") director (as defined in our Certificate of Incorporation) is to be elected by the IAM, the holder of our Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock. The IAM has nominated and intends to re-elect Stephen R. Canale as the IAM director.

Nominee
  (1) Principal Occupation (Current and past 5 years)
(2) Public Company and Registered Investment Company Directorships
(current and past 5 years)
(3) Experience and Qualifications
  Age   Director
Since
 

Stephen R. Canale

  (1)  

Retired President and Directing General Chairman of the IAM District Lodge 141 (1999-2008).

    68     2002  

  (2)  

Not applicable.

             

  (3)  

Mr. Canale provides valuable management expertise and knowledge of aviation and airline services to the Board. Mr. Canale has served in key labor union management positions, including President and Directing General Chairman of the IAM District Lodge 141.

             


CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

        We are committed to high standards of corporate governance and to conducting our business ethically and with integrity and professionalism. In furtherance of these commitments, our Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines developed and recommended by the Nominating/Governance Committee of our Board, which are available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the link "Governance" and selecting "Corporate Governance Guidelines."


Corporate Governance Guidelines

        The Nominating/Governance Committee monitors developments in the laws, regulations and best practices relating to corporate governance and periodically recommends to our Board the adoption of amendments to the Corporate Governance Guidelines to reflect those developments. The current Corporate Governance Guidelines provide for the governance practices described below.

16


Table of Contents

        Independence.    Our Corporate Governance Guidelines require that a majority of our Board be "independent" under the criteria for independence established by the NYSE. Please see "Director Independence" below for a discussion of our Board's independence determinations.

        Limitation on Board Service.    None of our directors is permitted to serve on the board of directors of more than four other public companies, and no member of the Company's management is permitted to serve on the board of directors of another company if an independent director of the Company serves as the chairman, chief executive officer or president of such other company.

        Changes in Business or Professional Affiliations or Responsibilities.    If a director experiences a substantial change in his or her principal business or professional affiliations or responsibilities from the time such individual was first elected to the Board, the director is required to volunteer to resign from the Board. Our Board, through the Nominating/Governance Committee (excluding the director who volunteered to resign, if a member of the Committee), will have the opportunity to review the continued appropriateness of the director's Board membership under the particular circumstances, and shall determine whether to accept such resignation.

        Conflicts of Interest.    Our Corporate Governance Guidelines require any director with a potential conflict of interest to disclose the matter to the Chairman of the Board and the Lead Director (as defined below) before any decision is made related to the matter. If the Chairman of the Board and the Lead Director, in consultation with legal counsel, determine that a conflict exists, or that the perception of a conflict is likely to be significant, then the director is obligated to recuse himself or herself from any discussion or vote related to the matter.

        Lead Director.    Pursuant to our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the independent directors may designate a lead director (the "Lead Director"). If the independent directors do not designate a Lead Director, then the Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee will become the Lead Director on an ex officio basis. The Lead Director's responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: consulting with the Chairman of the Board to determine the agenda for Board meetings; presiding at all meetings of the Board at which the Chairman of the Board is not present, including executive sessions of the independent directors; serving as liaison between the Chairman of the Board and the independent directors; approving information sent to the Board; approving meeting agendas for the Board; approving meeting schedules to assure that there is sufficient time for discussion of all agenda items; having the authority to call meetings of the independent directors; coordinating the agenda for moderating sessions of the Board's independent directors; assisting the Board in assuring compliance with and implementation of the Corporate Governance Guidelines; and, if requested by major stockholders, ensuring that he or she is available for consultation and direct communication.

        As designated by the independent directors, Mr. Meyer, Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee, currently serves as the Company's Lead Director.

        Annual Performance Evaluation of the Board.    The Nominating/Governance Committee coordinates the annual performance evaluation of the Board to determine whether the Board is functioning effectively and meeting its objectives and goals.

        Annual Meeting Attendance.    Our directors are expected to attend each Annual Meeting of Stockholders absent exceptional reasons. All of our directors attended the 2012 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

17


Table of Contents


Bylaws, Committee Charters and Other Policies

        In addition to those practices established by our Corporate Governance Guidelines, our Bylaws, the charters of our Board Committees and our other Company policies provide for the following significant corporate governance practices:


Director Independence

        In connection with the annual determination of director independence, the Board has adopted the following categorical standards as part of the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines to assist it in determining whether a director has any direct or indirect material relationship with the Company.

        Under the categorical standards adopted by the Board, a director is not independent if:

18


Table of Contents

        For purposes of these categorical standards, (i) an "immediate family member" of a director includes a director's spouse, parents, children, siblings, mothers and fathers-in-law, sons and daughters-in-law, brothers and sisters-in-law, and anyone (other than domestic employees) who share such director's home, and (ii) the "Company" means United Continental Holdings, Inc. and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.

        In connection with the determination of director independence, the Nominating/Governance Committee reviewed the categorical standards adopted by the Board together with the rules of the NYSE and other applicable legal requirements. The Nominating/Governance Committee also reviewed information compiled from the responses to questionnaires completed by each of the directors, information derived from the Company's corporate and financial records and information available from public records.

        Consistent with the recommendation of the Nominating/Governance Committee, our Board has applied these independence tests and standards to: (i) each of the nominees for director; (ii) Mr. Tilton, who currently serves as a director, but is not standing for re-election at our Annual Meeting; and (iii) W. James Farrell and James J. O'Connor, each of whom served as a director during a portion of 2012. Our Board made a determination that: (i) each of Ms. Corvi, Ms. Garvey, and Messrs. Isaacson, Meyer, Munoz, Simmons, Vitale, Walker and Yamarone qualify as "independent" under the applicable independence tests and standards; (ii) Messrs. Smisek, Tilton, Canale and Heppner do not qualify as "independent" under the applicable tests and standards; and (iii) each of Messrs. Farrell and O'Connor qualify as "independent" under the applicable independence tests and standards. Mr. Smisek is not independent as he is an executive officer and employee of the Company. Mr. Canale is not independent due to his status as a retired employee and his relationship with the IAM, an organization representing several of our unionized employee groups. The IAM first elected Mr. Canale to serve as a director of the Company in 2002, and has nominated him for re-election at the 2012 Annual Meeting to continue his service as the IAM director. Mr. Heppner is not independent because he is a current employee of United. Mr. Tilton is not independent as he served as an executive officer and employee of the Company and United within the last three years. Please see "Proposal No. 1 Election of Directors" above for a list of all nominees for our Board, together with biographical summaries for the nominees, including each individual's business experience, directorships and qualifications.

        In making its independence determinations, the Board considered the following categories of transactions, relationships and arrangements between certain of the directors (or members of their immediate families) and the Company and its subsidiaries, that it deemed were immaterial to the relevant director's independence:

        Ms. Corvi.    The Board considered transactions between the Company and Boeing, where Ms. Corvi's sister is currently employed as a project manager and does not serve as an executive officer, including the purchase or lease of aircraft and the purchase of aircraft-related services. The Board has determined that these transactions involving Boeing are not material to Ms. Corvi and do not impair her independence.

        Mr. Simmons.    The Board considered that the Company's former chief financial officer, Zane Rowe, serves as a director of a privately-held entity in which SCF Partners, where Mr. Simmons is President, holds an ownership interest. The Board has determined that this relationship is not material to Mr. Simmons and does not impair his independence.

        Air Carrier Services.    In addition to the transactions, relationships and arrangements described above, the Board considered the purchase of the Company's air carrier services in the ordinary course

19


Table of Contents

by the employer of each of our directors (other than Messrs. Smisek, Tilton, Heppner and Canale) who is actively employed, and determined that the amount of such purchases were immaterial in amount and significance, and did not impair the independence of such directors.

        Contributions to Non-Profit Organizations Affiliated with Directors.    Our Board considered the amounts of our contributions to charitable institutions or other non-profit organizations for which certain of our directors (other than Messrs. Smisek, Tilton, Heppner and Canale) serve as a director, trustee or fiduciary, and determined that these contributions, which in each of the past three years did not exceed the greater of $1 million or 2% of the entity's consolidated gross revenues, were not material to those directors and did not impair their independence.


Board Meetings

        The Board meets regularly on previously determined dates, and special meetings are scheduled when required. The Board held six meetings in 2012. During 2012, each of the nominees for our Board, other than Mr. Canale who is nominated and elected by the holder of the Class IAM Junior Preferred Stock, attended at least 75% of the sum of the total number of meetings of the Board and each Committee of which he or she was a member (during the period he or she was a member). As indicated above under "Corporate Governance Guidelines—Annual Meeting Attendance," our directors are also expected to attend each Annual Meeting of Stockholders absent exceptional reasons.

        Our non-management directors regularly meet separately in executive session without any members of management present. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines currently provide that the Lead Director shall preside over non-management director executive sessions. In addition, our Corporate Governance Guidelines require our independent directors to meet outside the presence of management at least twice per year, with the Lead Director also presiding over such sessions.


Board Leadership Structure

        Our Board has the responsibility for selecting the appropriate leadership structure for the Company. In appointing Mr. Smisek as Chairman of the Board, the Board has concluded that the most effective leadership structure for the Company at the present time is for Mr. Smisek to serve as both Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The Board made this determination in light of Mr. Smisek's service to the Company and varied experiences within the Company's industry, which enable him to bring to the Board a broad and uniquely well-informed perspective of the Company's business and operations, as well as substantial insight into the trends and opportunities that can affect the Company's future. In addition, the Board believes that having Mr. Smisek hold the joint Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer role is an appropriate structure in that it promotes unified leadership and direction for the Company, allowing for a single, clear focus for management to execute the Company's strategy and business plans. The Board believes that Mr. Smisek is in the best position to focus the independent directors' attention on the issues of greatest importance to the Company and its stockholders. The Board also noted the appointment of Mr. Meyer, Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee, as the Lead Director and the substantial majority of the Board being comprised of independent directors in making their determination. For a discussion of the responsibilities of the Lead Director, please see "Corporate Governance Guidelines—Lead Director" above. The Board believes that having a Lead Director as part of its leadership structure provides substantial independent oversight, promotes greater management accountability and ensures that directors have an independent contact on matters of concern to them. The Board believes this leadership model strikes an appropriate balance between consistent leadership and independent oversight.

20


Table of Contents


Board Oversight of Risk Management

        Our Board considers effective risk oversight an important priority. As we consider risks in connection with virtually every business decision, the Board discusses risk throughout the year generally or in connection with specific proposed actions. The Board's approach to risk oversight includes understanding the critical risks in the Company's business and strategy, evaluating the Company's risk management processes, allocating responsibilities for risk oversight among the full Board and its Committees, and fostering an appropriate culture of integrity and compliance with legal and ethical responsibilities.

        Our Board exercises its oversight of our risk management policies and practices primarily through its Committees, as described below, which regularly report back to the Board regarding their risk oversight activities.

        While the Board oversees risk management, the Company's management is charged with identifying and managing the risks. The Company has robust internal processes and a strong internal control environment to identify and manage risks and to communicate with the Board about these

21


Table of Contents

risks. These include an enterprise risk management program, an enterprise risk management committee, an ethics and compliance program, and comprehensive internal and external audit processes. Our Board receives periodic reports on each of these aspects of the Company's risk management process. In addition, the Board, through the Audit and Finance Committees, participates in the enterprise risk management process by providing feedback on management's identification and assessment of the key risks facing the Company.


Communications with the Board

        Stockholders and other interested parties may contact the Board as a whole, or any individual member, by one of the following means: (i) writing to the Board of Directors, United Continental Holdings, Inc., c/o the Corporate Secretary's Office—HDQLD, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606; or (ii) emailing our Board at UALBoard@united.com.

        Stockholders may communicate with the Board on an anonymous or confidential basis. The Board has designated the General Counsel and the Corporate Secretary's Office as its agents for receipt of communications. All communications will be received, processed and initially reviewed by the Corporate Secretary's Office. The Corporate Secretary's Office generally does not forward communications that are not related to the duties and responsibilities of the Board, including junk mail, service complaints, employment issues, business suggestions, job inquiries, opinion surveys and business solicitations. The Corporate Secretary's Office maintains all communications and they are all available for review by any member of the Board at his or her request.

        The Chairman of the Audit Committee is promptly advised of any communication that alleges management misconduct or raises legal, ethical or compliance concerns about Company policies and practices. The Chairman of the Audit Committee receives periodic updates from the Corporate Secretary's Office on other communications from stockholders and determines which of these communications to review, respond to, or refer to another member of the Board.


Code of Ethics

        The Company has adopted a code of ethics, the "Ethics and Compliance Principles," for directors, officers (including the Company's principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer) and employees. The code serves as a "Code of Ethics" as defined by SEC regulations, and as a "Code of Business Conduct and Ethics" under the Listed Company Manual of the NYSE. The code is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Code of Conduct."


Nominations for Directors

        As described below, our Nominating/Governance Committee identifies and recommends for nomination individuals qualified to be Board members, other than directors elected by holders of preferred stock of the Company. The Nominating/Governance Committee identifies directors through a variety of means, including suggestions from members of the Committee and the Board and suggestions from Company officers, employees and others. The Nominating/Governance Committee may retain a search firm to identify director candidates for Board positions (other than those elected by holders of shares of preferred stock of the Company). In addition, the Nominating/Governance Committee considers nominees for director positions suggested by stockholders.

        Holders of Common Stock may submit director candidates for consideration (other than those elected by holders of preferred stock of the Company) by writing to the Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee, United Continental Holdings, Inc., c/o the Corporate Secretary's Office—HDQLD, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606. Stockholders must provide the recommended

22


Table of Contents

candidate's name, biographical data, qualifications and other information required by the Bylaws of the Company.

        A candidate for election as a director of the Board (other than those elected by holders of preferred stock of the Company) should possess a variety of characteristics. Candidates for director recommended by stockholders must be able to fulfill the independence standards established by the Board as set forth in the listing standards of the NYSE, any other applicable rules or regulations, and in the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines as outlined above under "Director Independence".

        Although the Company does not have a formal policy on Board diversity, the Board seeks independent directors with diverse professional backgrounds who combine a broad spectrum of experience and expertise with a reputation for integrity. A candidate for director should have experience in positions with a high degree of responsibility and be selected based upon contributions he or she can make to the Board and upon his or her willingness to devote adequate time and effort to Board responsibilities. In making this assessment, the Nominating/Governance Committee will consider the number of other boards on which the candidate serves and the other business and professional commitments of the candidate. The candidate should also have the ability to exercise sound business judgment to act in what he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. No candidate is eligible for election or reelection as a director if at the time of such election he or she is 75 or more years of age, unless the Board affirmatively determines otherwise.

        Submissions of candidates who meet the criteria for director nominees approved by the Board will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee for further review and consideration. The Nominating/Governance Committee reviews the qualifications of each candidate and makes a recommendation to the full Board. The Nominating/Governance Committee considers all potential candidates in the same manner and by the same standards regardless of the source of the recommendation and acts in its discretion in making recommendations to the full Board. Any invitation to join the Board (other than with respect to any director who is elected by holders of preferred stock of the Company) is extended by the entire Board through the Chairman of the Board or the Chairman of the Nominating/Governance Committee.


Committees of the Board

        The Board has Audit, Compensation, Executive, Finance, Nominating/Governance and Public Responsibility Committees. The Audit Committee, Compensation Committee and Nominating/Governance Committee are comprised solely of independent directors. Below is a chart showing the

23


Table of Contents

current membership of each Committee and a summary of the functions performed by the Committees during 2012.

 
  COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP  
 
  AUDIT   COMPENSATION   EXECUTIVE   FINANCE   NOMINATING/
GOVERNANCE
  PUBLIC
RESPONSIBILITY
 

Stephen R. Canale

                                  X  

Carolyn Corvi

    X                 X           X  

Jane C. Garvey

                            X     X *

James J. Heppner

                                  X  

Walter Isaacson

          X           X     X        

Henry L. Meyer III

          X     X *         X *      

Oscar Munoz

    X *         X                    

Laurence E. Simmons

    X                 X     X        

Jeffery A. Smisek

                X     X              

Glenn F. Tilton

                X     X              

David J. Vitale

    X           X     X *            

John H. Walker

    X     X                       X  

Charles A. Yamarone

          X *   X                    

Key:
X = Current Committee Assignment


*  = Chair

        The Company has a separately designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Audit Committee met eight times during 2012 and is comprised of five independent members as defined by the applicable NYSE and SEC standards. The Board has determined that each of the Audit Committee members is financially literate, and that each of Messrs. Munoz, Vitale and Walker qualifies as an audit committee financial expert as defined by SEC regulations. The Audit Committee has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Audit" under the heading "Committee Charters."

        The purpose of the Audit Committee is to: (i) oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Company and audits of the Company's financial statements; (ii) assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee (a) the integrity of the Company's financial statements and the adequacy of the Company's system of disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting; (b) the Company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and ethical standards; (c) the outside auditors' qualifications and independence; and (d) the performance of the Company's internal audit function and outside auditors; (iii) provide an open avenue of communication between the outside auditors, the internal auditors, management and the Board; and (iv) prepare an audit committee report as required by the SEC, which is set forth in this proxy statement under "Audit Committee Report."

        In discharging its duties, the Audit Committee has the authority to conduct or authorize investigations into any matters within the Committee's scope of responsibilities. The Audit Committee can form and delegate authority to subcommittees. It also has the authority, without further Board approval, to obtain, at the expense of the Company, advice and assistance from internal or external legal, accounting or other advisors as it deems advisable.

24


Table of Contents

        The Compensation Committee met seven times during 2012 and has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Compensation" under the heading "Committee Charters." All four members of the Compensation Committee are independent as defined by the NYSE's applicable listing standards.

        The Compensation Committee is responsible for: (i) overseeing the administration of the Company's compensation plans (other than plans covering only directors of the Company), including the equity-based plans and executive compensation programs of the Company; (ii) discharging the Board's responsibilities relating to the evaluation and compensation of the Company's officers; (iii) preparing the compensation committee report required by the SEC to be included in the annual proxy statement, which is set forth in this proxy statement under "Executive Compensation—Compensation Committee Report"; and (iv) reviewing and discussing with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis ("CD&A"), and based on such discussions, determining whether to recommend to the Board that the CD&A be included in the Company's annual proxy statement or Form 10-K, as applicable. The Compensation Committee also reviews and makes recommendations to the Board with respect to the adoption (or submission to stockholders for approval) or amendment of such executive compensation plans and all equity-based compensation plans. Furthermore, the Compensation Committee exercises the powers and performs the duties, if any, assigned to it from time to time under any compensation or benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

        The Compensation Committee performs a review, at least annually, of the goals and objectives for the CEO as set by the Nominating/Governance Committee. The Compensation Committee has the sole authority to set the CEO's compensation based on this evaluation and the Company's compensation philosophy. The Compensation Committee also reviews and approves at least annually the compensation of each other executive officer of the Company and the designated senior officers of its subsidiaries. The Compensation Committee oversees the annual performance evaluation process of the executive officers of the Company (other than the CEO).

        The Compensation Committee has delegated to the CEO the authority to grant stock awards to eligible participants (other than executive officers of the Company), the interpretative authority under the Company's incentive compensation plans for interpretations and determinations relating to the grant of stock awards to such eligible participants and the modification of the terms of such a participant's award following termination of employment. Additionally, the CEO makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee regarding the compensation of the officers who report directly to him. His recommendations are based on input from the Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Labor Relations, the Vice President, Human Resources and the Compensation Committee's independent compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee has the authority to review, approve and revise these recommendations as it deems appropriate.

        The Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain and terminate any compensation consultant hired to assist in the evaluation of the compensation of the CEO, other officers of the Company and the designated senior officers of the Company's subsidiaries, including sole authority to approve compensation consultant fees and other terms of engagement. It has the authority, without having to seek Board approval, to obtain, at the expense of the Company, advice and assistance from internal and external legal, accounting or other advisors as it deems advisable. The Compensation Committee is responsible for determining the scope of the executive compensation services provided by any consultant, including its fees.

25


Table of Contents

        The Compensation Committee has retained Exequity LLP ("Exequity") as its independent compensation consultant since November 2010. Exequity served as the compensation consultant to the Continental Human Resources Committee prior to the Merger. A representative of Exequity regularly attends Compensation Committee meetings, participates in discussions regarding executive compensation issues, and, from time to time and in connection with the setting of incentive compensation targets, makes executive compensation recommendations to the Compensation Committee based on available marketplace compensation data for U.S. peer airlines and certain non-airline companies with comparable revenue and other characteristics. Exequity reports exclusively to the Compensation Committee and does not provide any additional services to the Company.

        In November 2010, the Compensation Committee also adopted a conflict of interest policy governing the relationship with this compensation consultant in order to ensure objectivity and minimize the potential for conflicts of interest in the delivery of executive compensation advice. The policy establishes management's obligation to report periodically to the Compensation Committee the scope and amount of work being performed by the consultant or its affiliates for the Company. The policy also specifies that the consultant reports directly to the Compensation Committee and has direct access to the Committee through its Chairman (or in the case of services being provided to the Board, through the Lead Director). The policy prohibits the consultant from soliciting business from the Company other than work on behalf of the Compensation Committee or the Board and requires the consultant to develop policies and procedures to prevent any employee of the consultant who advises the Compensation Committee or the Board from discussing such services with other employees of the consultant who currently provide other services to the Company or who were providing other services during the prior year. The Compensation Committee has assessed the independence of Exequity pursuant to SEC rules and concluded that Exequity's work for the Compensation Committee does not raise any conflict of interest.

        The Executive Committee met five times during 2012 and has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Executive" under the heading "Committee Charters." The Executive Committee is authorized to exercise all the powers of the Board, subject to certain limitations, in the management of the business and affairs of the Company, excluding any powers granted by the Board, from time to time, to any other Committee of the Board.

        The Finance Committee met five times during 2012 and has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Finance" under the heading "Committee Charters." The Finance Committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) reviewing financial plans and budgets and cash management policies and activities; (ii) evaluating and advising the Board on any proposed merger or consolidation, or any significant acquisition or disposition of assets; (iii) evaluating and advising the Board on business opportunities and financing transactions; (iv) evaluating capital structure and recommending certain proposed issuances of securities; and (v) reviewing strategies relating to financial, operating, economic or hazard risk.

        All four members of the Nominating/Governance Committee are independent as defined by the NYSE's applicable listing standards. The Nominating/Governance Committee met six times during 2012

26


Table of Contents

and has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Nominating/Governance" under the heading "Committee Charters."

        The Nominating/Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) identifying, evaluating and recommending for nomination individuals qualified to be Board members, other than directors elected by holders of preferred stock of the Company; (ii) developing, recommending and periodically reviewing the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines and overseeing corporate governance matters; (iii) evaluating the CEO's performance and reviewing and overseeing the Company's succession planning process for executive officers, including the CEO; (iv) coordinating an annual evaluation of the Board and its Committees; and (v) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to director compensation. In discharging its duties, the Nominating/Governance Committee has the authority to conduct or authorize investigations into any matters within the Committee's scope of responsibilities. The Nominating/Governance Committee can form and delegate authority to subcommittees.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee has the sole authority to retain and terminate any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve the search firm's fees and other terms of engagement. It also has the authority, without further Board approval, to obtain, at the expense of the Company, advice and assistance from internal or external legal, accounting or other advisors as it deems advisable.

        The Public Responsibility Committee met three times during 2012 and has a written charter adopted by the Board, which is available on the Company's website, www.ir.united.com, by following the links "Governance" and selecting "Public Responsibility" under the heading "Committee Charters."

        The Public Responsibility Committee is responsible for oversight of: (i) the Company's policies, positioning and practices concerning broad public policy issues, including those that relate to safety (including workplace safety and security); environmental affairs; political and governmental policies; consumer affairs; civic activities and business practices that impact communities in which the Company does business; and charitable, political, social and educational organizations; (ii) management's identification, evaluation and monitoring of the social, political and environmental trends, issues and concerns, domestic and international, that affect or could affect the Company's reputation, business activities and performance or to which the Company could make a meaningful contribution; and (iii) the Company's general philosophy regarding diversity, including, without limitation, employee diversity and supplier diversity, as it relates to Company policies and practices.


Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        Our executive compensation programs are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Compensation Committee is currently composed of Messrs. Yamarone, Isaacson, Meyer and Walker, each of whom is an independent, non-management director, and no member of the Committee has ever been an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. None of our executive officers has served as a member of any board of directors or compensation committee of any other company for which any of our directors served as an executive officer at any time since January 1, 2012.

27


Table of Contents


Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

        The Board recognizes that transactions involving the Company and related parties present a heightened risk of conflicts of interest. In order to ensure that the Company acts in the best interest of its stockholders, the Board has adopted a written policy for the review and approval of any Related Party Transaction (as defined below). It is the policy of the Company that any Related Party Transaction must be approved or ratified by the Audit Committee or, if the Board determines that a transaction should instead be reviewed by all of the disinterested directors on the Board, by a majority of the disinterested directors on the Board. No director is permitted to participate in the review or approval of a Related Party Transaction if such director or his or her immediate family member is a Related Party (as defined below). In reviewing a proposed transaction, the Audit Committee or the disinterested directors must (i) satisfy themselves that they have been fully informed as to the Related Party's relationship and interest and as to the material facts of the proposed transaction, (ii) consider all of the relevant facts and circumstances available to them, including but not limited to: the benefits to the Company, the impact on a director's independence, the availability of other sources for comparable products or services, the terms of the transaction, and the terms available to unrelated third parties or to employees generally, and (iii) determine whether or not the proposed transaction is fair to the Company and is not inconsistent with the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

        If the Company enters into a transaction that (i) the Company was not aware constituted a Related Party Transaction at the time it was entered into but which it subsequently determines is a Related Party Transaction, or (ii) did not constitute a Related Party Transaction at the time such transaction was entered into but thereafter becomes a Related Party Transaction, then in either such case the Related Party Transaction shall be presented for ratification by the Audit Committee or a majority of the disinterested directors on the Board. If such Related Party Transaction is not ratified by the Audit Committee or a majority of the disinterested directors, then the Company shall take all reasonable actions to attempt to terminate the Company's participation in the transaction.

        As set forth in the policy, a "Related Party Transaction" is a transaction (including any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including an indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness)), or series of similar transactions, or any material amendment to any such transaction, in which:

        (a)   the aggregate amount involved is or is expected to exceed $120,000,

        (c)   the Company is a participant.

        For purposes of this definition, a "Related Party" means (i) an executive officer of the Company, (ii) a director of the Company or nominee for director of the Company, (iii) a person (including an entity or group) known to the Company to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of the Company's voting securities, or (iv) an individual who is an immediate family member of an executive officer, director, nominee for director or 5% stockholder of the Company.

        The Company did not enter into any Related Party Transactions (as defined above) during 2012. Further, management reviewed with the Audit Committee any transactions since January 1, 2012 involving a "related person" identified in the annual director and officer questionnaire responses or otherwise known to the Audit Committee or the Company. None of these transactions was required to be disclosed as a "related person transaction" pursuant to the SEC's rules.

28


Table of Contents


BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Certain Beneficial Owners

        The following table shows the number of shares of our voting securities owned by any person or group known to us as of April 1, 2013, to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities.

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
  Title of
Class
  Amount and Nature
of Ownership
  Percent of
Class(1)
 

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.(2)

  Common Stock     47,108,318     14.0 %

100 E. Pratt Street

                 

Baltimore, MD 21202

                 

Wellington Management Company, LLP(3)

 

Common Stock

   
28,629,501
   
8.6

%

280 Congress Street

                 

Boston, MA 02210

                 

Janus Capital Management LLC(4)

 

Common Stock

   
27,842,601
   
8.4

%

151 Detroit Street

                 

Denver, CO 80206

                 

FMR LLC(5)

 

Common Stock

   
25,880,546
   
7.7

%

82 Devonshire Street

                 

Boston, MA 02109

                 

Capital Research Global Investors(6)

 

Common Stock

   
23,814,265
   
7.1

%

333 South Hope Street

                 

Los Angeles, CA 90071

                 

Capital World Investors(7)

 

Common Stock

   
23,734,134
   
7.1

%

333 South Hope Street

                 

Los Angeles, CA 90071

                 

Blackrock Inc.(8)

 

Common Stock

   
19,226,268
   
5.8

%

40 East 52nd Street

                 

New York, NY 10022

                 

United Airlines Pilots Master Executive Council, Air Line Pilots Association, International(9)

 

Class Pilot MEC Junior

   
1
   
100

%

9550 West Higgins Road, Suite 1000

  Preferred Stock              

Rosemont, IL 60018

                 

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers(9)

 

Class IAM Junior

   
1
   
100

%

District #141

  Preferred Stock              

900 Machinists Place

                 

Upper Marlboro, MD 20722

                 

(1)
Percentage of class of voting securities reported as of December 31, 2012.

(2)
Based on Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 1) filed on February 11, 2013 in which T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. ("Price Associates") reported sole voting power for 14,124,127 shares and sole dispositive power for 47,108,318 shares. According to Amendment No. 1, Price Associates is a registered investment adviser.

These securities are owned by various individual and institutional investors for which Price Associates serves as an investment adviser with power to direct investments and/or sole power to vote the securities. For the purposes of the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, Price

29


Table of Contents

(3)
Based on Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 2) filed on February 14, 2013 in which Wellington Management Company, LLP, an investment adviser, reported shared voting power for 25,596,968 shares and shared dispositive power for 28,629,501 shares. Wellington Management Company, LLP reported that, in its capacity as an investment adviser, it may be deemed to beneficially own 28,629,501 shares which are held of record by its clients.

(4)
Based on Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 2) filed on February 14, 2013 in which Janus Capital Management LLC reported sole voting power and sole dispositive power for 27,534,375 shares and shared voting power and shared dispositive power for 308,226 shares. Janus Capital Management LLC reported its direct ownership of a 95.67% stake in INTECH Investment Management and a 77.8% stake in Perkins Investment Management LLC. Janus Capital Management LLC, INTECH Investment Management and Perkins Investment Management LLC are registered investment advisers furnishing investment advice to various investment companies and their beneficial holdings are aggregated for purposes of the shares reported in the table above. Janus Capital Management LLC also reported that as a result of INTECH Investment Management's role as investment adviser or sub-adviser to several investment companies, it may be deemed to beneficially own 307,700 shares. Janus Capital Management LLC also reported that as a result of Perkins Investment Management LLC's role as investment adviser or sub-adviser to several investment companies, it may be deemed to beneficially own 526 shares.

(5)
Based on Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 8) filed on February 14, 2013 in which FMR LLC reported sole dispositive power for 25,880,546 shares. According to Amendment No. 8, FMR LLC, the parent holding company of Fidelity Management & Research Company, a wholly owned registered investment adviser, and Mr. Edward C. Johnson 3d, Chairman of FMR LLC, may be deemed to beneficially own the shares reported in the table above. FMR LLC reported sole dispositive power for 25,880,546 shares, and Mr. Johnson reported sole dispositive power for 25,879,706 shares. Amendment No. 8 also reported that Fidelity Management & Research Company beneficially owned 25,879,706 shares as a result of acting as an investment adviser for various investment companies (the "Fidelity Funds"). Fidelity Management & Research Company exercises the sole power to vote the shares beneficially owned by the Fidelity Funds pursuant to written guidelines established by the board of trustees of each Fidelity Fund.

(6)
Based on Schedule 13G filed on February 13, 2013 in which Capital Research Global Investors reported sole voting power for 20,888,500 shares and sole dispositive power for 23,814,265 shares. Capital Research Global Investors is a registered investment adviser and a division of Capital Research and Management Company. Capital Research Global Investors reported that it is deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares reported in the table above as a result of Capital Research and Management acting as investment adviser to various investment companies.

(7)
Based on Schedule 13G/A (Amendment No. 4) filed on February 13, 2013 in which Capital World Investors reported sole voting power for 21,451,981 shares and sole dispositive power for 23,734,134 shares. According to Amendment No. 4, Capital World Investors is a registered investment adviser and a division of Capital Research and Management Company. Capital World Investors reported that it is deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares reported in the table above as a result of Capital Research and Management Company acting as investment adviser to various investment companies.

(8)
Based on Schedule 13G filed on January 30, 2013 in which Blackrock Inc. reported sole voting and sole dispositive power for 19,226,268 shares. According to the Schedule 13G, Blackrock Inc. is a parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G).

(9)
Shares of Class Pilot MEC and Class IAM stock elect one ALPA and IAM director, respectively, and have one vote on all matters submitted to the holders of Common Stock other than the election of directors.

30


Table of Contents


Directors and Executive Officers

        The following table shows the number of shares of our voting securities owned by our named executive officers, our directors, and all of our executive officers and directors as a group as of April 1, 2013. The person or entities listed below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our Common Stock beneficially owned by them, except to the extent this power may be shared with a spouse.

Name of Beneficial Owner
  Title of Class   Amount and Nature of
Ownership
  Percent of
Class
 

Michael P. Bonds

  Common Stock     57,430     *  

Stephen R. Canale

  Common Stock     0     *  

James E. Compton

  Common Stock     89,069     *  

Carolyn Corvi

  Common Stock     12,401 (1)   *  

Jane C. Garvey

  Common Stock     0     *  

James J. Heppner

  Common Stock     11     *  

Walter Isaacson

  Common Stock     10,000     *  

Peter D. McDonald

  Common Stock     177,638 (2)   *  

Henry L. Meyer III

  Common Stock     44,426 (3)   *  

Oscar Munoz

  Common Stock     36,026 (4)   *  

John D. Rainey

  Common Stock     56,353     *  

Zane C. Rowe

  Common Stock     9,089     *  

Laurence E. Simmons

  Common Stock     15,551 (5)   *  

Jeffery A. Smisek

  Common Stock     435,909     *  

Glenn F. Tilton

  Common Stock     582,889 (6)   *  

David J. Vitale

  Common Stock     10,000     *  

John H. Walker

  Common Stock     6,000     *  

Charles A. Yamarone

  Common Stock     35,764 (7)   *  

Directors and Executive Officers as a Group (22 persons)

  Common Stock     1,786,660     *  

*
Less than 1% of outstanding shares.

(1)
Includes 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $17.67 per share.

(2)
Includes 43,867 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $34.18 per share, 43,868 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $35.91 per share, and 43,868 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $35.65 per share.

(3)
Includes 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $17.03 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $12.39 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $22.50 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $32.48 per share, 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $11.87 per share and 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $8.79 per share.

(4)
Includes 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $11.58 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $22.50 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $32.48 per share, 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $11.87 per share and 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $8.79 per share.

(5)
Includes 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $14.25 per share.

(6)
Includes 164,400 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $34.18 per share, 164,400 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $35.91 per share and 164,400 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $35.65 per share.

(7)
Includes 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $28.20 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $22.50 per share, 5,250 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $32.48 per share, 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $11.87 per share and 7,875 options to purchase shares of our Common Stock at $8.79 per share.

31


Table of Contents


Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

        Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers and holders of more than 10% of our Common Stock to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common Stock and other equity securities. Such executive officers, directors and beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms filed by such reporting persons. Based solely on a review of such reports filed by or on behalf of such persons in this regard and written representations from them, we believe that all Section 16(a) reporting requirements were timely fulfilled during 2012, other than with respect to a Form 4 filing for Jeffrey Foland in connection with the vesting of a restricted stock unit award, which was not filed in a timely manner due to an administrative error by the Company.


Equity Compensation Plan Information

        The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2012 regarding the number of shares of our Common Stock that may be issued under the Company's equity compensation plans.

Plan Category
  Number of securities to
be issued upon exercise
of outstanding options,
warrants and rights
  Weighted-average
exercise price of
outstanding options,
warrants and rights
  Number of securities
remaining available for
future issuance under
equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in first column)
 

Equity compensation plans approved by security holders

                   

Options

    3,003,912              

Restricted Stock Units

    4,231,193              
                   

Subtotal

    7,235,105 (1) $ 12.81 (2)   4,839,390 (3)

Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders

    1,602,922 (4) $ 15.77     3,280,744 (5)
                 

Total

    8,838,027   $ 13.35     8,120,134  
                 

(1)
In addition to this amount, the Company has issued 772,374 restricted shares that were not vested as of December 31, 2012. These nonvested restricted shares are included in the total number of outstanding shares at December 31, 2012. All stock-based compensation plans, including the stock-based compensation plans that were not approved by security holders, are discussed in Note 7—Share-Based Compensation Plans of the Combined Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

(2)
Includes restricted stock units with an exercise price of $0. The weighted average exercise price of options is $30.85.

(3)
Includes 27,686 shares available under the Director Equity Incentive Plan and 4,811,704 shares available under the 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan.

(4)
Represents shares issuable pursuant to stock options assumed in connection with the Merger, including stock options outstanding under the following pre-Merger plans: Continental Airlines, Inc. 1997 Incentive Plan (10,500 shares); Continental Airlines, Inc. 1998 Incentive Plan (42,000 shares); Continental Airlines, Inc. Incentive Plan 2000 (378,236 shares); Continental Airlines, Inc. 2005 Broad Based Employee Stock Option Plan (9,398 shares); Continental Airlines, Inc. 2005 Pilot Supplemental Option Plan (537,249 shares); and United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 (the "Incentive Plan 2010") (625,539 shares).

(5)
Represents 3,280,744 shares available under the Incentive Plan 2010.

32


Table of Contents


Incentive Plan 2010

        The Incentive Plan 2010 was adopted by the Board of Directors of Continental in December 2009 and approved by Continental stockholders in 2010, and was assumed by the Company in connection with the Merger on October 1, 2010. Stock options outstanding prior to the Merger will vest on their original vesting schedule or earlier if the holder experiences an involuntary termination within two years of the Merger closing date. The Incentive Plan 2010 provides for the grant of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted stock awards, performance awards, incentive awards and other stock awards. Employees who were employed by United prior to the Merger closing date are not eligible to receive grants of equity-based awards under the Incentive Plan 2010.

        The Incentive Plan 2010 is administered by the Compensation Committee with respect to awards made to persons subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and by the Compensation Committee or the Chief Executive Officer with respect to awards made to persons who are not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, unless the Incentive Plan 2010 otherwise specifies that the Compensation Committee will take specific action or the Compensation Committee specifies that it will serve as administrator.

        Subject to adjustment for changes in capitalization, the aggregate number of shares which may be granted under the Incentive Plan 2010 is not to exceed 3,937,500 shares (which reflects the adjustment based on the exchange ratio that applied in connection with the Merger). To the extent that an award lapses, is terminated or is forfeited, or an award is paid in cash such that all or some of the shares of Common Stock covered by the award are not issued to the holder, any such forfeited or unissued shares of Common Stock then subject to such award will be added back to the number of shares available for issuance under the plan. No awards may be granted under the Incentive Plan 2010 after November 30, 2019.

        The exercise price for all stock options and SARs under the Incentive Plan 2010 may not be less than the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. Stock options and SARs may not be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years following the date of grant. Performance awards and incentive awards may be granted in the form of restricted stock units or such other form as determined by the plan administrator.

        Vesting and exercisability of awards may be based on continued employment, the satisfaction of certain performance measures, such other factors as the administrator may determine, or a combination of such factors. Awards granted under the Incentive Plan 2010 that vest based solely on the continued employment of the holder may not become exercisable or vest in full in less than three years from the date of grant, and awards that are based on the satisfaction of performance measures are subject to a minimum waiting period for vesting or exercise of one year from the date of grant. However, awards that have conditions related to both time and performance measures may vest or become exercisable upon the earlier satisfaction of the performance measures, subject to the one-year waiting period. The exercisability and vesting requirements set forth above are not applicable to: (i) acceleration of exercisability or vesting upon the death, disability or retirement of the holder and upon certain other terminations as provided pursuant to any employment agreement entered into prior to December 1, 2009; (ii) acceleration of exercisability or vesting upon a change in control or certain other corporate changes affecting the Company; and (iii) grants of awards made in payment of other earned cash-based incentive compensation. In addition, the plan administrator has the discretion to grant an award that does not contain the minimum exercisability and vesting requirements provided that the aggregate number of shares that may be subject to such awards may not exceed 5% of the aggregate maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to the plan.

33


Table of Contents


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

Executive Summary

        Our 2012 accomplishments continue to advance us toward our goal of creating the world's leading airline—the airline that customers want to fly, co-workers want to work for, and investors want to invest in. We made significant progress in our Merger integration during 2012, despite substantial challenges. Below are 2012 financial and operational highlights, significant recent accomplishments, and noteworthy linkages to our compensation programs.

   


(1)
See "Item 6. Selected Financial Data—Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Financial Measures" in the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (the "2012 Form 10-K") for information on these special items, which consisted primarily of integration-related costs. Unless otherwise indicated, references to net income and earnings exclude such special items.

(2)
See Notes 1 and 21 to the financial statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's 2012 Form 10-K for additional information on the Merger.

34


Table of Contents

        A number of these financial and operational highlights are directly tied to performance under our executive compensation program awards, and specific links to our Annual Incentive Program awards and the Merger Performance Incentive Awards are noted above. Our 2012 executive compensation award structure paralleled the design first implemented in 2011, and our compensation philosophy continues to be based on achieving the following objectives:

The 2012 executive compensation programs were designed to directly link compensation opportunities to the financial performance metrics that we believe are the best measures of success in our business: annual pre-tax income, long-term pre-tax margin performance relative to our industry peers, return on invested capital ("ROIC") relative to our cost of capital, and our stock price performance. The Compensation Committee also designed and granted one-time Merger Performance Incentive Awards in 2011 to motivate executives to achieve key Merger milestones on a timely basis and to achieve Merger revenue and cost synergies, as communicated to stockholders, within a three year performance period following the Merger. For 2013, the Compensation Committee added customer satisfaction as an additional performance metric under our annual incentive awards.

Tight Linkage Between Performance and Executive Pay

        The compensation opportunities of our executives are directly tied to the performance of the Company. Our pay-for-performance philosophy is demonstrated by the following elements of our executive compensation program for 2012:

35


Table of Contents

Our Executive Compensation Governance Practices

        Our executive compensation policies and practices include the following features, which illustrate our commitment to the principles stated above:

   


(3)
The chart of targeted compensation for our other named executive officers represents our officers other than our CEO who are named in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table and who were continuing officers at year-end.

36


Table of Contents

37


Table of Contents

Philosophy and Objectives of Our Executive Compensation Program for 2012

        Our 2012 executive compensation philosophy continued to be defined by the three main objectives stated above: (1) aligning the interests of our stockholders and executives; (2) linking executive pay to performance; and (3) attracting, retaining and appropriately rewarding our executives in line with market practices.

38


Table of Contents

Compensation Process and Oversight

        Compensation Committee Role and Management Participation in Setting Executive Compensation.    All 2012 executive compensation decisions with respect to the named executive officers, including final decisions regarding performance goals, salary levels and annual incentive award opportunity levels, were made by the Compensation Committee, with input from Exequity, the Committee's independent compensation consultant. Exequity provides the Compensation Committee with background materials, including preparation of the benchmarking study described below, and participates in committee meetings to support the Committee's executive compensation decision-making process and to respond to questions. Exequity also assists the Committee in performing an annual compensation risk assessment of the Company's compensation programs.

        The Compensation Committee retained Exequity as its independent compensation consultant following the Merger. Exequity reports directly to the Committee, and the Committee has the sole authority to retain and terminate Exequity and to review and approve Exequity's fees and other retention terms. The Committee has adopted an "Independent Executive Compensation Consultant Conflict of Interest Policy" pursuant to which Exequity is required to provide the Committee with regular reports on any work that it performs for the Company. During 2012, Exequity did not perform any work on behalf of the Company other than the executive compensation services provided to the Committee. For additional information concerning the Compensation Committee, including its authority and the independent compensation consultant policy, see "Committees of the Board—Compensation Committee" above.

        The Committee also received input and recommendations regarding executive compensation decisions from the Company's Executive Vice President, Human Resources & Labor Relations and members of his human resources team. Mr. Smisek also attends Compensation Committee meetings and provides input with respect to the compensation for the management team other than himself, in particular with respect to the performance and compensation of his direct reports. Members of the Company's financial planning and analysis group participate in discussions with the Committee relating to the Company's financial plan and proposed performance goals under the executive compensation program and members of the Company's internal audit group provide special reports to the Committee outlining the review of procedures and calculations relating to the payout of incentives. Management's annual planning process involves preparation of annual financial forecasts, capital expenditure budgets, and the Company's Go Forward Plan (our annual business plan). Based on the Company's 2012 planning process and the financial budget approved by the Board, management developed and proposed performance targets under the 2012 incentive compensation programs. These proposals were evaluated by Exequity, in light of compensation trends, benchmarking and compensation risk factors. The Committee established the performance targets and the compensation arrangements of the Company's executive officers following its review and consideration of all recommendations and data it deemed appropriate. The Committee regularly holds executive sessions to discuss executive compensation practices without members of management present.

        Benchmarking.    We recruit executives not only from within the airline industry, but from across a broad spectrum of leading businesses. In making compensation decisions, we examine the practices of companies in a general comparator group that is representative of the size (in revenue), scope and complexity of the Company's global business operations, and that includes the four most relevant U.S.-based airline companies. The competitive benchmarking analysis used for 2012 compensation decisions

39


Table of Contents

included the same group of 23 comparator companies utilized for the 2011 compensation decisions and set forth below(4):

3M Company

 

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Alcoa Inc.

 

McDonald's Corporation

AMR Corporation

 

Northrop Grumman Corporation

The Boeing Company

 

PPG Industries,  Inc.

Caterpillar Inc.

 

Raytheon Company

Deere & Company

 

Sara Lee Corporation

Delta Air Lines,  Inc.

 

Southwest Airlines Co.

FedEx Corporation

 

Textron Inc.

General Dynamics Corporation

 

Union Pacific Corporation

Honeywell International Inc.

 

United Parcel Service,  Inc.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

 

US Airways Group,  Inc.

Johnson Controls,  Inc.

   

The airline industry does not have a sufficient number of relevant peers, given UAL's current size, to establish reliable ranges of competitive market pay for our top executive talent. Accordingly, our benchmarking peer group represents a cross section of the relevant airline peers and comparable sized companies in general industry that are representative of the competitive talent market. The following primary factors were considered in identifying the most appropriate peer companies for compensation benchmarking purposes: well-run companies in general industry, with a primary focus on airlines, aerospace and transportation companies; companies of similar revenue size (i.e., 0.5-2.0 times UAL's revenue); and the four largest U.S.-based airlines. At the time of the benchmarking review for 2012 compensation decisions, data was obtained from the then most recent proxy statement of our peer group companies (in most cases, the 2011 proxy statement, reflecting 2010 pay data). In this review, the peer group had median annual revenue of approximately $26 billion and the Company's annual revenue at the time of the review was estimated at approximately $36 billion.

        We compare total compensation opportunities for our executives to the market median (50th percentile) of our comparator group. Total compensation for our benchmarking purposes means the sum of base salary, annual cash incentive target, and long-term incentive targets. As is customary in these types of pay studies, retirement benefits were not included in the benchmark comparison, although these benefits were considered in connection with the overall review and establishment of 2012 award levels.

        The compensation information for our comparator group is one factor utilized in setting total compensation for our executives. We believe that any benchmarking of compensation must be balanced with the additional factor of internal parity of compensation among our executives, and must take into account the role and skills of each individual executive. Development of the Company's post-Merger compensation program involved a convergence of the pay structures in place at United and Continental prior to the Merger. The current compensation program was implemented in 2011 and continued the same basic structure and approach through 2012.

   


(4)
Prior to conducting the benchmarking review for 2013 compensation decisions, Exequity reviewed the composition of the peer group with the Compensation Committee. Based on that review, the Committee removed Sara Lee Corporation (based on its corporate restructuring), PPG Industries and Textron Inc. from the peer group. Each of these companies was deemed to have low revenue size as compared to the Company and other peer companies. The Committee also added United Technologies Corporation and Cummins Inc., based on their status as well-respected companies having operations that involve the transportation and aerospace industries, and that have annual revenue within a reasonable range of the Company's annual revenue. Further, both companies include many of the Company's peers in their own peer group comparison.

40


Table of Contents

        Tally Sheets.    Comprehensive tally sheets covering each of the named executive officers are provided to the Committee in advance of meetings at which incentive compensation performance targets and award levels opportunities are set and at which compensation levels and annual incentive awards are considered and decisions are made. The tally sheets provide a summary for each executive of total targeted and actual compensation levels, an accumulated summary of outstanding awards, and estimated payments under alternative separation scenarios. These tally sheets allow the Committee to make prospective pay decisions that are informed by compensation opportunities and earnings for past periods.

Our 2012 Executive Compensation Program

        The following discussion describes our 2012 compensation elements and 2012 compensation decisions related to our "named executive officers" or "NEOs." Our named executive officers consist of our Chief Executive Officer, each person who served as Chief Financial Officer during the year, and our three other most highly compensated executive officers. For 2012, our named executive officers are: Jeffery A. Smisek, our Chairman, President and CEO; John D. Rainey, our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Peter D. McDonald, our Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer; James E. Compton, our Vice Chairman and Chief Revenue Officer; Michael P. Bonds, our Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Labor Relations; and Zane C. Rowe, our former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, who resigned his position effective April 15, 2012 to join another company.

        The 2012 salary and incentive compensation award levels for each of the named executive officers were considered and approved by the Compensation Committee through the compensation process described above and with reference to the benchmarking data prepared by and reviewed with Exequity. In connection with Mr. Rainey's promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the Compensation Committee considered his total compensation with reference to the size adjusted median market data for chief financial officer compensation contained in Exequity's most recent competitive benchmarking study, and with an objective of providing him a total compensation level in general alignment with the compensation of the Company's other executive vice presidents, including consideration of Mr. Rowe's compensation level as the exiting chief financial officer.

        The table below summarizes the key components of our 2012 executive compensation program and detailed descriptions of these components appear below the table.

 
 
  Compensation Component
   
  Program Type
   
  Performance Measure
   

 

 

Base Salary

      Fixed cash income stream throughout the year          

 

 

Annual Incentive Awards

     

Absolute performance

      Pre-tax income    

 

         

Short-term cash award

           

 

 

Long-term Incentive Awards:

                   

 

 

Long-term Relative
Performance Awards

     

Relative performance

3-year cliff vesting

      Pre-tax margin relative to industry peer group    

 

         

Cash settled

           

 

 

Performance-Based RSUs

     

Absolute performance

3-year cliff vesting

      ROIC relative to our cost of capital Stock price performance over time    

 

         

Stock-price based

           

 

         

Cash settled

           

 

 

Restricted Share Awards

     

3-year ratable vesting

      Stock price performance over time    
                         

41


Table of Contents

        Base Salary.    The Compensation Committee sets base salary levels in light of competitive practices among companies of similar size and complexity, to reflect the responsibilities of each executive in the Company and in light of internal pay equity, and to balance fixed and variable compensation levels. In December 2012, the Compensation Committee increased Mr. Compton's salary (previously $750,000) in connection with his promotion to Vice Chairman and his assumption of additional responsibilities. The 2012 year-end base salary levels for each continuing named executive officer were as follows: Mr. Smisek—$975,000; Mr. Rainey—$750,000; Mr. McDonald—$850,000; Mr. Compton—$875,000; and Mr. Bonds—$625,000. The Compensation Committee established the salary level for Mr. Rainey in April 2012 in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. At the date of his resignation, Mr. Rowe's base salary was $750,000.

        Annual Incentive Awards.    In 2012, the named executive officers participated in the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Annual Incentive Program (the "AIP"), an annual cash incentive plan adopted pursuant to the Company's Incentive Plan 2010. In order for a payment to be made under the 2012 AIP awards, (i) the Company's 2012 pre-tax income must meet or exceed the entry level pre-tax income established by the Compensation Committee and (ii) a payment must have been made (or will be made) under the Company's broad-based profit sharing plans for employees for such fiscal year. If either of these conditions is not satisfied, no payments are made under the AIP. The Compensation Committee added a feature to the 2012 AIP awards to permit the exercise of negative discretion to reduce award payments (but not positive discretion to increase award payments) based on the Compensation Committee's evaluation of individual performance. Under the AIP, "pre-tax income" means, with respect to a fiscal year, the aggregated consolidated net income adjusted to exclude reported income taxes of the Company for such year as shown on the Company's consolidated financial statements for such year, but calculated excluding any special, unusual or non-recurring items as determined by the Compensation Committee in accordance with applicable accounting rules(5).

        The 2012 award opportunities under the AIP were based on an individual award opportunity granted to each participant, with threshold payout equal to 50% of the target opportunity, target payout equal to 100% of the target opportunity, and stretch payout equal to 200% of the target opportunity. The pre-tax income performance targets for 2012 under the AIP were threshold—$300 million, target—$1.015 billion, and stretch—$1.5 billion. Consistent with the 2011 AIP awards, the target level was set at the Company's 2012 budget level as reviewed with and approved by the Board of Directors. As compared to the 2011 AIP awards, the 2012 performance levels reflect a more gradual performance slope, with a lower entry level and higher stretch level. The 2012 AIP individual target level opportunities for each of the named executive officers were expressed as a percentage of the executives' base salary earned during the year as follows: Mr. Smisek—150%; Mr. Rainey—110% (for the period prior to April 16, 2012) and 125% (effective for the period beginning April 16, 2012 in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer); Mr. McDonald—135%; Mr. Compton—135%; Mr. Bonds—125%; and Mr. Rowe—135%.

        For 2012, the Company achieved pre-tax income, excluding special items, of $599 million and co-workers received payments pursuant to the Company's profit sharing plans. This performance resulted in AIP payments between the entry and target levels of performance (approximately 70.9% of target level). In reviewing the 2012 performance and payment certification, the Compensation Committee considered 2012 integration challenges, particularly operational challenges during the summer months, and the related impact on year-end financial results. The Company's 2012 financial results were impacted by the operational challenges and the 2012 AIP award payment levels (as compared to the 2011 AIP award payments) were substantially lower. Payments under the AIP are

   


(5)
See "Item 6. Selected Financial Data—Reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP Financial Measures" in the Company's 2012 Form 10-K for information on these special items, which consisted primarily of integration-related costs.

42


Table of Contents

included in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table under the "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" column and are quantified in a footnote to that column. Mr. Rowe forfeited his 2012 AIP award in connection with his resignation from the Company. The named executive officers are not eligible to receive payments under our profit sharing plans.

        2012 Long-Term Incentive Awards.    In designing the long-term incentive award structure for the Company, the Compensation Committee divided the long-term incentive opportunity into three separate awards. This basic design was in effect for 2011 awards, and was continued in 2012 as follows:

Each of these awards is structured with a three-year performance or vesting period. For the named executive officers, the 2012 total long-term incentive target opportunities are as follows: Mr. Smisek—$9,400,000; Mr. Rainey—$1,462,500; Mr. McDonald—$1,690,000; Mr. Compton—$1,890,000; Mr. Bonds—$1,162,656; and Mr. Rowe—$1,890,000. The 2012 target award level with respect to Mr. Smisek was set at a level designed to align Mr. Smisek's total targeted pay with median peer practices (though Mr. Smisek's total targeted pay in 2012 trailed the peer median level by approximately 10%). The 2012 total target level for Mr. Rainey reflects additional awards granted by the Compensation Committee in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in April 2012. With respect to the remaining named executive officers, the total long-term incentive target opportunities were established with reference to the benchmarking analysis conducted by Exequity and discussed with the Committee in advance of the 2012 executive compensation award process. For 2012, the Compensation Committee approved a 2.5% increase in the total target compensation opportunities (as compared to the 2011 target levels) for Messrs. McDonald, Compton and Bonds, all of which was reflected in their long-term incentive award levels. See "—Compensation Process and Oversight—Benchmarking" above. Mr. Rowe forfeited all of his 2012 long-term incentive awards in connection with his resignation from the Company. The 2012 total long-term target opportunities were divided equally between each of the three long-term incentive awards.

43


Table of Contents

44


Table of Contents

        In 2011, our named executive officers received one-time Merger Performance Incentive Awards that were designed to provide incentives to deliver on the potential value from the integration of the operations of United and Continental over a January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2013 performance period. These awards were structured as performance-based restricted stock units (the "Merger Incentive RSUs"). For the named executive officers, the three-year target opportunities under the Merger Incentive RSUs, contingent on achieving pre-established performance goals, were as follows: Mr. Smisek—$4,000,000; Mr. Rainey—$425,000; Mr. McDonald—$1,500,000; Mr. Compton—$1,500,000; Mr. Bonds—$1,250,000; and Mr. Rowe—$1,500,000. The payout percentage opportunities for achieving the specified performance metrics are entry or threshold—50% of target, target—100% of target opportunity, and stretch—150% of target, except with respect to the achievement of a single operating certificate, for which the maximum payout equaled 100% of target. Mr. Rowe forfeited his unvested Merger Incentive RSUs in connection with his resignation from the Company. The table below highlights key elements of the Merger Performance Incentive Awards.

Performance Program Type and Details   Performance Measure

One-time 2011 special incentive award

  Merger milestones (40%):

Milestones—vest as achieved

 

Ratification of JCBAs (10%)

Synergies—3-year cliff vesting

 

Single Operating Certificate (10%)

Cash settled RSU

 

Integrated Reservation System (10%)

   

Single Loyalty Program (10%)


 

 

Revenue/cost synergies (60%)

        Vesting of a portion of the Merger Incentive RSUs, representing 40% of the award at the targeted value, is based on achievement of certain key Merger-related milestones that were set by the Compensation Committee. Each of these milestones were equally weighted at the targeted level and include ratification of at least two joint collective bargaining agreements (10%), obtaining a single operating certificate (10%), integration of our reservation system (10%), and integration of our customer loyalty program (10%). During 2012, management achieved the milestones related to integration of our customer loyalty program and of our reservation system. During 2011, management achieved the portion of the award related to obtaining a single operating certificate. Vesting of the milestone related to JCBAs remains outstanding and must be completed by December 31, 2013.

        Vesting of the remainder of the Merger Incentive RSUs, representing 60% of the award at the targeted value, is based on achievement of Merger revenue and cost synergies over the three-year performance period. When the integration is complete and synergy benefits are fully realized, we expect the Merger to deliver $1.0 billion (entry level under the Merger Incentive RSUs) to $1.2 billion (target level under the Merger Incentive RSUs) in net annual synergies on a run rate basis. Stretch level

45


Table of Contents

performance under the revenue and cost synergy tranche of the Merger Incentive RSUs was set at achieving $1.4 billion of synergies prior to December 31, 2013. Many factors could affect the total amount or timing of the Merger expenses and synergies, and many of those items are, by their nature, difficult to estimate accurately.(6)

        The number of Merger Incentive RSUs that become vested depends on the timing and/or level of achievement of the related performance goals. As a general matter, each tranche of the Merger Incentive RSUs will vest and will be paid in cash to the recipients following the achievement of the performance goal for such tranche. All performance goals must be achieved by December 31, 2013. Payments are calculated based on the 20-day average closing price of the Company's Common Stock either immediately prior to the vesting date or, as applicable, on the last day of the month in which the Merger milestone is achieved, but may not exceed the maximum payment amount established by the Compensation Committee (which amount is equal to two times the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on February 25, 2011, the date of the meeting establishing the performance conditions for the 2011 awards).

Other Compensation Components

        Pre-Merger Awards.    Continental awards that were outstanding prior to the Merger were assumed by the Company, including LTIP awards and Profit-Based RSUs granted pursuant to the Continental Long-Term Incentive and RSU Programs ("LTIP/RSU Programs"). These awards remained outstanding after the Merger and, as a result of "double-trigger" requirements have continued to be paid on their normal payment dates (or, if earlier, upon death, disability, retirement eligibility or termination without "cause" or resignation for "good reason") provided that the participant remains employed on such date. The value of the pre-Merger awards is based on the change-in-control level of the award that was established at the time the awards were granted. As of December 31, 2012, Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton and Bonds earned payment for awards pursuant to the pre-Merger Continental LTIP for the performance period 2010-2012. During 2012, Mr. McDonald received payment for an award granted pursuant to the pre-Merger United LTIP. Payment of these pre-Merger LTIP awards is included in the "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" column of the 2012 Summary Compensation Table. Outstanding pre-Merger equity awards as of December 31, 2012 are included in the "Outstanding Equity Awards at 2012 Fiscal Year-End" table. Mr. Rowe forfeited his pre-Merger Continental LTIP for the performance period 2010-2012 and his outstanding Profit-Based RSUs in connection with his resignation from the Company. As of the date of this proxy statement, all pre-Merger awards held by the named executive officers have been paid, fully vested or terminated.

        Severance Benefits.    Upon the consummation of the Merger, we entered into employment agreements in October 2010 with each of the named executive officers. The employment agreements were approved prior to the Merger by the UAL Human Resources Subcommittee and the Continental Human Resources Committee. These agreements provide severance benefits upon certain terminations of employment (with enhanced severance protections during the two-year period following the Merger, which period ended October 1, 2012). The employment agreements provide generally consistent post-employment benefits across our new management team. Based on advice of the independent compensation consultant, the potential severance amounts are in line with those provided to similarly-situated executives in the general market for executive talent, and are an important component of the compensation package required to attract and retain top caliber talent in senior leadership roles. The alignment of the severance arrangements also was intended to promote integration efforts across the executive teams. The employment agreements have an initial term of two years (three years for

   


(6)
See Notes 1 and 21 to the financial statements included in "Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors" in the Company's 2012 Form 10-K for additional information on the Merger.

46


Table of Contents

Mr. Smisek) and will renew automatically for additional one-year periods at the end of the initial term and each subsequent term unless notice of non-renewal is provided by either the Company or the executive. During 2012, the Compensation Committee considered the existence of the employment agreements and determined that it was appropriate to allow the employment agreements to continue. In connection with Mr. Rainey's promotion, the Compensation Committee approved an updated employment agreement similar to the executive officer employment agreements that were reviewed and approved in connection with the Merger and which provides termination and renewal provisions consistent with the agreements of the other named executive officers.

        Frozen SERP.    Prior to the Merger, Continental maintained supplemental executive retirement plan ("SERP") benefits for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe that provide an annual retirement benefit expressed as a percentage of the executives' final average compensation. In designing the new executive compensation program, the Human Resources Subcommittee determined that the SERP would not be an element of the new compensation program and should be phased out for the continuing Continental executives in order to provide compensation parity with the continuing United executives. The SERP benefit for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe was frozen as of December 31, 2010. The benefit formulas and the compensation limitations applicable to the SERP are described below under "Narrative to Pension Benefits Table."

        Pension Benefits.    Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton, Bonds and Rowe participate in the Continental Retirement Plan ("CARP"), a non-contributory, defined benefit pension plan in which substantially all of Continental's non-pilot domestic employees are entitled to participate. The CARP benefit is based on a formula that utilizes final average compensation and service while one is an eligible employee. The benefit formulas and the compensation limitations applicable to the CARP are described below under "Narrative to Pension Benefits Table."

        Defined Contribution Retirement Benefits.    We provide retirement benefits including a tax qualified 401(k) plan to all of our non-union employees, and an excess 401(k) benefit cash plan to certain employees of our United subsidiary, including Mr. McDonald. We believe this encourages retention and is part of delivering an overall competitive pay package necessary to recruit and retain talented executives.

        Perquisites.    We offer our named executive officers certain perquisites that are consistent with those provided to executives at similar levels at companies within the airline industry and general industry groups. We believe that providing certain benefits to our executives, rather than cash, enhances retention, results in a cost savings to the Company, and strengthens our relationships with our executives. For example, travel privileges on United flights provide our executives and non-management directors the opportunity to become familiar with our network, product and locations and to interact with co-workers. The incremental cost to the Company of providing such flight benefits is minimal, while we believe the value of these benefits to the named executive officers is perceived by them to be high. The Company also provided relocation benefits related to Merger relocations from Houston, Texas to our headquarters in Chicago, Illinois and other required moves. The Committee believes this program was necessary in order to retain critical executive talent and to ease the burden of the relocation and that our program is consistent with market practices in similar circumstances. Mr. Smisek received Chicago housing expense reimbursements through September 2012 pursuant to his employment agreement. Other benefits are primarily linked to maintaining the health of our executives and to financial and tax planning and assistance. Please refer to "2012 Summary Compensation Table—Explanation of All Other Compensation Disclosure" and the footnotes to the 2012 Summary Compensation Table for additional information regarding perquisites.

47


Table of Contents

Other Executive Compensation Matters

        Consideration of Prior Say-on-Pay Vote.    A key objective of our executive compensation program is linking the interests of our executives with the interests of our stockholders, and we place emphasis on maintaining an executive compensation program that addresses and satisfies the key concerns of our stockholders. Our "say-on-pay" proposal received approval from our stockholders at our 2012 annual stockholder meeting. The Committee has not made any changes to the executive compensation program based on the results of the 2012 say-on-pay vote. The Committee considers stockholder interests and concerns relating to executive pay as it designs our executive compensation program and implements specific compensation elements that represent what it believes to be best practices. The Compensation Committee will continue to consider stockholder feedback, including say-on-pay voting results, as part of its decision-making process.

        Recoupment of Earned Awards/"Claw-back" Provisions.    If our financial results are restated due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws as a result of the Company's misconduct, we require the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer to reimburse us for any incentive-based or equity-based compensation and any profits from the sale of our securities received during the 12-month period following the date the financial statements that were subject to restatement were issued.

        Stock Ownership Guidelines.    In connection with the Merger and adoption of our post-Merger executive compensation program, the Compensation Committee approved updated stock ownership guidelines that apply to our executive officers. The updated guidelines encourage our executives, including each of the named executive officers, to hold Company Common Stock or equity-based awards with a fair market value that equals or exceeds a multiple of the executive's base salary. The stock ownership target for our CEO, Mr. Smisek, is five times his base salary while the stock ownership target for our other continuing named executive officers is two times base salary. For purposes of determining whether an executive satisfies the stock ownership guidelines, restricted shares and restricted stock units are included in total stock holdings. The Committee reviews equity ownership at least annually. Once an executive is determined to be in compliance with the stock ownership guidelines, the executive will be considered to be in compliance until such time as he or she sells or otherwise disposes of any his or her Company Common Stock, restricted shares or restricted stock units, at which time the Committee will reevaluate the executive's compliance with the stock ownership guidelines. All named executives officers are currently in compliance with the guidelines. We also maintain stock ownership guidelines that apply to our non-employee directors, which are described below in "Director Compensation."

        Securities Trading Policy.    Our securities trading policy prohibits speculative and derivative trading and short selling by all officers and directors. Our securities trading policy prohibits pledging and hedging with respect to Company securities.

        Tax Matters.    In designing and implementing the programs applicable to executives, we consider the effects of applicable sections of the Code, including section 162(m). Section 162(m) of the Code limits the tax deductibility by a company of compensation in excess of $1 million paid to any of its most highly compensated executive officers (other than the chief financial officer). However, performance-based compensation that has been approved by stockholders is excluded from the $1 million limit if, among other requirements, the compensation is payable only upon attainment of pre-established, objective performance goals. While the tax impact of any compensation arrangement is one factor that the Committee may consider in its deliberations, this impact would be evaluated in light of the Company's overall compensation philosophy and objectives. Under certain circumstances, the Committee believes that the Company's and stockholders' interests would be best served by providing compensation that is not fully deductible and that its ability to exercise discretion outweighs the advantages of requiring that all compensation be qualified under section 162(m). In light of the

48


Table of Contents

Company's significant net operating loss carry-forward, limited tax deductibility does not have a near-term impact on the Company.

        Consistent with historic practice and the travel policies at other airlines, the Company provides tax indemnification on the travel benefits provided to active and certain former officers. Prior to the Merger, United and Continental adopted policies to eliminate tax indemnification for post-separation perquisites provided to officers who were not officers as of the date the respective policy was adopted. The tax indemnification provided to each of the named executive officers with respect to active and former (grandfathered) officer travel is subject to an annual limit.


Compensation Committee Report

        We have reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management. Based on such review and discussions, we recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company's Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A and the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

    Respectfully submitted,
Charles A. Yamarone, Chairman
Walter Isaacson
Henry L. Meyer III
John H. Walker

49


Table of Contents


2012 Summary Compensation Table

        The following table provides information regarding the Company's principal executive officer (Mr. Smisek), each person who served as principal financial officer during the year (Messrs. Rainey and Rowe) and the three other most highly compensated executive officers in 2012 (Messrs. McDonald, Compton and Bonds), determined in accordance with applicable SEC disclosure rules. The table provides information for 2012, 2011 and 2010 if the executive officer was included in the Company's Summary Compensation Table for those years. Effective April 15, 2012, Mr. Rowe resigned from the Company to join another company.

Name and Principal
Position
  Year(1)   Salary
($)
  Bonus
($)
  Stock
Awards
($)(2)
  Option
Awards
($)
  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)(3)
  Change in
Pension
Value
($)(4)
  All Other
Compensation
($)(5)
  Total
($)
 

CURRENT OFFICERS

                                                       

Jeffery Smisek

   
2012
   
975,000
   
0
   
3,133,338
   
0
   
3,500,663
   
1,715,494
   
302,377
   
9,626,872
 

Chairman, President & Chief

    2011     975,000     0     7,530,415     0     4,413,750     1,326,749     454,918     14,700,832  

Executive Officer

    2010     791,250 (1)   0     0     0     3,558,750     0     9,766     4,359,766  

John Rainey

   
2012
   
656,458
   
0
   
401,012
   
0
   
988,719
   
59,904
   
209,182
   
2,315,275
 

Executive Vice President &

                                                       

Chief Financial Officer

                                                       

Peter McDonald

   
2012
   
850,000
   
0
   
563,345
   
0
   
1,413,578
   
0
   
341,692
   
3,168,615
 

Executive Vice President &

    2011     850,000     0     2,183,496     0     2,295,000     0     290,400     5,618,896  

Chief Operations Officer

    2010     805,974     0     987,206     0     1,956,123     0     152,175     3,901,478  

James Compton

   
2012
   
756,170
   
0
   
630,002
   
0
   
1,055,493
   
682,508
   
62,868
   
3,187,041
 

Vice Chairman &

    2011     750,000     0     2,250,148     0     2,643,750     508,921     224,075     6,376,894  

Chief Revenue Officer

    2010     187,500     0     0     0     2,346,336     0     6,889     2,540,725  

Michael Bonds

   
2012
   
528,600
   
0
   
387,560
   
0
   
1,212,031
   
192,527
   
64,313
   
2,385,031
 

Executive Vice President

                                                       

Human Resources & Labor

                                                       

Relations

                                                       

FORMER OFFICER

                                                       

Zane Rowe

   
2012
   
264,423
   
0
   
630,002
   
0
   
0
   
112,292
   
125,680
   
1,132,397
 

Former Executive Vice

    2011     750,000     0     2,250,148     0     2,888,793     66,732     282,737     6,238,410  

President & Chief Financial

    2010     187,500     0     0     0     1,439,655     9,586     24,758     1,661,499  

Officer

                                                       

(1)
The 2010 compensation shown for Messrs. Smisek, Compton and Rowe does not represent full-year compensation but rather reports amounts earned subsequent to the Merger (October 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010) in accordance with applicable SEC disclosure rules. Accordingly, the 2011 and 2012 compensation amounts reported for such officers are not comparable to the 2010 reported compensation amounts. For Mr. Smisek, the amounts reported in 2010 include his base salary earned for the portion of 2010 prior to October 1 when he was employed by Continental ($547,500). Mr. Smisek agreed to waive his 2010 salary and annual incentive unless Continental was profitable for the year. This salary amount was paid to him by the Company retroactively at the end of 2010 upon the determination by the Compensation Committee that Continental had achieved a 2010 profit. During 2012, Mr. Bonds requested a salary waiver during a portion of the year and the Compensation Committee agreed to this request. This waiver was subsequently terminated in 2012. Mr. Rowe resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the Company on April 15, 2012 and terminated employment effective May 7, 2012.

(2)
For 2012, the amount shown represents the aggregate grant date fair value of restricted share and Performance-Based restricted share unit ("RSU") awards determined in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (formerly FASB Statement No. 123R). For the restricted share awards, the amount was calculated by multiplying the number of restricted shares awarded by the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on the date of grant ($24.09 per share for the grants on February 2, 2012 to all NEOs and $22.30 for an additional grant on April 16, 2012 to Mr. Rainey in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer). In accordance with the SEC disclosure rules, the aggregate grant date fair value of the Performance-Based RSUs has been determined based on the probable satisfaction of the performance condition for those awards. In accordance with ASC Topic 718, the grant date fair value of the Performance-Based RSUs is zero because the satisfaction of the required performance condition was not considered probable as of the grant date. For a discussion of the assumptions relating to the valuations for the 2012 RSU awards, see Note 7 to the combined notes to consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of the 2012 Form 10-K. The following table reflects the aggregate grant date value of the 2012 stock awards with the restricted shares valued as described above and assuming that the Performance-Based RSUs vest at the maximum performance level. The value of the Performance-Based RSUs is calculated based on the number of RSUs granted (at the "stretch" level) multiplied by the Common Stock closing share price on the date of grant ($24.09 per share for the grants on February 2, 2012 to all NEOs and

50


Table of Contents

Name
  Restricted
Share
Awards ($)
  Performance-
Based RSUs
Maximum Value ($)
  Total Stock
Awards at
Maximum Value ($)
 

Jeffery Smisek

    3,133,338     7,833,345     10,966,683  

John Rainey

    401,012     1,002,542     1,403,554  

Peter McDonald

    563,345     1,408,350     1,971,695  

James Compton

    630,002     1,575,004     2,205,006  

Michael Bonds

    387,560     968,900     1,356,460  

Zane Rowe

    630,002     1,575,004     2,205,006  

All of the stock awards granted to Mr. Rowe were forfeited in connection with his resignation from the Company and he did not receive any value for these awards.

(3)
Amounts reported for 2012 represent amounts earned under (i) the Company's Annual Incentive Program (Smisek—$1,036,913; Rainey—$568,819; McDonald—$813,578; Compton—$723,768; and Bonds—$553,906); (ii) awards pursuant to the pre-Merger Continental LTIP for the performance period 2010-2012 (Smisek—$2,463,750; Rainey—$419,900; Compton—$331,725; and Bonds—$658,125); and (iii) awards pursuant to the pre-Merger United LTIP (McDonald—$600,000). Our 2012 performance resulted in AIP achievement between the entry and target award level (approximately 70.9% of target award level). The Continental LTIP amounts for Messrs. Smisek, Rainey and Bonds represent payment for the 2010-2012 performance period that were earned in 2012. Following completion of the Merger, any participant in the Continental LTIP that then was or later became eligible for retirement received prorated payments with respect to the LTIP awards upon completion of each year in the performance period. Because Mr. Compton was eligible to retire at the end of 2010, the 2012 amounts disclosed for him includes the final one-third payment with respect to the 2010-2012 performance period. Although Mr. Smisek is eligible to retire, he previously waived his retirement eligibility with respect to his pre-Merger LTIP awards and such awards were paid on their normal vesting dates. Mr. Rowe forfeited his 2012 AIP award and his pre-Merger Continental LTIP award for the performance period 2010-2012 in connection with his resignation from the Company.

(4)
Prior to the Merger, Continental maintained supplemental executive retirement plan ("SERP") benefits for certain officers that provide an annual retirement benefit expressed as a percentage of the executives' final average compensation. Following the Merger, the SERP is not an element of the Company's executive compensation program and SERP benefits for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe were frozen as of December 31, 2010. The values of these frozen benefits will continue to fluctuate based on changes in actuarial assumptions and the passage of time. See "Narrative to Pension Benefits Table" below for a discussion of the assumptions used to calculate the present values of these pension benefits and further information on the provisions of the plans.

(5)
The following table provides details regarding amounts disclosed in the "All Other Compensation" column for 2012:

Name
  Insurance
Premiums Paid
by Company
($)(a)
  401(k)
Company
Contributions
($)(b)
  401(k) Cash-
Match
Program
($)(b)
  Perquisites
and Other
Benefits
($)(c)
  Tax
Indemnification
($)(d)
  Total
($)
 

Jeffery Smisek

    13,915     7,500     0     205,673     75,289     302,377  

John Rainey

    1,897     7,500     0     21,930     177,855     209,182  

Peter McDonald

    16,132     20,000     231,600     59,769     14,191     341,692  

James Compton

    9,507     7,500     0     26,441     19,420     62,868  

Michael Bonds

    4,242     7,500     0     23,605     28,966     64,313  

Zane Rowe

    1,004     6,563     0     101,301     16,812     125,680  

(a)
Represents premiums paid by the Company for supplemental life insurance provided to the named executive officers.

(b)
Amounts shown represent Company matching contributions to the applicable subsidiary-entity 401(k) plan. The 401(k) cash-match program is provided to employees of the United subsidiary and provides immediate cash payments equivalent to direct and matching contributions that could not be made to United's 401(k) plan as a result of contribution limits imposed under the Internal Revenue Code.

(c)
In each case, this column includes the Company's incremental cost of providing the named executive officer with air travel on flights operated by any UAL subsidiary or operated as "United Express" and reserved parking at the Company's offices. Certain executives also received executive physicals. The amount shown for Mr. Smisek includes a club membership, financial planning and tax services ($69,753), relocation housing benefits ($106,740), and an automobile benefit. The amount shown for Mr. McDonald includes an automobile benefit and reimbursement for club membership dues ($37,588). The amount shown for Mr. Compton includes a health club membership and an automobile benefit. The amount shown for Mr. Bonds includes relocation benefits. The amount shown for Mr. Rowe includes health club membership fees, financial planning and tax services and payment for unused vacation ($78,852).


Our calculation of the aggregate incremental cost to the Company of providing air travel to the named executive officers includes incremental fuel, meal expense (by cabin), passenger liability insurance, war risk insurance and frequent flyer miles earned. As described in footnote (d), the executives receive a tax reimbursement relating to flight benefits (which value is greater than the incremental cost to the Company of providing such benefits). In addition, the named executive officers have access to certain other travel-related benefits with no incremental cost to the Company, such as access to our United Club facilities and status in our Mileage Plus programs for the executives and their immediate family members, complimentary car rentals provided by certain travel partners, and flight privileges on certain other air carriers.

(d)
In each case, this amount includes taxes paid on behalf of the named executive officer with respect to air travel on flights operated by any UAL subsidiary or operated as "United Express." The amount reported for Messrs. Smisek and Bonds includes taxes paid with respect to relocation benefits. Mr. Rainey's amount includes grandfathered excise tax indemnity related to 2008 and 2009 awards granted pursuant to the Continental Airlines, Inc. Incentive Plan 2000 ($150,615). Mr. Rowe's amount includes payment related to Medicare taxes arising under his frozen SERP benefit that were paid in connection with his resignation from the Company. See "2012 Pension Benefits Table."

51


Table of Contents


Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012

        The following table sets forth information regarding awards granted during 2012 to our named executive officers. The annual incentive and long-term relative performance awards were granted pursuant to our Annual Incentive Program and our Long-Term Relative Performance Program, respectively, each of which was implemented under our Incentive Plan 2010. The Performance-Based RSUs were granted pursuant to our Performance-Based RSU Program, which was implemented under our 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan. The restricted share awards were granted pursuant to our 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan.

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  All
Other
Stock
Awards:
Number
of
Shares
of Stock
or Units
(#)
  All
Other
Option
Awards:
Number
of
Securities
Underlying
Options
(#)
   
   
 
 
   
  Estimated Future Payouts
Under Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Awards
  Estimated Future Payouts
Under Equity
Incentive Plan Awards
  Exercise
or
Base
Price of
Option
Awards
($/Sh)
  Grant
Date Fair
Value of
Stock and
Option
Awards
($)(5)
 
Name
  Grant
Date
  Threshold
($)
  Target
($)
  Maximum
($)
  Threshold
(#)
  Target
(#)(3)
  Maximum
(#)(3)
 

Jeffery Smisek

    2/02/12 (1)   731,250     1,462,500     2,925,000                              

    2/02/12 (2)   1,566,667     3,133,334     4,700,001                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   162,585     325,170                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           130,068             3,133,338  

John Rainey(6)

   
4/16/12

(1)
 
400,690
   
801,380
   
1,602,760
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

    2/02/12 (2)   92,969     185,938     278,907                              

    4/16/12 (2)   107,525     215,049     322,574                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   9,649     19,298                 0  

    2/02/12 (3)                   12,055     24,110                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           7,719             185,951  

    4/16/12 (4)                           9,644             215,061  

Peter McDonald

   
2/02/12

(1)
 
573,750
   
1,147,500
   
2,295,000
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

    2/02/12 (2)   281,667     563,334     845,001                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   29,231     58,462                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           23,385             563,345  

James Compton

   
2/02/12

(1)
 
506,250
   
1,012,500
   
2,025,000
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

    2/02/12 (2)   315,000     630,000     945,000                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   32,690     65,380                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           26,152             630,002  

Michael Bonds

   
2/02/12

(1)
 
390,625
   
781,250
   
1,562,500
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

    2/02/12 (2)   193,777     387,553     581,330                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   20,110     40,220                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           16,088             387,560  

Zane Rowe(7)

   
2/02/12

(1)
 
506,250
   
1,012,500
   
2,025,000
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 

    2/02/12 (2)   315,000     630,000     945,000                              

    2/02/12 (3)                   32,690     65,380                 0  

    2/02/12 (4)                           26,152             630,002  

(1)
Represents 2012 award opportunities granted under the Company's Annual Incentive Program. Based on 2012 performance, these awards were settled between the entry and target levels and were paid in the first quarter of 2013. The annual incentive award amounts paid to the named executive officers are included in the "Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation" column in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table.

(2)
Represents award opportunities under the Long-Term Relative Performance Program for the period January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014. Payment of this award will depend on the Company's cumulative pre-tax margin performance compared to an industry peer group over the three-year performance period.

(3)
Represents target and maximum award opportunities for the 2012 Performance-Based RSUs. There is no separate threshold level for this award. Settlement of this award will depend on the Company's return on invested capital performance during the period January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014. Due to requirements of the 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan, the Performance-Based RSUs are granted at the maximum or "stretch" level of units but remain subject to satisfaction of the specified performance conditions in order to achieve vesting.

(4)
Represents a restricted share award granted pursuant to the Company's 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan. This award is scheduled to vest in one-third increments on February 2, 2013, February 2, 2014 and February 2, 2015.

(5)
The amounts shown in this column are valued based on the aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with ASC Topic 718. In accordance with the SEC disclosure rules, the aggregate grant date fair value of the Performance-Based RSUs has been determined based on the probable satisfaction of the performance conditions for those awards. In accordance with ASC Topic 718, the grant date fair value of the 2012 Performance-Based RSU awards is zero because the satisfaction of the required performance conditions was not considered probable as of the grant date. For a discussion of the assumptions related to the valuation for the 2012 RSU awards, see Note 7 to the notes to consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of the Company's 2012 Form 10-K.

52


Table of Contents

(6)
In connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, the Compensation Committee granted Mr. Rainey (i) an AIP award with a target opportunity of 110% of base salary for the period January 1, 2012 to April 15, 2012 and 125% of base salary for the period April 16, 2012 through year end and (ii) additional long-term incentive compensation awards. The Compensation Committee met to review Mr. Rainey's compensation on April 15, 2012 and granted the indicated awards effective upon Mr. Rainey's election by the Board, which occurred on April 16, 2012.

(7)
All of the 2012 awards granted to Mr. Rowe were forfeited upon his resignation from the Company. He did not and will not receive any payment with respect to these awards.


Narrative to 2012 Summary Compensation Table and Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012 Table

        The following is a description of material factors necessary to understand the information disclosed in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table and the Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012 table.

Employment Agreements

        We have employment agreements with each of our named executive officers that were entered in October 2010 in connection with the Merger, with the exception of the agreement with Mr. Rainey, which replaced his prior employment agreement and was entered in April 2012 in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Smisek's employment agreement has an initial three year term expiring September 30, 2013 and the employment agreements for each of our other named executive officers had an initial term that expired on September 30, 2012 (the second anniversary of the Merger). Each of the agreements renews automatically for additional one-year periods at the end of the initial term and each subsequent term unless notice of non-renewal is provided. The agreements otherwise expiring on September 30, 2012 were renewed.

        The following describes the material terms of the employment agreements with our named executive officers:

53


Table of Contents

        Effective April 15, 2012, Mr. Rowe resigned from the Company to join another company. The benefits available to Mr. Rowe following his resignation of employment are described below under "Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control."

Annual Incentive Awards

        As discussed in the CD&A, during 2012, each of the named executive officers participated in the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Annual Incentive Program (the "AIP"), an annual cash incentive plan adopted pursuant to the Company's Incentive Plan 2010.

54


Table of Contents

        The 2012 AIP individual target level opportunities for each of the named executive officers were expressed as a percentage of the executives' base salary earned during the year as follows: Mr. Smisek—150%; Mr. Rainey—110% (for the period prior to April 16, 2012) and 125% (effective for the period beginning April 16, 2012 in connection with his promotion to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer); Mr. McDonald—135%; Mr. Compton—135%; Mr. Bonds—125%; and Mr. Rowe—135%. The 2012 AIP award opportunities were expressed as follows: entry—50% of targeted value; target—100% of targeted value; and stretch—200% of targeted value. Based on 2012 performance, these awards were settled between the entry and target levels (approximately 70.9% of the target award value) and were paid in the first quarter of 2013. Pursuant to the terms of Mr. Smisek's employment agreement, Mr. Smisek's stretch AIP opportunity is referenced as 200% of his base salary earned during the year, however, the Committee exercised its discretion to structure Mr. Smisek's 2012 award in a manner consistent with the remainder of the officer group. Accordingly, Mr. Smisek's 2012 AIP award is expressed as a multiple of his target award opportunity rather than base salary. Please see "2012 Key Compensation Components—Annual Incentive Awards" in the CD&A above for further information regarding operation of the AIP, including the 2012 performance measures.

2012 Long-Term Incentive Awards

        As discussed in the CD&A, during 2012, each of the named executive officers received the following long-term incentive awards:

        Each of these awards is structured with a three-year performance or vesting period. For discussion regarding the establishment of the 2012 opportunity levels, see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" above. Please see "2012 Key Compensation Components—2012 Long-Term Incentive Awards" in the CD&A above for further information regarding the long-term incentive awards, including applicable performance measures.

        Long-Term Relative Performance Awards.    The Compensation Committee adopted the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Long-Term Relative Performance ("LTRP") Program in 2011, pursuant to the provisions of the Company's Incentive Plan 2010. The 2012 LTRP Program awards measure and reward performance based on the Company's cumulative pre-tax margin for the January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014 performance period as compared with an industry peer group. Participants must remain continuously employed through the end of the performance period to receive a payment, with limited exceptions for pro-rata payments in the case of death, disability, retirement and certain involuntary termination events.

        Performance-Based RSUs.    The Compensation Committee adopted the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Performance-Based RSU Program (the "RSU Program") in 2011, pursuant to the provisions of the Company's 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan. In order to vest, the 2012 RSU Program awards require the Company to achieve specified levels of ROIC relative to the Company's cost of capital over the January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014 performance period. The number of RSUs that become vested under the RSU Program increases as the Company's ROIC for the performance period exceeds the target level ROIC. The payment with respect to a vested Performance-Based RSU may not exceed the maximum payment amount established by the Compensation Committee ($48.18 per share, which amount is equal to two times the closing price of the Company's Common Stock on the date of the meeting establishing the performance conditions for the 2012 awards).

55


Table of Contents

        Participants must remain continuously employed through the end of the performance period to receive a payment, with limited exceptions for pro-rata payments in the case of death, disability, retirement and certain involuntary termination events. For the named executive officers, the grant date fair value of the 2012 Performance-Based RSUs is determined for purposes of the 2012 Summary Compensation Table and the Grants of Plan-Based Awards for 2012 table based on the probable satisfaction of the performance conditions. In accordance with ASC topic 718, the grant date fair value of the Performance-Based RSUs is reported as zero because the satisfaction of the required performance conditions was not considered probable as of the grant date.

        Restricted Share Awards.    The final one-third of the 2012 long-term incentive opportunity was delivered in the form of restricted share awards granted pursuant to the Company's 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan. These shares are scheduled to vest in one-third increments on February 2, 2013, 2014 and 2015, subject to continued employment through each vesting date. The 2012 restricted share awards vest in full upon the holder's death or disability. The holder of restricted shares will be eligible to receive any dividends or other distributions paid or distributed with respect to the restricted shares at the time the restricted shares vest, if at all.

56


Table of Contents


Outstanding Equity Awards at 2012 Fiscal Year-End

        The following table presents information regarding the outstanding equity awards held by each named executive officer as of December 31, 2012. In accordance with SEC reporting requirements, the year-end number of equity incentive plan award shares, units or other rights that have not vested and the related payout value is based on achieving the entry or threshold performance goal, except if 2012 performance has exceeded the threshold level, in which case the disclosure is based on the next higher performance measure (target or maximum) that exceeds the 2012 fiscal year's performance. The final determination of the payout value of each award will be made based upon the achievement of the

57


Table of Contents

specified performance conditions and the value of the Company's Common Stock at the time of vesting.

 
  Option Awards   Stock Awards  
Name
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options
(#)Exercisable
  Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options (#)
Unexercisable)
  Option
Exercise
Price
($)
  Option
Expiration
Date
  Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That Have
Not
Vested
(#)
  Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock
That
Have Not
Vested
($)
  Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards;
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
(#)
  Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards;
Market
or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That
Have Not
Vested
($)
 

Jeffery Smisek

                    14,000 (1)   493,080 (5)        

                    17,500 (1)   616,350 (5)        

                    38,333 (1)   1,350,100 (5)        

                    87,126 (2)   2,037,006 (6)        

                    130,068 (3)   3,040,990 (6)        

                            257,828 (8)   6,028,019 (11)

                            162,585 (9)   3,801,237 (11)

                            158,664 (10)   3,709,564 (12)

John Rainey

                    5,500 (1)   193,710 (5)        

                    8,333 (1)   293,500 (5)        

                    8,333 (1)   293,500 (5)        

                    4,927 (2)   115,193 (6)        

                    17,363 (3)   405,947 (6)        

                            18,476 (8)   431,969 (11)

                            21,704 (9)   507,440 (11)

                            16,860 (10)   394,187 (12)

Peter McDonald

    43,867         34.18     1/31/2016                  

    43,868         35.91     1/31/2016                  

    43,868         35.65     1/31/2016                  

                    16,867 (4)   376,640 (7)        

                    14,846 (2)   347,099 (6)        

                    23,385 (3)   546,741 (6)        

                            55,672 (8)   1,301,611 (11)

                            29,231 (9)   683,421 (11)

                            59,499 (10)   1,391,087 (12)

James Compton

                    16,702 (2)   390,493 (6)        

                    26,152 (3)   611,434 (6)        

                            62,630 (8)   1,464,289 (11)

                            32,690 (9)   764,292 (11)

                            59,499 (10)   1,391,087 (12)

Michael Bonds

                    8,334 (1)   293,500 (5)        

                    10,833 (1)   381,550 (5)        

                    10,833 (1)   381,550 (5)        

                    10,207 (2)   238,640 (6)        

                    16,088 (3)   376,137 (6)        

                            38,274 (8)   894,846 (11)

                            20,110 (9)   470,172 (11)

                            49,582 (10)   1,159,227 (12)

Zane Rowe(13)

                                 

(1)
Represents the remaining one-third of Continental profit-based RSUs granted in 2008, 2009 and 2010 that were outstanding at the date of the Merger and which included "double-trigger" provisions. Upon the Merger closing, performance targets for these awards were deemed satisfied at 150% (the pre-determined level established by the Continental Human Resources Committee at the time the awards were granted). The profit-based RSUs held by Messrs. Smisek, Rainey and Bonds required continued employment, subject to limited exceptions, and were paid on the remaining regular payment date (March 1, 2013). Mr. Rowe forfeited his outstanding profit-based RSUs upon his resignation from the Company.

(2)
Represents restricted shares granted on February 25, 2011, which vest in one-third increments on February 25, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

58


Table of Contents

(3)
Represents restricted shares granted on February 2, 2012, which vest in one-third increments on February 2, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

(4)
Represents the unvested portion of RSU awards granted to Mr. McDonald prior to the Merger. This award vested on April 1, 2013.

(5)
The value of the profit-based RSUs held by Messrs. Smisek, Rainey and Bonds is calculated based on the number of unvested RSUs as of December 31, 2012 multiplied by $23.48, the average closing price of Continental common stock for the 20 trading days prior to the Merger, which is the fixed value of the profit-based RSUs, and multiplied by 150%, the level of performance deemed achieved upon the Merger.

(6)
Market value is calculated based on the number of restricted shares held as of December 31, 2012 multiplied by the closing share price of the Common Stock on December 31, 2012, which was $23.38 per share.

(7)
The value of the pre-Merger RSUs held by Mr. McDonald is calculated based on the number of unvested RSUs as of December 31, 2012 multiplied by $22.33, the average closing price of the Common Stock for the 20 trading days prior to the Merger, which is the fixed value of the RSUs.

(8)
Represents the 2011 Performance-Based RSU awards assuming that the awards achieve the stretch level of performance. Vesting of these awards remains subject to achievement of specified performance conditions over the January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2013 performance period.

(9)
Represents the 2012 Performance-Based RSU awards assuming that the awards achieve the target level of performance (which is equal to the threshold or entry level for these awards). Vesting of these awards remains subject to achievement of specified performance conditions over the January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2014 performance period.

(10)
Represents the Merger Incentive RSUs relating to the achievement of joint collective bargaining agreements (10% of total target award and valued assuming that this portion of the award achieves the threshold or entry level of performance) and Merger revenue and cost synergies (60% of total target award and valued assuming that this portion of the award achieves the stretch level of performance). Vesting of these awards remains subject to achievement of specified performance conditions over the January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2013 performance period.

(11)
The value of the unvested Performance-Based RSUs is calculated based on the number of unvested RSUs as of December 31, 2012 that represent the level of performance as reflected in footnotes 8 and 9 above, multiplied by the Common Stock closing share price on December 31, 2012, which was $23.38 per share. Vested Performance-Based RSUs will be settled based on the average closing price of the Common Stock over the 20 trading days at the end of the performance period, but may not exceed the maximum payment amount established by the Compensation Committee. The 20-day average closing price as of December 31, 2012 was $22.19 per share.

(12)
The value of the unvested Merger Incentive RSUs is calculated based on the number of unvested RSUs as of December 31, 2012 that represent the level of performance as reflected in footnote 10 multiplied by the Common Stock closing share price on December 31, 2012, which was $23.38 per share. Vested Merger Incentive RSUs will be settled based on the 20-day average closing price of the Company's Common Stock either immediately prior to the vesting date or, as applicable, on the last day of the month in which the Merger milestone is achieved, but may not exceed the maximum payment amount established by the Compensation Committee. The 20-day average closing price of the Common Stock as of December 31, 2012 was $22.19 per share.

(13)
Mr. Rowe forfeited all of his outstanding awards in connection with his resignation from the Company.

59


Table of Contents


Option Exercises and Stock Vested for 2012

        The following table presents information regarding the exercise of stock options and the vesting of restricted share and RSU awards during 2012.

 
  Option Awards   Stock Awards  
Name
  Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)(1)
  Value
Realized
on Exercise
($)(1)
  Number
of Units
Vesting
(#)
  Value
Realized on
Vesting
($)
 

Jeffery Smisek

            43,563 (2)   889,121 (2)

            50,080 (3)   1,025,138 (3)

            69,833 (4)   2,459,530 (4)

John Rainey

   
   
   
2,463

(2)
 
50,270

(2)

            5,320 (3)   108,900 (3)

            22,166 (4)   780,710 (4)

Peter McDonald

   
31,000
   
530,760
   
   
 

            7,423 (2)   151,503 (2)

            18,780 (3)   384,427 (3)

            37,534 (5)   838,134 (5)

James Compton

   
   
   
8,350

(2)
 
170,424

(2)

            18,780 (3)   384,427 (3)

Michael Bonds

   
   
   
5,103

(2)
 
104,152

(2)

            15,650 (3)   320,356 (3)

            30,000 (4)   1,056,600 (4)

Zane Rowe

   
   
   
8,350

(2)
 
170,424

(2)

            18,780 (3)   384,427 (3)

            37,667 (4)   1,326,620 (4)

(1)
Represents the exercise of pre-Merger option awards. For option awards exercised, value realized on exercise was calculated by multiplying the number of shares acquired upon exercise of the option by the excess of the market price of the underlying securities on the date of exercise over the exercise price of the option.

(2)
Represents the vesting of one-third of the restricted shares granted on February 25, 2011 and valued based on the closing price of the Company's common stock on February 25, 2012 ($20.41).

(3)
Represents Merger Incentive RSUs that vested in connection with the Company's achievement in early March 2012 of a single passenger service system ("PSS") and combined loyalty program, MileagePlus. Payments were made in April 2012 based on the 20-day average closing price of the Company's Common Stock prior to March 31, 2012 ($20.47). Each of these milestones under the Merger Incentive RSU award represents 10% of the total targeted award value, and was paid at the maximum level (150%) based on the Company's achievement of these Merger milestones prior to March 31, 2012.

(4)
Represents pre-Merger profit-based RSU awards paid in March 2012 at $23.48, the average closing price of Continental common stock for the 20 trading days prior to the Merger, which is the fixed value of the profit-based RSUs, multiplied by the number of RSUs and multiplied by 150%, the level of performance deemed achieved upon the Merger. This represents payment for one-third of the profit-based RSUs held at the date of the Merger by Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Bonds and Rowe.

60


Table of Contents

(5)
Represents pre-Merger RSU awards which were paid in April 2012 at $22.33, the average closing price of the Company's Common Stock for the 20 trading days prior to the Merger, which is the fixed value of these RSUs.


2012 Pension Benefits Table

        Prior to the Merger, Continental maintained supplemental executive retirement plan ("SERP") benefits for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe that provide an annual retirement benefit expressed as a percentage of the executives' final average compensation. The SERP is not an element of the Company's post-Merger compensation program and was frozen or phased out for the continuing Continental executives. The SERP benefit for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe was frozen as of December 31, 2010. The final average compensation used for calculating the SERP benefit values for each of these officers will be based on their compensation from Continental, UAL or its affiliates as of December 31, 2010, and none of the officers will receive additional service credit for purposes of the SERP benefit after December 31, 2010. The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2012 for the continuing Continental named executive officers concerning the present value of his accumulated benefits under (i) the Continental Retirement Plan ("CARP") and (ii) the SERP. The SERP amounts shown in this proxy statement reflect an estimated Medicare tax indemnification that is expected to be paid by the Company in the year the named executive officer retires or terminates, with the exception that Mr. Rowe's SERP amount does not include the Medicare tax indemnification because it was paid to him in 2012.

Name
  Plan Name   Number of Years
of Credited Service
(#)(1)
  Present Value of
Accumulated
Benefit
($)(2)
  Payments During
Last Fiscal
Year
($)
 

Jeffery Smisek

  CARP     17.8     421,931     0  

  SERP     26.0     11,609,123     0  

John Rainey

  CARP     15.6     180,520     0  

  SERP     N/A     N/A     0  

James Compton

  CARP     17.9     402,019     0  

  SERP     16.0     4,014,346     0  

Michael Bonds

  CARP     17.9     298,679     0  

  SERP     5.6     600,717     0  

Zane Rowe

  CARP     18.9     218,032     0  

  SERP     4.4     217,079     2,944  

(1)
Years of credited service recognized under the SERP differ from actual service with the Company. Actual Company service (including Continental service) is shown with respect to the CARP.

(2)
The present value is based on the benefit accrued as of the measurement date and does not assume any future accrual of credited service or compensation increases. The assumptions used to calculate the present value of accumulated benefits under CARP and SERP, including those shown in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table, are set forth in the table below. These assumptions are primarily the same as those used for pension plan accounting under FASB ASC Topic 715-20 "Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General" ("ASC 715-20"), as of each measurement date with three exceptions: pre-retirement mortality, pre-retirement turnover, and the age at which participants are assumed to retire.

(3)
Mr. Rowe resigned as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer effective April 15, 2012 and terminated employment effective May 7, 2012. The years of credited service shown for the CARP and SERP are through his termination date. Mr. Rowe is eligible to begin receiving an annuity from CARP as early as November 1, 2020. The payment of $2,944 made during 2012 is for Mr. Rowe's Medicare tax indemnity. Mr. Rowe will receive his frozen SERP benefit as a lump sum payment on November 1, 2030.

61


Table of Contents


Narrative to Pension Benefits Table

 
  Measurement Date
Assumption
  10/1/2010   12/31/2010   12/31/2011   12/31/2012

Discount Rate:

               

CARP

  5.34%   5.59%   5.21%   4.26%

SERP

  5.34%   5.59%   4.92%   4.20%

Lump Sum Interest Rate:

               

CARP

  5.19%   5.44%   5.21%   4.26%

SERP

  5.34%   5.59%   4.92%   4.20%

Lump Sum Election

  100%   100%   100%   100%

Pre-retirement Turnover

  None   None   None   None

Mortality Assumption:

               

Pre-retirement

  None   None   None   None

Lump Sum

  2010 IRS
417(e) Table
  2011 IRS
417(e) Table
  2012 IRS
417(e) Table
  2013 IRS
417(e) Table

Assumed Retirement Age (earliest unreduced age):

               

CARP

  Age 65   Age 65   Age 65   Age 65

SERP

  Age 60   Age 60   Age 60   Age 60

        CARP.    The CARP is a non-contributory, defined benefit pension plan in which substantially all of Continental's non-pilot domestic employees (including Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton, Bonds and Rowe) are entitled to participate. In addition, Continental maintains the Continental Pilots Retirement Plan ("CPRP") for its pilots, which is also a non-contributory defined benefit plan. Effective May 31, 2005, no additional benefit accruals occur under the CPRP for pilot employees. Instead, retirement benefits accruing in the future are provided through two pilot-only defined benefit contribution plans. During 2012, Continental contributed $208 million to its tax qualified defined benefit pension plans, including $158 million contributed to CARP and $50 million contributed to CPRP.

        The CARP benefit is based on a formula that utilizes final average compensation and service while one is an eligible employee of Continental. Compensation used to determine benefits is regular pay, which includes salary deferral elections under broad-based employee programs (such as Continental's 401(k) plan), but excludes bonuses, taxable income derived from group term life insurance, payments pursuant to profit sharing plans, and any form of non-cash or incentive compensation. A limit of $170,000 is applied to each year of compensation. Final average compensation is based on five consecutive calendar years of the ten most recent calendar years of employment. The final average compensation used to calculate the December 31, 2012 CARP benefit present value for Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton and Bonds is $170,000. Mr. Rowe's final average compensation as of his termination date was $170,000.

        The benefit under the CARP is calculated as (A) times (B), where:

        Normal retirement under the CARP is age 65, but a participant is entitled to receive a reduced benefit after attaining either age 55 with 10 years of service or age 50 with 20 years of service. The early retirement benefit is the same as the normal retirement benefit, but actuarially reduced from age 65 to the early retirement age.

62


Table of Contents

        The CARP benefit can be received as a single life annuity or an actuarially equivalent contingent annuity with 50%, 662/3%, 75%, or 100% of the participant's payments continuing for the life of the surviving spouse following the participant's death, or as an actuarially equivalent lump sum. The lump sum payment option is not available if the participant terminates before being eligible for either normal or early retirement.

        Frozen SERP.    The SERP benefits originally were granted in connection with Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe's employment agreements with Continental and will be offset by amounts paid or payable under the CARP. These benefits are not protected from bankruptcy, are subject to the rights of creditors of the Company, and are not protected by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. Continental provided the SERP benefits to address the compensation limits under CARP and to encourage retention by enhancing the financial value of continued employment with Continental. As stated above, as of December 31, 2010, SERP benefits were frozen for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe.

        Payouts under the SERP are based on final average compensation and credited years of service, which were frozen as of December 31, 2010 for Messrs. Smisek, Compton, Bonds and Rowe. Under the SERP, final average compensation means the greater of a specified minimum amount or the average of the participant's highest five years of compensation during their last ten calendar years through 2010. For purposes of such calculation, compensation includes salary and cash bonuses but excludes certain stay bonus amounts, any termination payments, payments under the Continental Officer Retention and Incentive Award Program (which has been terminated), proceeds from awards under any option or stock incentive plan and any cash awards paid under a long term incentive plan. The final average compensation used to calculate the December 31, 2012 SERP benefit present value is $1,279,909 for Mr. Smisek; $789,860 for Mr. Compton; $557,112 for Mr. Bonds; and $484,460 for Mr. Rowe.

        Credited years of service recognized under the SERP began January 1, 1995 for Mr. Smisek; January 1, 2001 for Mr. Compton; June 16, 2005 for Mr. Bonds; and September 6, 2006 for Mr. Rowe. Mr. Smisek and Mr. Compton received additional credited years of service under the SERP for each actual year of service during a specific period of time as follows: from 2000 through 2004, two additional years for each year of service for Mr. Smisek; from 2001 through 2006, one additional year for each year of service for Mr. Compton. This additional service credit was provided as a retention incentive. The portion of the Present Value of Accumulated Benefits attributable to years of service credited under the SERP that are in excess of actual years worked while participating in the SERP are as follows: $4,687,421 for Mr. Smisek and $1,613,115 for Mr. Compton.

        The benefit under the SERP is defined as a single life annuity, which is (a) times (b) minus (c), where:

        The Company will increase the amount for the executive's portion of any Medicare payroll tax incurred in connection with the SERP payout (plus income taxes on such indemnity payment). This Medicare tax indemnity is expected to be paid in the year the executive terminates.

        Normal retirement under the SERP is age 60, but an officer is entitled to receive a reduced benefit upon the earlier of attaining age 55 or completing 10 years of actual service under the SERP. The benefit is payable as a lump sum, which is the actuarial equivalent of the single life annuity benefit payable at age 60.

        The lump sum is calculated using the same mortality table that is used in the CARP (currently the IRS prescribed 417(e) table). It is also calculated using an interest rate that is the average of the

63


Table of Contents

Moody's Aa Corporate Bond rate for the three month period ending on the last day of the second month preceding payment.


Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

        This section quantifies and describes potential payments that may be made to Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, McDonald, Compton and Bonds and our potential costs associated with providing them certain additional benefits that would be provided at, following, or in connection with certain terminations of employment or upon a change in control of the Company assuming that such event had occurred on December 31, 2012. For Mr. Rowe, this section describes and provides an estimated cost of his separation benefits. Mr. Rowe resigned as Chief Financial Officer effective April 15, 2012 to join another company.

        The Company has entered into employment agreements and maintains certain plans that require the Company to pay compensation and provide certain benefits to the named executive officers following, or in connection with, a qualifying termination of employment or a change in control of the Company. The material terms and conditions relating to these payments and benefits in effect on December 31, 2012 are described in the narrative following the tables below.

        This section does not quantify or include a description of the payments that would be made under the Company's Annual Incentive Program for 2012 upon certain qualifying terminations of employment or a change in control of the Company as the 2012 awards under such program were earned as of the last business day of the year. In addition, no additional amounts are included with respect to the pre-Merger LTIP awards held by Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton and Bonds as the payments of these awards also were earned as of the last business day of the year. Please see the Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation column of the 2012 Summary Compensation Table and the footnote thereto for information regarding (i) the amounts paid to each continuing named executive officer under the 2012 Annual Incentive Program and (ii) the amounts paid to Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, Compton and Bonds under the pre-Merger LTIP awards for the performance period January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.

64


Table of Contents

Estimate of Potential Payments and Benefits to Messrs. Smisek, Rainey, McDonald, Compton and Bonds

Estimate of Mr. Smisek's Potential Post-Employment Payments and Benefits  
Type of Payment or Benefit
  Retirement
($)
  Death
($)
  Disability
($)
  Involuntary
Termination
without
Cause or
Voluntary
Termination
for Good
Reason
($)
  Change In
Control
($)
  Change In
Control
With
Qualifying
Event
($)
 

Cash Severance

                4,875,000         4,875,000  

Long-Term Incentives

                                     

Profit-Based RSUs (pre-Merger)

        2,459,530     2,459,530     2,459,530         2,459,530  

2011 LTRP Award

    1,866,667     2,800,000     2,800,000     2,800,000         2,800,000  

2012 LTRP Award

    1,044,445     1,044,445     1,044,445     1,044,445         1,044,445  

2011 Performance-Based RSUs

    2,009,340     3,014,009     3,014,009     3,014,009         3,014,009  

2012 Performance-Based RSUs

    1,267,079     1,267,079     1,267,079     1,267,079         1,267,079  

2011 Restricted Shares

        2,037,006     2,037,006     2,037,006         2,037,006  

2012 Restricted Shares

        3,040,990     3,040,990     1,013,663         3,040,990  

Merger Incentive RSUs

        3,709,564     3,709,564     3,709,564     2,733,216     2,733,216  

Health and Welfare Benefits

                                     

Continuation of Health & Welfare Benefits

    203,290     127,475     203,290     203,290         203,290  

Continuation of Life Insurance Benefit

    3,005         3,005     3,005         3,005  

Perquisites and Tax Payments

                                     

Outplacement Services

                18,000         18,000  

Flight Benefits

    85,029     85,029     85,029     85,029         85,029  

Tax Indemnification on Flight Benefits

    427,872     427,872     427,872     427,872         427,872  

65


Table of Contents


Estimate of Mr. Rainey's Potential Post-Employment Payments and Benefits  
Type of Payment or Benefit
  Resignation
without
Good
Reason
($)
  Death
($)
  Disability
($)
  Involuntary
Termination
without
Cause or
Voluntary
Termination
for Good
Reason
($)
  Change In
Control
($)
  Change In
Control
With
Qualifying
Event
($)
 

Cash Severance

                3,375,000         3,375,000  

Long-Term Incentives

                                     

Profit-Based RSUs (pre-Merger)

        780,710     780,710     780,710         780,710  

280G Tax Indemnity on 2008 and 2009 pre-Merger Profit-Based RSUs

        29,770     29,770     29,770         29,770  

LTRP Award (2011 and 2012)

        251,662     251,662             251,662  

Performance-Based RSUs (2011 and 2012)

        313,136     313,136             313,136  

Restricted Shares (2011 and 2012)

        521,140     521,140             521,140  

Merger Incentive RSUs

        193,618     193,618             193,618  

Health and Welfare Benefits

                                     

Continuation of Health & Welfare Benefits

                67,575         67,575  

Continuation of Life Insurance Benefit

                5,956         5,956  

Perquisites and Tax Payments

                                     

Outplacement Services

                18,000         18,000  

Flight Benefits

    71,171     71,171     71,171     71,171         71,171  

 

Estimate of Mr. McDonald's Potential Post-Employment Payments and Benefits  
Type of Payment or Benefit
  Retirement
($)
  Death
($)
  Disability
($)
  Involuntary
Termination
without
Cause or
Voluntary
Termination
for Good
Reason
($)
  Change In
Control
($)
  Change In
Control
With
Qualifying
Event
($)
 

Cash Severance

                3,995,000         3,995,000  

Long-Term Incentives

                                     

RSUs—Accelerated Awards (pre-Merger)

        376,640     376,640     376,640     376,640     376,640  

LTRP Award (2011 and 2012)

    543,333     543,333     543,333             543,333  

Performance-Based RSUs (2011 and 2012)

    661,677     661,677     661,677             661,677  

Restricted Shares (2011 and 2012)

        893,840     893,840             893,840  

Merger Incentive RSUs

        683,319     683,319         683,319     683,319  

Health and Welfare Benefits

                                     

Continuation of Health & Welfare Benefits

                21,400         21,400  

Continuation of Life Insurance Benefit

                34,316         34,316  

Perquisites and Tax Payments

                                     

Outplacement Services

                18,000         18,000  

Flight Benefits

    38,032     38,032     38,032     38,032         38,032  

Tax Indemnification on Flight Benefits

    237,319     237,319     237,319     237,319         237,319  

66


Table of Contents


Estimate of Mr. Compton's Potential Post-Employment Payments and Benefits  
Type of Payment or Benefit
  Retirement
($)
  Death
($)
  Disability
($)
  Involuntary
Termination
without
Cause or
Voluntary
Termination
for Good
Reason
($)
  Change In
Control
($)
  Change In
Control
With
Qualifying
Event
($)
 

Cash Severance

                4,112,500         4,112,500  

Long-Term Incentives

                                     

LTRP Award (2011 and 2012)

    610,000     610,000     610,000             610,000  

Performance-Based RSUs (2011 and 2012)

    742,861     742,861     742,861             742,861  

Restricted Shares (2011 and 2012)

        1,001,927     1,001,927             1,001,927  

Merger Incentive RSUs

        683,319     683,319         683,319     683,319  

Health and Welfare Benefits

                                     

Continuation of Health & Welfare Benefits

                69,800         69,800  

Continuation of Life Insurance Benefit

                20,536         20,536  

Perquisites and Tax Payments

                                     

Outplacement Services

                18,000         18,000  

Flight Benefits

    60,897     60,897     60,897     60,897         60,897  

Tax Indemnification on Flight Benefits

    319,037     319,037     319,037     319,037         319,037  

Automobile

    89,583     89,583     89,583     89,583         89,583  

 

Estimate of Mr. Bond's Potential Post-Employment Payments and Benefits  
Type of Payment or Benefit
  Resignation
without
Good
Reason
($)
  Death
($)
  Disability
($)
  Involuntary
Termination
without
Cause or
Voluntary
Termination
for Good
Reason
($)
  Change In
Control
($)
  Change In
Control
With
Qualifying
Event
($)
 

Cash Severance

                2,812,500         2,812,500  

Long-Term Incentives

                                     

Profit-Based RSUs (pre-Merger)

        1,056,600     1,056,600     1,056,600         1,056,600  

LTRP Award (2011 and 2012)

        373,629     373,629             373,629  

Performance-Based RSUs (2011 and 2012)

        455,006     455,006             455,006  

Restricted Shares (2011 and 2012)

        614,777     614,777             614,777  

Merger Incentive RSUs

        569,412     569,412         569,412     569,412  

Health and Welfare Benefits

                                     

Continuation of Health & Welfare Benefits

                61,450         61,450  

Continuation of Life Insurance Benefit

                9,722         9,722  

Perquisites and Tax Payments

                                     

Outplacement Services

                18,000         18,000  

Flight Benefits

    122,557     122,557     122,557     122,557         122,557  

Tax Indemnification on Flight Benefits

    466,776     466,776     466,776     466,776         466,776  

67


Table of Contents


Termination for "Cause"

        Upon a termination for "cause," our named executive officers are not entitled to any additional payments or benefits. However, upon any termination of employment, including a termination for "cause," the named executive officers who came from Continental would retain their frozen SERP benefits. The value of these benefits as of December 31, 2012 are set forth in the 2012 Pension Benefits Table and the benefits are described under "—Narrative to Pension Benefits Table." This is a frozen benefit and there is no enhancement of this benefit under any separation scenario. The SERP benefit payable is not affected by the cause of termination, other than death. Assuming a termination on December 31, 2012 other than due to death, the lump sum benefit payable to such officers would be as follows: Mr. Smisek—$12,456,968; Mr. Compton—$4,333,414; and Mr. Bonds—$937,085. Upon a termination other than due to death, the lump sum benefit would be payable as follows: for Messrs. Smisek and Compton, partially on January 1, 2013 and partially on July 1, 2013; and for Mr. Bonds, on June 1, 2022. Assuming a termination on December 31, 2012 due to death, the lump sum benefit would be as follows: Mr. Smisek—$5,835,738; Mr. Compton—$2,455,033; and Mr. Bonds—$301,426, and in each case the benefit would be payable to the surviving spouse on January 1, 2013. For purposes of these calculations, we have assumed that the lump sum interest rate in effect at the time of payment for those benefits payable after January 1, 2013 will be the same as the assumption currently in effect (3.63%). For the lump sum mortality assumption, we have used the 2013 IRS prescribed 417(e) table.


Retirement or Resignation without "Good Reason"

        If any of Messrs. Smisek, McDonald or Compton retired on December 31, 2012 (Messrs. Rainey and Bonds were not retirement eligible as of December 31, 2012), or if Messrs. Rainey or Bonds had resigned without "good reason" (as defined in his employment agreement) on December 31, 2012, he would have been entitled to the benefits set forth below. Upon such a termination of employment, Messrs. Smisek, Compton and Bonds would also have been entitled to their frozen SERP benefits described above. Because Messrs. Smisek, McDonald and Compton are retirement eligible, it is assumed that they would choose to retire rather than to resign without "good reason."

68


Table of Contents


Termination Due to Death or Disability

        If a named executive officer was terminated due to death or disability on December 31, 2012, in addition to applicable benefits as described above, he would have been entitled to the following benefits:

69


Table of Contents

70


Table of Contents


Involuntary Termination Without "Cause" or Voluntary Termination for "Good Reason"

        If any of the named executive officers was terminated by the Company without "cause" or terminated voluntarily for "good reason" (as defined in his employment agreement) on December 31, 2012, in addition to the benefits described above (with the exception of the disability benefits or life insurance payments and except as modified below), he would have been entitled to the following:

71


Table of Contents


"Change in Control"

        If a "change in control" of the Company occurred on December 31, 2012, under the Management Equity Incentive Plan and the ICP, Mr. McDonald would have been entitled to immediate vesting of restricted stock units that were unvested as of December 31, 2012, with restricted stock units settled in cash based upon the average of the closing price of UAL stock during the 20 trading days prior to October 1, 2010 ($22.33). Except as noted below with respect to retirement eligible participants or the Merger Incentive RSUs, no payments or benefits are provided to the named executive officers unless there is also a qualified termination of employment. These payments and benefits are generally parallel to those provided upon a qualified termination in the absence of a change in control. For purposes of the termination tables set forth above, "qualifying event" includes involuntary termination without "cause," voluntary termination for "good reason," death, disability and attainment of retirement eligibility. However, the health and welfare benefits would be provided to Messrs. Rainey, McDonald, Compton and Bonds only upon involuntary termination without "cause" or voluntary termination for "good reason."

        The 2011 and 2012 restricted share awards include a double-trigger with respect to a change in control, and would vest in full only if the holder terminated for "good reason" or upon a qualifying event within two years of the change in control and prior to normal vesting. The 2011 and 2012 LTRP awards and the 2011 and 2012 Performance Based RSU awards also include double-trigger provisions. Pursuant to such awards, the performance goals would be deemed satisfied at the target level of performance, which was specified by the Compensation Committee as the change in control level of performance at the time the awards were granted. Payments would be subject to continued employment through the end of the performance period except in situations involving a qualifying termination event, death, disability or with respect to a retirement eligible participant, who would be eligible for pro-rata payment. Payments with respect to the 2011 LTRP and 2011 Performance-Based RSU awards upon a qualifying termination event, death or disability would be made without proration to Mr. Smisek and on a pro-rated basis with respect to the 2012 LTRP and 2012 Performance-Based RSU awards. Payments with respect to the 2011 and 2012 LTRP and Performance-Based RSU awards upon a qualifying termination event, death or disability would be made on a pro-rated basis to the other continuing named executive officers. The outstanding Merger Incentive RSUs would be deemed to have been achieved at the target level of performance and would be eligible for immediate payment on a pro-rata basis (except for Mr. Smisek, whose payment would not be prorated).

        None of our named executive officers will be entitled to indemnification with respect to excise taxes under Section 4999 of the Code for a change in control other than the 2010 Merger. Instead, payments to each named executive officer that would be subject to the excise tax will be reduced to the level at which the excise tax will not be applied unless such executive would be in a better net after-tax position by receiving the full payments and paying the excise tax.

72


Table of Contents

Resignation of Mr. Rowe

        Pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, upon his voluntary resignation, Mr. Rowe retained his frozen SERP benefit. Mr. Rowe also retains lifetime flight benefits and an associated tax reimbursement for these benefits, subject to an annual limit. The present value of Mr. Rowe's accumulated CARP and SERP benefits are set forth in the 2012 Pension Benefits Table. As of December 31, 2012, we estimate the present value of the incremental cost to the Company to provide the flight benefits to Mr. Rowe to be $43,305 and we estimate the present value of the incremental cost to the Company of the related tax reimbursement to be $231,923. Mr. Rowe did not receive any other payments or benefits in connection with his resignation. All outstanding pre-Merger awards and all outstanding awards granted in 2011 and 2012 were forfeited in connection with his resignation. Mr. Rowe remains subject to restrictive covenants governing confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-competition in accordance with the terms of his employment agreement and through the two year period ending May 7, 2014, except with respect to confidentiality obligations that continue indefinitely.


Material Defined Terms

        The terms "cause" and "good reason" as used above are defined under the employment agreements and are set forth below.

73


Table of Contents


Restrictive Covenants and Release Requirement

        The employment agreements with Messrs. Rainey, McDonald, Compton and Bonds contain non-solicitation, non-competition and no-hire provisions for the two year period following termination of employment (except, with respect to the non-competition covenant, if such termination is by the Company without "cause" or by the executive for "good reason"). Mr. Smisek will continue to be subject to the Confidentiality and Non-Compete Agreement with Continental dated April 23, 2009, which includes an 18-month non-compete obligation following termination of his employment, except if such termination is by the Company for a reason other than "cause" or by Mr. Smisek for "good reason." In addition, each of the above named executives officers is bound by an obligation of confidentiality for an indefinite duration.

        The employment agreements with each of the named executive officers contain a requirement to execute a release of claims in favor of the Company in order to receive the above referenced benefits (other than the frozen SERP benefits).


Methodologies and Assumptions used for Calculating Other Potential Post-Employment Payments

        For purposes of quantifying the payments and estimated benefits disclosed in the foregoing tables, the Company utilized the following assumptions and methodologies to calculate the applicable costs to the Company:

74


Table of Contents

75


Table of Contents


2012 DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

        The following table represents the amount of director compensation in 2012 for each director other than Mr. Smisek. As the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer during 2012, Mr. Smisek received no additional compensation for his service as a director. Mr. Smisek's compensation as an employee of the Company is shown in the 2012 Summary Compensation Table.

Name
  Fees Earned
or Paid in Cash
($)
  Stock
Awards
($)(1)
  All Other
Compensation
($)(2)
  Total
($)
 

CURRENT DIRECTORS

                         

Stephen R. Canale

            1,089     1,089  

Carolyn Corvi

    102,500     80,000     3,130     185,630  

Jane C. Garvey

    97,500     80,000     5,549     183,049  

James J. Heppner

            20,770     20,770  

Walter Isaacson

    103,750     80,000     35,898     219,648  

Henry L. Meyer III

    128,750     80,000     32,914     241,664  

Oscar Munoz

    107,500     80,000     32,626     220,126  

Laurence E. Simmons

    105,000     80,000     45,194     230,194  

Glenn F. Tilton

    702,500     80,000     104,124     886,624  

David J. Vitale

    112,500     80,000     25,332     217,832  

John H. Walker

    100,625     80,000     27,734     208,359  

Charles A. Yamarone

    102,500     80,000     7,212     189,712  

FORMER DIRECTORS

                         

W. James Farrell(3)

    51,250         51,947     103,197  

James J. O'Connor(4)

    55,000         48,691     103,691  

(1)
This column reflects the grant date fair value of 3,559.51 share units granted to each of the non-employee directors on June 13, 2012, as discussed under the caption "Equity Compensation" below, calculated pursuant to FASB ACS Topic 718. As of December 31, 2012, the aggregate number of share units outstanding for each individual who served as a non-employee director was: 3,559.51 for each of Ms. Corvi, and Messrs. Meyer, Munoz, Simmons, Tilton and Yamarone; 7,375.38 for Ms. Garvey; 30,267.20 for Mr. Isaacson; 10,588 for each of Messrs. Vitale and Walker; and 7,028.49 for each of Messrs. Farrell and O'Connor. For additional information about the outstanding equity awards that were granted to Mr. Tilton in connection with his prior service as the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, see footnote 6 to Beneficial Ownership of Securities—Directors and Executive Officers.

(2)
All other compensation includes: (a) with respect to certain non-employee directors, matching contributions to nonprofit organization(s) to which the director makes a personal commitment(s), as discussed under the caption "Charitable Contributions" below; (b) for Mr. Tilton, insurance premiums paid by the Company; reserved parking at the Company's headquarters in Chicago; and the incremental cost to the Company relating to his personal use of a company car and driver ($44,274); (c) a tax reimbursement relating to flight benefits (which value is greater than the incremental cost to the Company of providing such benefits) for each director as follows: Mr. Canale—$1,089; Ms. Corvi—$3,130; Ms. Garvey—$549; Mr. Heppner—$14,954; Mr. Isaacson—$12,841; Mr. Meyer—$9,952; Mr. Munoz—$25,329; Mr. Simmons—$34,409; Mr. Tilton—$8,558 Mr. Vitale—$4,239; Mr. Walker—$13,962; Mr. Yamarone—$5,712; Mr. Farrell—$29,381; and Mr. O'Connor— $22,224; and (d) as required by SEC rules, for certain

76


Table of Contents

(3)
During 2012, Mr. Farrell served as a member of the Board of Directors from January 1, 2012 until June 12, 2012.

(4)
During 2012, Mr. O'Connor served as a member of the Board of Directors from January 1, 2012 until June 12, 2012.

        We do not pay directors who are employees of the Company or directors who are elected by a class of stock other than Common Stock additional cash or equity compensation for their services as directors; however, each of the ALPA director and the IAM director are entitled to receive certain flight benefits. For purposes of the disclosure contained in this section, we refer to the non-employee directors elected by the holders of our Common Stock as "non-employee directors."

        To attract and retain the services of experienced and knowledgeable non-employee directors, the Company adopted the 2006 Director Equity Incentive Plan, which we refer to as the "DEIP." Under the DEIP, non-employee directors may receive as compensation periodic awards, stock compensation or cash compensation. Periodic awards are equity-based awards including options, restricted stock, stock appreciation rights and/or shares that are granted to non-employee directors from time to time at the discretion of the Board.

        The Nominating/Governance Committee periodically reviews and makes recommendations to the Board regarding the form and amount of compensation of the Company's non-employee directors. The Nominating/Governance Committee has not delegated any authority with respect to director compensation matters, and no executive officer plays a role in determining the amount of director compensation. The Compensation Committee's compensation consultant, Exequity, has advised the Nominating/Governance Committee with respect to director compensation matters. These matters include, among other things, a review and market analysis of board of director pay and benefits, and share ownership guidelines.


Retainer and Meeting Fees

        For the year ended December 31, 2012, cash compensation for the non-employee directors consisted of the following:


Equity Compensation

        For the year ended December 31, 2012, non-employee directors received an annual grant of share units on June 13, 2012, with a grant date fair value equal to $80,000. Each share unit represents the economic equivalent of one share of Common Stock and vests on the one-year anniversary of the date of grant. Delivery of a cash payment in settlement of the share units will be made on the vesting date

77


Table of Contents

based on the average of the high and low sale prices of Common Stock on the anniversary date. The grant date fair value of the annual grant of share units will be increased to $125,000 effective with the 2013 grant of share units to be made following the election of directors to the Board at the Annual Meeting.

        The stock ownership guidelines that apply to our non-employee directors encourage our non-employee directors to hold at least 3,500 shares of Common Stock or equity-based awards (including share units and restricted shares). The Nominating/Governance Committee reviews equity ownership of the non-employee directors annually. Once a non-employee director is determined to be in compliance with the stock ownership guidelines, the non-employee director will be considered to be in compliance until such time as he or she sells or otherwise disposes of any of his or her Common Stock, at which time the Nominating/Governance Committee will re-evaluate the non-employee director's compliance with the stock ownership guidelines. All non-employee directors are currently in compliance with the guidelines.


Director Compensation Deferral under the DEIP

        In prior years, non-employee directors were permitted to defer the receipt of some or all cash compensation through credits to a cash and/or share account established and maintained by the Company on behalf of the director. Non-employee directors were also permitted to defer the receipt of shares that would otherwise be issued under a periodic award through credits to his or her share account. Distribution from the cash and/or share accounts will be made, if in a lump sum, or will commence, if in installments, as soon as administratively practicable after January 1 of the year following the year the non-employee director terminates his or her position as a director of the Company. Beginning in 2011, the Board eliminated the compensation deferral option.


Travel Benefits

        We consider it important for our directors to understand our business and to have exposure to our operations and employees. For that reason, our directors receive flight benefits, including a travel card permitting positive space travel by the director, the director's spouse or qualified domestic partner and certain other eligible travelers, frequent flyer cards, and access to our United Club facilities. These benefits are taxable to the director, subject to the reimbursement of certain of such taxes by the Company. Prior to the Merger, United and Continental adopted policies to eliminate tax indemnification for post-separation perquisites provided to non-employee directors who did not have an existing right to such benefits as of the date the respective policy was adopted. The tax indemnification provided to the non-employee directors is subject to an annual limit. A director who retires from the Board with at least five consecutive years of service will receive lifetime travel benefits, subject to certain exceptions.


Charitable Contributions

        We adopted a program in 2009 through which the Company provides a matching charitable contribution to qualifying nonprofit organizations to which a director makes a personal commitment in an aggregate amount of up to $20,000 per year. In the case of each of the ALPA director and IAM director, the Company will provide a matching charitable contribution to qualifying nonprofit organizations to which the director or their respective union contributes up to $20,000 per year in the aggregate.

        During 2012, directors elected by the holders of Common Stock were also entitled to donate ten round trip tickets each year for complimentary positive space travel to charity.


Chairman Compensation

        Upon completion of the Merger on October 1, 2010, Mr. Tilton stepped down as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and became non-executive Chairman of the Board, a position that he held until December 31, 2012. Mr. Tilton entered into a letter agreement with the Company setting forth the terms of his compensation as non-executive Chairman of the Board following the Merger.

78


Table of Contents

        Pursuant to this letter agreement, Mr. Tilton was entitled to the same compensation and travel privileges as those provided to the other non-employee directors of the Company. In addition, Mr. Tilton was entitled to receive certain enhanced payments and benefits in recognition of the unique contributions he was expected to make and the heightened responsibilities he was expected to have in the role of Chairman of the Board in light of his prior roles leading the Company as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman. Pursuant to the letter agreement, during 2012 Mr. Tilton was entitled to an additional annual cash retainer equal to $600,000. Mr. Tilton also was entitled to office space and administrative support during his service as Chairman of the Board, and continuing for a period of ten years thereafter, and was entitled to the use of a company car and driver until December 31, 2012.


AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

United Continental Holdings, Inc. Audit Committee Report

To the Board of United Continental Holdings, Inc.:

        The Audit Committee is comprised of five non-employee members of the Board. After reviewing the qualifications of the current members of the committee, and any relationships they may have with the Company that might affect their independence from the Company, the Board has determined that: (1) all current committee members are "independent" as that concept is defined in Section 10A of the Exchange Act; (2) all current committee members are "independent" as that concept is defined in the applicable NYSE listing standards; (3) all current committee members are financially literate under the applicable NYSE listing standards; and (4) each of Mr. Munoz, Mr. Vitale and Mr. Walker qualifies as an audit committee financial expert under the applicable rules promulgated pursuant to the Exchange Act.

        The Board appointed the undersigned directors as members of the committee and adopted a written charter setting forth the procedures and responsibilities of the committee. Each year, the committee reviews the adequacy of the charter and recommends any changes to the Board for approval. In addition, the Company will furnish an annual written affirmation to the NYSE relating to, among other things, clauses (2)-(4) of the first paragraph of this report and the adequacy of the committee charter.

        During the last year, and earlier this year in preparation for the filing with the SEC of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 (the "2012 10-K"), the committee, among other matters:

79


Table of Contents

        Notwithstanding the foregoing actions and the responsibilities set forth in the committee charter, the charter clarifies that the committee is not responsible for certifying the Company's financial statements or guaranteeing the independent auditors' report. The functions of the committee are not intended to duplicate or substitute for the activities of management and the independent auditors, and the committee members cannot provide any expert or special assurance as to the Company's financial statements or internal controls or any professional certifications as to the work of the independent auditors. Management is responsible for the Company's financial reporting process, including its system of internal control over financial reporting, and for the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The independent auditors are responsible for expressing an opinion on those financial statements. Committee members are not employees of the Company and are not acting as professional accountants or auditors on behalf of the Company. Therefore, the committee has relied, without independent verification, on management's representation that the financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and on the representations of the independent auditors included in their report on the Company's financial statements.

        The committee meets periodically with management and the independent and internal auditors, including private discussions with the independent auditors and the Company's internal auditors and receives the communications described above. The committee has also established procedures for: (1) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, auditing or internal accounting control matters; and (2) the confidential, anonymous submission by the Company's employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters. However, this oversight does not provide the committee with an independent basis to determine that management has maintained: (1) appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles or policies; or (2) appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, our considerations and discussions with management and the independent auditors do not assure that the Company's financial statements are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or that the audit of the Company's financial statements has been carried out in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.

        The information contained in this report shall not be deemed to be "soliciting material" or to be "filed" with the SEC, nor shall such information be incorporated by reference into any future filings with the SEC, or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into a document filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.





 


Respectfully submitted,
Audit Committee
Oscar Munoz, Chair
Carolyn Corvi
Laurence E. Simmons
David J. Vitale
John H. Walker

80


Table of Contents


PROPOSAL NO. 2

RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTING FIRM

Independent Public Accountants

        Ernst & Young LLP was the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012. The Audit Committee has approved the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP to serve as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2013.


Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy and Procedures

        In October 2002, the Audit Committee adopted a policy on pre-approval of services of the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. The policy provides that the Audit Committee shall pre-approve all audit and non-audit services to be provided to the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates by its independent auditors. The process by which this is carried out is as follows:

        For recurring services, the Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves the independent registered public accounting firm's annual audit services and employee benefit plan audits in conjunction with the annual appointment of the outside auditors. The reviewed materials include a description of the services along with related fees. The Audit Committee also reviews and pre-approves other classes of recurring services along with fee thresholds for pre-approved services. In the event that the pre-approval fee thresholds are met and additional services are required prior to the next scheduled Audit Committee meeting, pre-approvals of additional services follow the process described below.

        Any requests for audit, audit-related, tax and other services not contemplated with the recurring services approval described above must be submitted to the Audit Committee for specific pre-approval and cannot commence until such approval has been granted. Normally, pre-approval is provided at regularly scheduled meetings. However, the authority to grant specific pre-approval between meetings, as necessary, has been delegated to the Chair of the Audit Committee. The Chair must update the Audit Committee at the next regularly scheduled meeting of any services that were granted specific pre-approval.

        On a periodic basis, the Audit Committee reviews the status of services and fees incurred year-to-date and a list of newly pre-approved services since its last regularly scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee has considered whether the 2012 non-audit services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm are compatible with maintaining auditor independence.

        All of the services in 2012 and 2011 under the Audit-Related Fees, Tax Fees and All Other Fees categories below have been approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(c) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X of the Exchange Act.

81


Table of Contents


Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees

        UAL's aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by its independent auditors in 2012 and 2011 are as follows (in thousands):

Service
  2012   2011  

Audit Fees

  $ 4,229   $ 4,124  

Audit-Related Fees

        209  

Tax Fees

    543     1,198  

All Other Fees

    5     5  
           

Total

  $ 4,777   $ 5,536  
           

        For 2012 and 2011, audit fees consist primarily of the audit and quarterly reviews of the consolidated financial statements and the audit of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of UAL and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Audit fees also include the audits of the consolidated financial statements of United and Continental, attestation services required by statute or regulation, comfort letters, consents, assistance with and review of documents filed with the SEC, work performed by tax professionals in connection with the audit and quarterly reviews, and accounting and financial reporting consultations and research work necessary to comply with generally accepted accounting standards.

        In 2011, fees for audit-related services consisted of audits for employee benefit plans, carve-out audits, audits of subsidiaries that are not required to be audited by governmental or regulatory bodies, and agreed-upon procedures related to contractual arrangements.

        Tax fees for 2012 and 2011 include professional services provided for preparation of tax returns of certain expatriate employees, personal tax compliance and advice, preparation of federal, foreign and state tax returns, review of tax returns prepared by the Company, research and consultations regarding tax accounting and tax compliance matters, and assistance in assembling data to prepare for and respond to governmental reviews of past tax filings, exclusive of tax services rendered in connection with the audit.

        Fees for all other services billed in 2012 and 2011 consist of subscriptions to Ernst & Young LLP's on-line accounting research tool.


Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

        The Audit Committee has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company's consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2013. Ernst & Young LLP has served as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm since 2010. It is anticipated that representatives of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the meeting and will have the opportunity to make a statement, if they desire to do so, and will be available to respond to appropriate questions from those attending the meeting.

82


Table of Contents

        The stockholders are being asked to ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2013. Although ratification is not required by law or the Company's Bylaws, the Board is submitting the appointment to the stockholders as a matter of good corporate governance. In the event of a negative vote on such ratification, the Audit Committee may reconsider its selection. Even if this appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if the Audit Committee determines that such a change would be in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders.

        THE BOARD AND AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMEND A VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF ERNST & YOUNG LLP AS THE COMPANY'S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR 2013, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS PROPOSAL NO. 2.


PROPOSAL NO. 3

ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY'S NAMED
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

        In accordance with Section 14A of the Exchange Act, we are providing stockholders with the opportunity to vote on an advisory resolution, commonly known as a "say-on-pay" proposal, approving the Company's executive compensation as reported in this proxy statement:

        At the 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, stockholders were asked to cast a non-binding advisory vote on whether the say-on-pay vote should be held every year, every two years or every three years (the "Frequency Vote"). A majority of stockholders voting on the matter indicated a preference for holding the say-on-pay vote on an annual basis. Accordingly, the Board resolved that the non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company's named executive officers will be held on an annual basis at least until the next Frequency Vote is held.

        Our executive compensation program for 2012 is described in this proxy statement under the section captioned "Executive Compensation" including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis ("CD&A"), the compensation tables, the accompanying footnotes, and the related disclosure contained therein.

        As discussed in the CD&A, our executive compensation programs are designed to fulfill the following principles: (i) aligning the interests of our stockholders and executives; (ii) linking executive pay to performance; and (iii) attracting, retaining and appropriately rewarding our executives in line with market practices.

        Our 2012 executive compensation program includes the following features which illustrate our commitment to the principles stated above:

83


Table of Contents

        We urge our stockholders to read the CD&A section of this proxy statement, which discusses in greater detail how our 2012 executive compensation program implemented our guiding principles. We are asking our stockholders to indicate their support for our named executive officer compensation as described in this proxy statement.

        Because this vote is advisory, it will not be binding upon the Board. Moreover, this vote will not be construed as overruling a decision by the Board, creating or implying any additional fiduciary duty by the Board, or restricting or limiting the ability of the Company's stockholders to make proposals for

84


Table of Contents

inclusion in proxy materials related to executive compensation. However, the Compensation Committee will take into account the outcome of the vote when considering future executive compensation arrangements.

        THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" APPROVAL OF THE PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE COMPENSATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES EMPLOYED BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE, AS DESCRIBED IN THE COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS AND THE RELATED TABULAR AND NARRATIVE DISCLOSURE REGARDING NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION IN THIS PROXY STATEMENT, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS PROPOSAL NO. 3.


PROPOSAL NO. 4

REAPPROVAL OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES UNDER
UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. 2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

        We are asking our stockholders to reapprove the material terms of the performance measures for our 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (the "2008 Plan"), in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). At the 2008 annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company, the stockholders approved the 2008 Plan, which provides incentive award opportunities to our officers and employees.

        Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deductibility for federal income tax purposes of compensation in excess of $1 million per year for each of the chief executive officer and the three other highest compensated officers (other than the chief financial officer) (collectively, the "covered employees"), unless such compensation qualifies as "performance-based compensation" under the Code. Various requirements must be satisfied in order for compensation paid to the covered employees to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. One such requirement is that the compensation must be paid based upon the attainment of performance goals established by a committee of outside board members. Our Compensation Committee, which is comprised of outside directors, administers the 2008 Plan and is responsible for selecting the 2008 Plan's participants, establishing the performance goals, certifying that the performance goals are met and approving payouts under the 2008 Plan. The Compensation Committee has delegated authority to the CEO (so long as the CEO is a director of the Company) to make awards to any eligible person who is not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In order for compensation paid under the 2008 Plan to qualify as performance-based compensation, stockholders must reapprove the material terms of the performance measures every five years. We are requesting stockholders to reapprove the material terms of the performance measures for the 2008 Plan in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code. We are not amending the 2008 Plan.


Material Terms of Performance Measures

        Eligible Employees.    Officers and other employees of the Company and its affiliates, including prospective officers or employees of the Company or any of its affiliates, are eligible to participate in the 2008 Plan. As of April 12, 2013, there were approximately 735 employees (representing officers and management employees at levels 1 and 2) eligible to participate in the 2008 Plan.

        Award Limits.    Subject to the adjustment provisions included in the 2008 Plan, (i) in the case of stock-settled awards, the maximum number of shares with respect to which awards under the 2008 Plan may be granted to any participant in any fiscal year of the Company is 500,000, (ii) in the case of awards settled in cash based on the fair market value of a share, the maximum amount of cash that may be paid pursuant to awards granted under the 2008 Plan to any participant in any fiscal year of the Company is equal to the fair market value of a share as of the relevant vesting, payment or settlement date multiplied by 500,000, and (iii) in the case of all other awards, the maximum amount of cash and other property (other than shares) that may be paid or delivered pursuant to awards granted under the 2008 Plan to any participant in any fiscal year is $5,000,000.

85


Table of Contents

        Performance Measures.    The performance measures contained in the 2008 Plan (defined as "Performance Criteria" and set forth in Section 6(e)(iv) of the 2008 Plan), which were previously approved by stockholders, are one or more of the following: (i) net income before or after taxes; (ii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (iii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent; (iv) operating income; (v) earnings per share; (vi) return on stockholders' equity; (vii) return on investment or capital; (viii) return on assets; (ix) net operating profit; (x) share price; (xi) profitability/profit margins; (xii) market share (in the aggregate or by segment); (xiii) net revenues or sales (in the aggregate or by segment) (based on units and/or dollars); (xiv) costs; (xv) cash flow; (xvi) cost per available seat mile ("CASM"); (xvii) CASM ex-fuel; and (xviii) economic value added. Such performance measures may be applied on an absolute basis and/or be relative to one or more peer companies of the Company or indices or any combination thereof and may be based on the performance of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, affiliates, divisions or operational units, or any combination of the foregoing.


Description of the 2008 Plan

        The purpose of the 2008 Plan is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by (i) attracting, retaining and rewarding exceptional officers and employees (including prospective officers and employees) of the Company and its affiliates and (ii) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company. Under the 2008 Plan, the Company may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted shares, restricted stock units, performance compensation awards, performance units, cash incentive awards, and other equity-based or equity-related awards that the Compensation Committee determines are consistent with the purpose of the 2008 Plan and the interests of the Company.

        The 2008 Plan authorizes the issuance of up to 8 million shares of common stock, plus the number of shares that remained available under the UAL Corporation 2006 Management Equity Incentive Plan (the "Prior Plan"), including shares subject to awards forfeited under the Prior Plan after the adoption of the 2008 Plan. Information regarding the number of shares that remain available for future issuances under the 2008 Plan may be found in the "Equity Compensation Plan Information Table" included in this proxy statement. We are not seeking authorization for additional shares under the 2008 Plan. On April 15, 2013 the closing sales price per common share as reported on the NYSE was $29.09.

        The Board of Directors may amend the 2008 Plan at any time, subject to any stockholder approval required by applicable law, rule or regulation and provided that no amendment may be made without stockholder approval if such amendment would (i) increase the maximum number of shares available under the 2008 Plan or (ii) change the class of employees eligible to participate in the 2008 Plan.

        The above description of the 2008 Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2008 Plan. The 2008 Plan is attached as Annex A to this proxy statement.


Tax Matters

        In general, a participant will not recognize taxable income at the time a stock option is granted. Upon exercise of a non-qualified stock option, a participant will recognize compensation, taxable as ordinary income, equal to the excess of the value of the common stock purchased over the exercise price. In the case of an "incentive stock option," within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, a participant will not recognize ordinary income at the time of exercise (except for purposes of the alternative minimum tax), and if the participant observes certain holding period requirements then when the shares are sold the entire gain over the exercise price will be taxable at capital gains rates. A participant has no taxable income at the time SARs, performance awards or incentive awards are granted, but will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income upon exercise or settlement in an amount equal to the value of any shares of common stock delivered and the amount of cash paid by

86


Table of Contents

the Company. A participant who is granted shares of restricted stock, including shares subject to performance conditions, generally will not recognize taxable income at the time the restricted stock is granted, but will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income at the time the restrictions lapse in an amount equal to the excess of the value of the common stock at such time over the amount, if any, paid for such shares. However, a participant instead may elect to recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income on the date the restricted stock is granted in an amount equal to the value of the shares on that date over the amount, if any, paid for such shares.

        Subject to the deduction limitation, described above, contained in Section 162(m) of the Code, the Company may deduct, as a compensation expense, the amount of ordinary income recognized by an employee in connection with the 2008 Plan at the time such ordinary income is recognized by that employee.


New Plan Benefits

        Any awards granted in the future under the 2008 Plan will be determined by the Compensation Committee or, for awards made to any person not subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, may be determined by the CEO of the Company pursuant to delegation by the Compensation Committee (so long as the CEO is a director of the Company) and are, therefore, not determinable as of the date of this proxy statement. The awards granted to our named executive officers under the 2008 Plan for the most recent fiscal year are disclosed under the "2012 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table" included in this proxy statement.

        As stated above, the material terms of the performance measures are being submitted for stockholder reapproval at the Annual Meeting so that certain awards under the 2008 Plan can continue to qualify for deductibility by the Company under Section 162(m) of the Code. However, stockholder reapproval of the performance measures is only one of several requirements under Section 162(m) of the Code that must be satisfied for awards under the 2008 Plan to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception, and approval of the 2008 Plan by stockholders should not be viewed as a guarantee that all amounts paid under the 2008 Plan will, in practice, be deductible by the Company.

        THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR PROPOSAL NO. 4.


PROPOSAL NO. 5

APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED PERFORMANCE MEASURES UNDER
UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC. INCENTIVE PLAN 2010

        We are asking our stockholders to approve the material terms of the amended performance measures under our Incentive Plan 2010, as amended (the "2010 Plan"), in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code. At the 2010 annual meeting of the stockholders of Continental Airlines, Inc., the stockholders approved the 2010 Plan, which provides incentive award opportunities to our officers and employees.

        Section 162(m) of the Code limits the deductibility for federal income tax purposes of compensation in excess of $1 million per year for each of the covered employees, unless such compensation qualifies as "performance-based compensation" under the Code. Various requirements must be satisfied in order for compensation paid to the covered employees to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. One such requirement is that the compensation must be paid based upon the attainment of performance goals established by a committee of outside board members. Our Compensation Committee, which is comprised solely of outside directors, is responsible for granting awards under the 2010 Plan to covered employees, establishing the performance measures, certifying that the performance measures are achieved and

87


Table of Contents

approving payouts under the 2010 Plan to covered employees. In order for compensation paid under the 2010 Plan to qualify as performance-based compensation, stockholders must reapprove the material terms of the performance measures every five years. In accordance with Section 162(m) of the Code, we are requesting stockholders to approve the material terms of the performance measures for the 2010 Plan, as amended, to conform the award limits with respect to shares of our common stock that may be subject to certain awards and the specified performance measures under the 2010 Plan to the corresponding award limits and performance measures set forth in the 2008 Plan. Subject to stockholder approval, the amended performance measures will be effective for awards granted on or after June 12, 2013. With the exception of the modification to the award limits with respect to shares of our common stock that may be subject to certain awards and the specified performance measures, we are not amending or altering the 2010 Plan.


Material Terms of Performance Measures

        Eligible Employees.    Persons who, at the time of grant, are employees or non-employee directors of the Company are eligible to participate in the 2010 Plan, provided, however, that persons who were employed by United prior to the Merger closing date are not eligible to receive grants of equity-based awards under the 2010 Plan. As of April 12, 2013, there were approximately 735 employees (representing officers and management employees at levels 1 and 2) eligible to participate in the 2010 Plan. The Company currently has no intent to grant awards under the 2010 Plan to non-employee directors.

        Award Limits.    Subject to the adjustment provisions included in the 2010 Plan, the following limits apply to awards granted under the 2010 Plan:

88


Table of Contents

        The award limits described in clause (i) have been amended to the corresponding award limits set forth in the 2008 Plan.

        Performance Measures.    To the extent necessary for an award to be qualified performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code, the performance measures specified in the 2010 Plan (defined as "Performance Measures" and set forth in Section 2(v) of the 2010 Plan), which were amended, subject to stockholder approval at this Annual Meeting, to conform the performance measures under the 2010 Plan to the performance measures set forth in the 2008 Plan, are one or more of the following: (i) net income before or after taxes; (ii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; (iii) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and rent; (iv) operating income; (v) earnings per share; (vi) return on shareholders' equity; (vii) return on investment or capital; (viii) return on assets; (ix) net operating profit; (x) share price; (xi) profitability/profit margins; (xii) market share (in the aggregate or by segment); (xiii) net revenues or sales (in the aggregate or by segment) (based on units and/or dollars); (xiv) costs; (xv) cash flow; (xvi) CASM; (xvii) CASM ex-fuel; and (xviii) economic value added. Such performance measures may be absolute, relative to one or more other companies, relative to one or more indices, or measured by reference to the Company alone or the Company together with one or more of its subsidiaries. In addition, to the extent permitted under Section 162(m) of the Code, a performance measure may be subject to adjustment for changes in accounting principles, to satisfy regulatory requirements, and other specified significant extraordinary items or events.


Description of the 2010 Plan

        The purpose of the 2010 Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its subsidiaries may attract able persons to serve as directors, or to enter or remain in the employ of the Company or its subsidiaries, and to provide a means whereby those individuals upon whom the responsibilities of the successful administration and management of the Company and its subsidiaries rest, and whose present and potential contributions to the Company and its subsidiaries are of importance, can acquire and maintain stock ownership, thereby strengthening their concern for the welfare of the Company and its subsidiaries. A further purpose of the 2010 Plan is to provide such individuals with additional incentive and reward opportunities designed to enhance the profitable growth of the Company and its subsidiaries. Under the 2010 Plan, the Company may grant incentive stock options, non-qualified options, SARs, restricted stock awards, performance awards, incentive awards and other stock awards granted under Section 11 of the 2010 Plan.

        The 2010 Plan authorizes the issuance of up to 3,937,500 shares of common stock. Information regarding the number of shares that remain available for future issuances under the 2010 Plan may be found in the "Equity Compensation Plan Information Table" included in this proxy statement. We are not seeking authorization for additional shares under the 2010 Plan. No equity awards have been granted under the 2010 Plan since the Merger. On April 15, 2013 the closing sales price per common share as reported on the NYSE was $29.09.

        The Board of Directors may amend the 2010 Plan from time to time, subject to any stockholder approval required by applicable law, rule or regulation and provided that no amendment may be made without stockholder approval if such amendment would (i) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the 2010 Plan, (ii) increase the maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to incentive stock options, (iii) change the class of individuals eligible to receive awards under the 2010 Plan, or (iv) amend or delete the restrictions contained in Section 7(i) of the 2010 Plan relating to repricing transactions.

        The above description of the 2010 Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the 2010 Plan. The United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 and the Amendment to the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 are attached to this proxy statement as Annex B.

89


Table of Contents


Tax Matters

        In general, a participant will not recognize taxable income at the time a stock option is granted. Upon exercise of a non-qualified stock option, a participant will recognize compensation, taxable as ordinary income, equal to the excess of the value of the common stock purchased over the exercise price. In the case of an "incentive stock option," within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, a participant will not recognize ordinary income at the time of exercise (except for purposes of the alternative minimum tax), and if the participant observes certain holding period requirements then when the shares are sold the entire gain over the exercise price will be taxable at capital gains rates. A participant has no taxable income at the time SARs, performance awards or incentive awards are granted, but will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income upon exercise or settlement in an amount equal to the value of any shares of common stock delivered and the amount of cash paid by the Company. A participant who is granted shares of restricted stock, including shares subject to performance conditions, generally will not recognize taxable income at the time the restricted stock is granted, but will recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income at the time the restrictions lapse in an amount equal to the excess of the value of the common stock at such time over the amount, if any, paid for such shares. However, a participant instead may elect to recognize compensation taxable as ordinary income on the date the restricted stock is granted in an amount equal to the value of the shares on that date over the amount, if any, paid for such shares.

        Subject to the deduction limitation, described above, contained in Section 162(m) of the Code, the Company may deduct, as a compensation expense, the amount of ordinary income recognized by an employee in connection with the 2010 Plan at the time such ordinary income is recognized by that employee.


New Plan Benefits

        Any future awards granted under the 2010 Plan will be determined by the Compensation Committee or, for awards made to any person not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, may be determined by the CEO of the Company (so long as the CEO is a director of the Company) and are, therefore, not determinable as of the date of this proxy statement. The awards granted to our named executive officers under the 2010 Plan for the most recent fiscal year are disclosed under the "2012 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table" included in this proxy statement.

        As stated above, the material terms of the performance measures for the 2010 Plan, as amended to conform the award limits with respect to shares of our common stock that may be subject to certain awards and the specified performance measures under the 2010 Plan to the corresponding award limits and the performance measures set forth in the 2008 Plan, are being submitted for stockholder approval at the Annual Meeting so that certain awards under the 2010 Plan can continue to qualify for deductibility by the Company under Section 162(m) of the Code. However, stockholder approval of the performance measures is only one of several requirements under Section 162(m) of the Code that must be satisfied for awards under the 2010 Plan to qualify for the performance-based compensation exception, and approval of the 2010 Plan by stockholders should not be viewed as a guarantee that all amounts paid under the 2010 Plan will, in practice, be deductible by the Company.

        THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR PROPOSAL 5.

90


Table of Contents


PROPOSAL NO. 6

APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY'S AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
TO PROVIDE STOCKHOLDERS WITH THE RIGHT TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS

        This proposal, commonly known as a "special meeting rights" proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to call a special meeting of stockholders by amending our Amended and Restated Bylaws (the "Bylaws") to include the following provision in Article II (together with the other changes indicated in Annex C, the "Amendment"), subject to the other conditions set forth in the Bylaws:

        In addition, the proposed right of stockholders to call special meetings is also subject to the notice, information and other requirements set forth in the Amendment.

        The Board believes that amending the Bylaws to permit stockholders who have held at least a 25% "net long position" in our outstanding Common Stock for at least one year to call a special meeting of stockholders is in the best interests of our stockholders. The Nominating/Governance Committee of the Board, which is composed entirely of independent directors, regularly considers and evaluates a broad range of corporate governance issues affecting the Company and has recommended the Amendment to the Board. Subject to further amendment by stockholders or the Board in accordance with the Bylaws, the Board has approved the Amendment, subject to the approval of the Amendment by the stockholders.

        The Board and the Nominating/Governance Committee have carefully considered the implications of amending our Bylaws to allow stockholders to call a special meeting of stockholders. The ability of stockholders to call special meetings is increasingly considered an important aspect of good corporate governance. The Board is strongly committed to good corporate governance and supports the practice of permitting stockholders to request special meetings, provided that the meeting is called by stockholders owning (in an economic sense) a significant percentage of the shares of the Company. The Board believes that special meetings should only be called to consider extraordinary events that are of interest to a broad base of stockholders and that cannot be delayed until the next annual meeting. They believe that establishing a 25% ownership threshold to request a special meeting strikes a reasonable balance between enhancing stockholder rights and protecting against the risk that a small minority of stockholders, including stockholders with special interests, could call one or more special meetings that could result in unnecessary financial expense and disruption to our business. For every special meeting, the Company is required to provide each stockholder a notice of meeting and proxy materials, which results in significant legal, printing and mailing expenses, as well as other costs normally associated with holding a stockholder meeting. Additionally, preparing for stockholder meetings requires significant attention of the Company's directors, officers and employees, diverting their attention away from performing their primary function, which is to operate the Company's business in the best interests of the stockholders. Likewise, the Board believes that only stockholders with a true economic and non-transitory interest in the Company should be entitled to utilize the special meeting mechanism.

        Establishing a 25% threshold for the right of stockholders to call a special meeting provides stockholders with a meaningful ability to request that the Board call a special meeting while helping

91


Table of Contents

protect against these concerns. Additionally, by reference to Rule 14e-4 under the Exchange Act, the proposed Amendment would require that stockholders requesting a special meeting hold the requisite stock ownership percent in a "net long position." A stockholder's "net long position" is the amount of our shares of Common Stock in which the stockholder holds a positive (also known as "long") economic interest, reduced by the amount of our shares of Common Stock which the stockholder holds a negative (also known as "short") economic interest. Taking into account the extent to which stockholders requesting a special meeting hedge their shares (or otherwise reduce or offset their economic exposure in their shares) and how long they have held those shares ensures that, on balance, stockholders seeking to call a special meeting share the same economic interest in the Company as the majority of stockholders. Requiring that stockholders have held their shares for at least one year helps to ensure that their economic interest in the Company's affairs is more than transitory. The proposed right of stockholders to call special meetings is also subject to the notice, information and other requirements set forth in the Amendment. If a requesting stockholder does not comply with the requirements and conditions provided for in the proposed Amendment, a special meeting request will be deemed ineffective and will not be accepted by the Company.

        This description of the proposed Amendment is a summary and is qualified by and subject to the full text of the Amendment, which is attached to this proxy statement as Annex C. Additions of text to our Bylaws contained in Annex C are indicated by underlining, and deletions of text are indicated by strike-outs.

        Approval of the proposed Amendment requires the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the stock entitled to vote on the subject matter. If the proposal to amend our Bylaws to implement the right of stockholders to call a special meeting is approved by our stockholders, the Board will amend and restate our Bylaws to reflect the revisions set forth in Annex C, subject to any further amendments by stockholders or the Board in accordance with the Bylaws. If this proposal to amend our Bylaws is not approved by the stockholders, the Amendment will not be adopted and stockholders will not be permitted to request a special meeting of stockholders.

        THE BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" THE AMENDMENT TO THE BYLAWS TO PROVIDE STOCKHOLDERS WITH THE RIGHT TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, WHICH IS DESIGNATED AS PROPOSAL NO. 6.


SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR THE 2014 ANNUAL MEETING

        If a stockholder of record wishes to submit a proposal for inclusion in next year's proxy statement, the proposal must be received by us no later than December 27, 2013 and otherwise comply with SEC rules. Failure to otherwise comply with SEC rules will cause the proposal to be excluded from the proxy materials. All notices must be submitted to the General Counsel and Secretary, United Continental Holdings, Inc.—HDQLD, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

        Additionally, we must receive notice of any stockholder proposal to be submitted at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (but not required to be included in the related proxy statement) between February 12, 2014 and March 14, 2014, or such proposal will be considered untimely pursuant to Rule 14a-4 under the Exchange Act, and the persons named in the proxies solicited by management may exercise discretionary voting authority with respect to such proposal.

        To propose business or nominate a director at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, proper notice must be submitted by a stockholder of record no earlier than February 12, 2014 and no later than March 14, 2014 in accordance with our Bylaws. The notice must contain the information required by the Bylaws. No business proposed by a stockholder can be transacted at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, and no nomination by a stockholder will be considered, unless the notice satisfies the requirements of the Bylaws. If we do not receive notice of any other matter that a stockholder wishes to raise at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, on or after February 12, 2014 and on or before

92


Table of Contents

March 14, 2014, our Bylaws provide that the matter shall not be transacted and the nomination shall not be considered.


ANNUAL REPORT

        A copy of our Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2012, has been made available to you on or about April 26, 2013 with this proxy statement and is available at http://www.edocumentview.com/ual. Additional copies of the 2012 Annual Report and this Notice of Annual Meeting and proxy statement, and accompanying proxy card may be obtained from the Corporate Secretary's Office at United Continental Holdings, Inc.—HDQLD, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

        COPIES OF OUR FORM 10-K FILED WITH THE SEC MAY BE OBTAINED WITHOUT CHARGE BY WRITING TO UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC., C/O THE CORPORATE SECRETARY'S OFFICE—HDQLD, 233 S. WACKER DRIVE, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60606. YOU CAN ALSO OBTAIN A COPY OF OUR FORM 10-K AND OTHER PERIODIC FILINGS AT THE COMPANY'S WEBSITE AT WWW.IR.UNITED.COM OR FROM THE SEC'S EDGAR DATABASE AT WWW.SEC.GOV.


OTHER BUSINESS

        Management knows of no other matters to be brought before the meeting. It is the case, however, that your proxy, whether submitted by mail, internet or telephone, grants the persons named in the proxy card the authority to vote on all other matters properly presented at the meeting in accordance with their best judgment. For certain matters, including stockholder proposals that are considered untimely pursuant to Rule 14a-4 under the Exchange Act, the persons named in the proxies solicited by management may exercise discretionary voting authority with respect to such matters.

93


Table of Contents


Annex A

UAL CORPORATION

2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

1.    Purpose    

        The purpose of this UAL Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan") is to promote the interests of UAL Corporation and its stockholders by (a) attracting, retaining and rewarding exceptional officers and employees (including prospective officers and employees) of the Company (as defined below) and its Affiliates (as defined below) and (b) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company. This Plan is intended to replace the UAL Corporation 2006 Management Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the "Prior Plan"), which Prior Plan shall be automatically terminated and replaced and superseded by this Plan on the date on which this Plan is approved by the Company's stockholders, except that any awards granted under the Prior Plan shall remain in effect pursuant to their terms.

2.    Definitions    

        As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

A-1


Table of Contents

A-2


Table of Contents

A-3


Table of Contents

A-4


Table of Contents

3.    Administration    

A-5


Table of Contents

4.    Shares Available for Awards; Cash Payable Pursuant to Awards    

A-6


Table of Contents

A-7


Table of Contents

5.    Eligibility    

        Any officer or employee (including any prospective officer or employee) of the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be eligible to be designated a Participant.

6.    Awards    

A-8


Table of Contents

A-9


Table of Contents

A-10


Table of Contents

A-11


Table of Contents

A-12


Table of Contents

A-13


Table of Contents

A-14


Table of Contents

7.    Amendment and Termination    

A-15


Table of Contents

8.    Change of Control    

A-16


Table of Contents

9.    Effect of Termination of Employment    

10.    General Provisions    

A-17


Table of Contents

A-18


Table of Contents

A-19


Table of Contents

A-20


Table of Contents

11.    Term of the Plan    

A-21


Table of Contents


FIRST AMENDMENT TO
UAL CORPORATION
2008 INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

        WHEREAS, UAL Corporation ("UAL") has heretofore adopted the UAL Corporation 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan (the "Plan"); and

        WHEREAS, UAL has heretofore (i) entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger among UAL, Continental Airlines, Inc., and JT Merger Sub Inc. dated May 2, 2010, as amended (the "Merger Agreement"), and (ii) completed the transactions contemplated in the Merger Agreement on October 1, 2010 (the "Merger"), resulting in Continental Airlines, Inc. becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAL, which changed its name in connection with the Merger to United Continental Holdings, Inc. (the "Company"); and

        WHEREAS, the Company wishes to amend the Plan to (a) change the name of the Plan following the Merger, (b) reflect the change of the Company's name, and (c) reflect the listing of the shares of the Company's common stock on the New York Stock Exchange following the Merger;

        NOW, THEREFORE, the Plan shall be amended as follows, effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement):

        1.    Title of the Plan    

        2.    Definitions    

        3.    Replacement of the NYSE for NASDAQ    

        4.    As amended hereby, the Plan is specifically ratified and reaffirmed.    

A-22


Table of Contents

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer of the Company acting pursuant to authority granted to him by the Board of Directors of the Company has executed this instrument on this 21st day of February, 2011.

    UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ BRETT HART

        Name:   Brett Hart
        Title:   Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

A-23


Table of Contents


Annex B

UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.

INCENTIVE PLAN 2010
(as amended and restated through February 17, 2011)

1. PURPOSE

        The purpose of the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010 is to provide a means through which United Continental Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries may attract able persons to serve as directors, or to enter or remain in the employ of the Company (as defined below) or its subsidiaries, and to provide a means whereby those individuals upon whom the responsibilities of the successful administration and management of the Company and its subsidiaries rest, and whose present and potential contributions to the Company and its subsidiaries are of importance, can acquire and maintain stock ownership, thereby strengthening their concern for the welfare of the Company and its subsidiaries. A further purpose of the Plan is to provide such individuals with additional incentive and reward opportunities designed to enhance the profitable growth of the Company and its subsidiaries. Accordingly, the Plan provides for granting Incentive Stock Options, Non-Qualified Options, SARs, Restricted Stock Awards, Performance Awards, Incentive Awards, and Other Stock Awards, or any combination of the foregoing, as is best suited to the circumstances of the particular person. The Plan has been amended and restated to reflect changes related to the Agreement and Plan of Merger among the Company, Continental Airlines, Inc. ("Continental") and JT Merger Sub Inc. dated May 2, 2010 (the "Merger Agreement") pursuant to which Continental became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company upon the closing of the merger on October 1, 2010.


2. DEFINITIONS

        The following definitions (including any plural thereof) shall be applicable throughout the Plan unless specifically modified by any Section:

        (a)   "Administrator" means the Committee or the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (if the Chief Executive Officer is a Director), subject to the provisions of Section 4(a) of the Plan.

        (b)   "Award" means, individually or collectively, any Option, SAR, Restricted Stock Award, Performance Award, Incentive Award, or Other Stock Award.

        (c)   "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

        (d)   "Change in Control" shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 12(e) of the Plan.

        (e)   "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any amendments or successor provisions to such section and any regulations promulgated under such section.

        (f)    "Committee" means a committee of the Board comprised solely of two or more outside Directors (within the meaning of section 162(m) of the Code and applicable interpretive authority thereunder and within the meaning of "Non-Employee Director" as defined in Rule 16b-3). Such committee shall be the Compensation Committee of the Board unless and until the Board designates another committee of the Board to serve as the Committee.

        (g)   "Common Stock" means the Common Stock, $.01 par value, of the Company, or any security into which such common stock may be changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type described in Section 12 of the Plan.

B-1


Table of Contents

        (h)   "Company" shall mean United Continental Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto.

        (i)    "Director" means an individual who is a member of the Board.

        (j)    "Disability" means, with respect to any person, such person's disability entitling him or her to benefits under the Company's group long-term disability plan; provided, however, that if such person is not eligible to participate in such plan, then such person shall be considered to have incurred a "Disability" if and when the Administrator determines in its discretion that such person has become incapacitated for a period of at least 180 days by accident, sickness, or other circumstance which renders such person mentally or physically incapable of performing the material duties and services required of him or her in his or her employment on a full-time basis during such period.

        (k)   "employee" means any person (which may include a Director) in an employment relationship with the Company or any parent corporation (as defined in section 424 of the Code) or any subsidiary.

        (l)    "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

        (m)  "Grant Document" means the document or documents, which may be in electronic format, evidencing an Award under the Plan, which may be either an agreement between the Company and the Holder as to the Award (with any amendments thereto) or a notice of grant of the Award from the Company to the Holder (including any attached statement of the terms and conditions of the Award and any modifications thereto made in accordance with the Plan). References in the Plan to terms to be included in a Grant Document may alternatively be included in a program adopted by the Committee pursuant to the Plan to implement the Plan provisions.

        (n)   "Holder" means an employee or a Director who has been granted an Award.

        (o)   "Incentive Award" means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

        (p)   "Incentive Stock Option" means an incentive stock option within the meaning of section 422 of the Code.

        (q)   "Market Value per Share" means, as of any specified date, the closing sale price of the Common Stock on that date (or, if there are no sales on that date, the last preceding date on which there was a sale) in the principal securities market in which the Common Stock is then traded. If the Common Stock is not publicly traded at the time a determination of "Market Value per Share" is required to be made hereunder, the determination of such amount shall be made by the Administrator in such manner as it deems appropriate and is consistent with the requirements of section 409A of the Code.

        (r)   "Non-Qualified Option" means an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

        (s)   "Option" means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan and includes both Non-Qualified Options and Incentive Stock Options to purchase Common Stock.

        (t)    "Other Stock Award" means an Award granted under Section 11 of the Plan.

        (u)   "Performance Award" means an Award granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

        (v)   "Performance Measure" means a performance measure established by the Administrator that may be absolute, relative to one or more other companies, relative to one or more indexes, or measured by reference to the Company alone or the Company together with one or more of its subsidiaries. In addition, a Performance Measure may be subject to adjustment by the Administrator for changes in accounting principles, to satisfy regulatory requirements, and other specified significant extraordinary items or events. A Performance Measure may be based upon any of the following:

B-2


Table of Contents

        (w)  "Personal Representative" means the person who upon the death, Disability, or incompetency of a Holder shall have acquired, by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or by other legal proceedings, the right to exercise an Option or SAR or the right to any Restricted Stock Award, Performance Award, Incentive Award, or Other Stock Award theretofore granted or made to such Holder.

        (x)   "Plan" means the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010, as amended from time to time.

        (y)   "Restricted Stock" means shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award as to which neither the substantial risk of forfeiture nor the restriction on transfer referred to in Section 8 of the Plan has expired.

        (z)   "Restricted Stock Award" means an Award of Restricted Stock granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

        (aa) "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as such rule may be amended from time to time, and any successor rule, regulation or statute fulfilling the same or similar function.

        (bb) "SAR" means a stock appreciation right granted under Section 7 of the Plan, and may be granted in connection with an Option or independent of an Option.

        (cc) "subsidiary" means any entity (other than the Company) with respect to which the Company, directly or indirectly through one or more other entities, owns equity interests possessing 50 percent or

B-3


Table of Contents

more of the total combined voting power of all equity interests of such entity (excluding voting power that arises only upon the occurrence of one or more specified events).


3. EFFECTIVE DATE AND DURATION OF THE PLAN

        The Plan became effective on the date of its adoption by the Board of Directors of Continental (December 1, 2009), subject to approval by the stockholders of Continental at Continental's 2010 annual meeting of stockholders. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or in any Grant Document, no Option or SAR shall be exercisable, no Restricted Stock Award or Other Stock Award shall be granted, and no Award shall vest or be payable in cash or settled in Common Stock prior to such stockholder approval. No further Awards may be granted under the Plan after 10 years from the date of the adoption of the Plan by the Board of Directors of Continental. The Plan shall remain in effect (for the purpose of governing outstanding Awards) until all Options and SARs granted under the Plan have been exercised or expired, all restrictions imposed upon Restricted Stock Awards granted under the Plan have been eliminated or the Restricted Stock Awards have been forfeited, and all Performance Awards, Incentive Awards and Other Stock Awards have been satisfied or have terminated.


4. ADMINISTRATION

        (a)    Administrator.    The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator, so that (i) Awards made to, and the administration (or interpretation of any provision) of the Plan as it relates to, any person who is subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be made or effected by the Committee, and (ii) Awards made to, and the administration (or interpretation of any provision) of the Plan as it relates to, any person who is not subject to section 16 of the Exchange Act, shall be made or effected by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Chief Executive Officer is not a Director, the Committee), unless the Plan specifies that the Committee shall take specific action (in which case such action may only be taken by the Committee) or the Committee (as to any Award described in this clause (ii) or the administration or interpretation of any specific provision of the Plan) specifies that it shall serve as Administrator. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may from time to time in its discretion put any conditions and restrictions on the powers that may be exercised by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in his or her capacity as Administrator.

        (b)    Powers.    Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall have authority, in its discretion, to determine which employees or Directors shall receive an Award, the time or times when such Award shall be granted, the type of Award that shall be granted, the number of shares to be subject to each Option, Restricted Stock Award, Other Stock Award, or SAR, and the number of shares to be subject to or the value of each Performance Award or Incentive Award. In making such determinations, the Administrator shall take into account the nature of the services rendered by the respective employees or Directors, their present and potential contribution to the Company's success, and such other factors as the Administrator in its sole discretion shall deem relevant.

        (c)    Additional Powers.    The Administrator shall have such additional powers as are delegated to it by the other provisions of the Plan. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, this shall include the power to construe the Plan and the respective agreements executed hereunder, to prescribe rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to determine the terms, restrictions, and provisions of the Grant Documents, including such terms, restrictions, and provisions as shall be requisite in the judgment of the Administrator to cause designated Options to qualify as Incentive Stock Options, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Plan. The Administrator may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or in any Grant Document relating to an Award in the manner and to the extent it shall deem expedient to carry the Plan or any such Grant Document into effect. All determinations and decisions of the Administrator on the matters referred to in this Section 4 and in construing the provisions of the Plan shall be conclusive; provided, however, that in the event of any conflict in any such determination as

B-4


Table of Contents

between the Committee and the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, each acting in capacity as Administrator of the Plan, the determination of the Committee shall be conclusive.

        (d)    Forfeiture in Certain Circumstances ("Clawback").    The Committee may terminate an Award if it determines that the Holder of such Award has engaged in material misconduct. Material misconduct includes conduct adversely affecting the Company's reputation, financial condition, results of operations or prospects, or which constitutes fraud or theft of Company assets, and such other conduct as may be set forth in a Grant Document. If such material misconduct results, directly or indirectly, in any error in financial information used in the determination of compensation paid to the Award Holder and the effect of such error is to increase the payment amount pursuant to an Award, the Committee also may require the Holder to reimburse the Company for all or a portion of the compensation provided to such Holder in connection with any such Award. In addition, if there is a material restatement of Company's financial statements that affects the financial information used in the determination of compensation paid to the Award Holder, then the Committee may take such action, in its sole discretion, as it deems necessary to adjust such compensation.


5. SHARES SUBJECT TO THE PLAN, AWARD LIMITS,
AND GRANT OF AWARDS

        (a)    Shares Subject to the Plan and Award Limits.    Subject to adjustment in the same manner as provided in Section 12 with respect to shares of Common Stock subject to Options then outstanding, the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan, and the aggregate maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan through Incentive Stock Options, shall not exceed 3,937,500 shares. To the extent that an Award lapses, the Holder's rights to an Award terminate, shares issued under an Award are forfeited, or an Award is paid in cash such that all or some of the shares of Common Stock covered by the Award are not issued to the Holder pursuant to the Award, then any such forfeited or unissued shares of Common Stock then subject to such Award shall not be deemed to have been issued under the Plan (including for purposes of the limitations set forth in subparagraphs (i) thru (v) and (d)(v) below) and shall be added back to the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan (provided the grant of such Award resulted in a reduction in such number) and shall be available for the grant of an Award under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shares of Common Stock may not again be made available for issuance pursuant to an Award under the Plan: (A) shares of Common Stock not issued or delivered as a result of the net settlement of an outstanding Award, or (B) shares of Common Stock used to pay the exercise price or withholding taxes related to an outstanding Award. Further, if any shares of Common Stock are purchased by the Company on the open market with the proceeds of an Option exercise, such purchase shall not result in any increase in the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary,

B-5


Table of Contents

The limitations set forth in clauses (i) and (iv) of the preceding sentence shall be applied in a manner that will permit Awards that are intended to provide "performance-based" compensation for purposes of section 162(m) of the Code to satisfy the requirements of such section, including, without limitation, counting against such maximum number of shares, to the extent required under section 162(m) of the Code and applicable interpretive authority thereunder, any shares subject to Options or SARs granted to employees that are canceled or repriced.

        (b)    Grant of Awards.    The Administrator may from time to time grant Awards to one or more employees or Directors determined by it to be eligible for participation in the Plan in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

        (c)    Stock Offered.    Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5(a) above, the stock to be offered pursuant to an Award may be authorized but unissued Common Stock or Common Stock previously issued and outstanding and reacquired by the Company. Any of such shares that remain unissued and that are not subject to outstanding Awards at the termination of the Plan shall cease to

B-6


Table of Contents

be subject to the Plan but, until termination of the Plan, the Company shall at all times make available a sufficient number of shares to meet the requirements of the Plan. The shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to any Award may be represented by physical stock certificates or may be uncertificated. Notwithstanding references in the Plan to certificates, the Company may deliver uncertificated shares of Common Stock in connection with any Award. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be delivered, nor shall any cash in lieu of fractional shares be paid.

        (d)    Minimum Exercisability or Vesting Requirements.    

        (e)    United / Continental Merger.    Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan or in any Grant Document to the contrary, effective as of the Effective Time (as defined in the Merger Agreement):

B-7


Table of Contents

        (f)    No Equity Grants to Legacy United Employees and Directors.    Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the only Awards that may be issued to employees or Directors who were, immediately prior to the Effective Time (as defined in Section 5(e) of the Plan), employees of UAL Corporation or any of its subsidiaries immediately preceding the Effective Time or non-employee directors of UAL Corporation immediately preceding the Effective Time shall be Awards that will be settled or paid only in cash.


6. ELIGIBILITY

        Awards may be granted only to persons who, at the time of grant, are employees or Directors. An Award may be granted on more than one occasion to the same person and, subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan, Awards may include an Incentive Stock Option, a Non-Qualified Option, an SAR, a Restricted Stock Award, a Performance Award, an Incentive Award, an Other Stock Award, or any combination thereof.


7. OPTIONS AND SARS

        (a)    Option Period.    The term of each Option shall be as specified by the Administrator at the date of grant, but in no event shall an Option be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the date of grant.

        (b)    Exercise of Option.    Subject to Section 5(d), an Option shall be exercisable in whole or in such installments and at such times as determined by the Administrator.

        (c)    Special Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.    An Incentive Stock Option may be granted only to an individual who is employed by the Company or any parent or subsidiary corporation (as defined in section 424 of the Code) of the Company at the time the Option is granted. To the extent that the aggregate fair market value (determined at the time the respective Incentive Stock Option is granted) of stock with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by an individual during any calendar year under all incentive stock option plans of the Company and its parent and subsidiary corporations exceeds $100,000, such Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Non-Qualified Options. The Administrator shall determine, in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code, Treasury regulations and other administrative pronouncements, which of a Holder's Incentive Stock Options will not constitute Incentive Stock Options because of such limitation and shall notify the Holder of such determination as soon as practicable after such determination. No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to an individual if, at the time the Option is granted, such individual owns stock possessing more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of its parent or subsidiary corporation, within the meaning of section 422(b)(6) of the Code, unless (i) at the time such Option is granted the option price is at least 110% of the Market Value per Share of the Common Stock subject to the Option and (ii) such Option by its terms is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date of grant. Except as otherwise provided in section 421 or 422 of the Code, an Incentive Stock Option shall not be transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during the Holder's lifetime only by such Holder or the Holder's guardian or Personal Representative.

        (d)    Option Grant Document.    Each Option shall be evidenced by a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve, including, without limitation, provisions to qualify an Option as an Incentive Stock Option under section 422 of the Code. Each Option Grant Document shall specify the effect of termination of employment or membership on the Board, as applicable, on the exercisability of the Option. The terms and conditions of the respective Option Grant Documents need not be identical.

B-8


Table of Contents

        (e)    Option Price and Payment.    The price at which a share of Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of an Option shall be set forth in the Option Grant Document and shall be determined by the Administrator but, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12, such purchase price shall not be less than the Market Value per Share of a share of Common Stock on the date such Option is granted. The Option or portion thereof may be exercised by delivery of an irrevocable notice of exercise, which may be in electronic format, to the Company or to a third party administrator designated by the Company. To the extent permitted by the Administrator, the Holder of an Option may pay the Option purchase price, in whole or in part, by delivery of a number of shares of Common Stock (plus cash if necessary) having a fair market value (determined based upon the Market Value per Share) equal to the Option purchase price of the portion of the Option being exercised. To the extent permitted by the Administrator and applicable law, the Holder also may exercise the Option through a "cashless exercise" of the Option pursuant to procedures satisfactory to the Administrator with respect thereto. Separate stock certificates shall be issued by the Company for those shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option and for those shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of any Non-Qualified Option.

        (f)    Stockholder Rights and Privileges.    The Holder of an Option or an SAR shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges of a stockholder only with respect to such shares of Common Stock as have been acquired under the Option or the SAR and for which certificates representing such Common Stock have been registered in the Holder's name.

        (g)    SARs.    A SAR provides the Holder with a right to acquire, upon exercise of the right, Common Stock and/or, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, cash having an aggregate value equal to the then excess of the Market Value per Share of the shares with respect to which the right is exercised over the exercise price therefor. The Administrator shall retain final authority to determine whether a Holder shall be permitted, and to approve any election by a Holder, to receive cash in full or partial settlement of a SAR. The Administrator (concurrently with the grant of an Option or subsequent to such grant) may, in its sole discretion, grant SARs to any Holder of an Option. In the case of any SAR that is granted in connection with an Incentive Stock Option, such SAR shall be exercisable only when the Market Value per Share of the Common Stock exceeds the price specified therefor in the Option or portion thereof to be surrendered. In the case of any SAR that is granted in connection with an Option, the exercise of the SAR shall result in the surrender of the right to purchase a number of shares under the Option equal to the number of shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised (and vice versa). In addition, a SAR may be granted independently of an Option pursuant to a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve; provided however that (i) the exercise price per share of Common Stock subject to the SAR shall be determined by the Administrator but, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12, such exercise price shall not be less than the Market Value per Share of a share of Common Stock on the date such SAR is granted, (ii) the term of the SAR shall be as specified by the Administrator at the date of grant, but in no event shall an SAR be exercisable after the expiration of 10 years from the date of grant, and (iii) subject to Section 5(d), the SAR shall be exercisable in whole or in such installments and at such times as determined by the Administrator. Additional terms and conditions governing any SAR may from time to time be prescribed by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

        (h)    Options and SARs in Substitution for Stock Options Granted by Other Entities.    Options and SARs may be granted under the Plan from time to time in substitution for stock options and such rights held by individuals providing service to corporations or other entities who become employees or Directors as a result of a merger or consolidation or other business combination of the employing corporation with the Company or any subsidiary.

        (i)    Repricing.    Without the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock cast in person or by proxy at a meeting of the stockholders of the Company at which a quorum

B-9


Table of Contents

representing a majority of all outstanding shares is present or represented by proxy, except for adjustments authorized under Section 12, neither the Board nor the Administrator shall approve either (i) the cancellation of outstanding Options or SARs and the grant in substitution therefore of any new Awards under the Plan having a lower option or exercise price than that of the cancelled Options or SARs specified on the original date of grant, or (ii) the amendment of outstanding Options or SARs to reduce the option or exercise price thereof below the price specified for such Award on the original date of grant. This Section 7(i) shall not be construed to apply to "issuing or assuming a stock option in a transaction to which section 424(a) applies," within the meaning of section 424 of the Code.


8. RESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS

        (a)    Stockholder Rights and Privileges.    Unless provided otherwise in the related Grant Document, each grant of Restricted Stock pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award will constitute an immediate transfer to the Holder of all stockholder rights and privileges with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to the Restricted Stock Award, including record and beneficial ownership, the right to receive dividends and all voting and other ownership rights, except that (i) the Holder shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate until the Forfeiture Restrictions (defined in paragraph (b) below) have expired, (ii) the Company shall retain custody of the stock until the Forfeiture Restrictions have expired, (iii) the Holder may not sell, transfer, pledge, exchange, hypothecate, or otherwise dispose of the stock underlying the Restricted Stock Award until the Forfeiture Restrictions have expired, (iv) a breach of the terms and conditions established by the Committee pursuant to the applicable Grant Document shall cause a forfeiture of the Restricted Stock Award, and (v) with respect to the payment of any dividend with respect to shares of Common Stock subject to the applicable Grant Document directly to the Holder, each such dividend shall be paid no later than the end of the calendar year in which the dividends are paid to stockholders of such class of shares or, if later, the fifteenth day of the third month following the date the dividends are paid to stockholders of such class of shares. At the time of such Award, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms, conditions, or restrictions relating to the Restricted Stock Award, including, but not limited to, rules pertaining to the termination of employment or service (by retirement, Disability, death, or otherwise) of a Holder prior to expiration of the Forfeitures Restrictions. Such additional terms, conditions, or restrictions shall be set forth in the Grant Document related to such Award.

        (b)    Substantial Risk of Forfeiture and Restrictions on Transfer.    Shares of Common Stock that are the subject of a Restricted Stock Award shall be subject to one or more restrictions determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, including, without limitation, a restriction that constitutes a "substantial risk of forfeiture" within the meaning of section 83 of the Code and applicable interpretive authority thereunder (the "Forfeiture Restrictions"). Each Restricted Stock Award may have different Forfeiture Restrictions, in the discretion of the Administrator. The Administrator may provide that the Forfeiture Restrictions shall lapse upon (i) the attainment of one or more Performance Measures, (ii) the Holder's continued employment with the Company or a subsidiary or continued service as a Director for a specified period of time, (iii) the occurrence of any event or the satisfaction of any other condition specified by the Administrator in its sole discretion, or (iv) a combination of any of the foregoing. During such period or periods during which such Forfeiture Restrictions are to continue and subject to the provisions of Section 5(d), the transferability of the Restricted Stock subject to such restrictions will be prohibited or restricted in a manner and to the extent prescribed by the Administrator at the date of grant.

        (c)    Payment for Restricted Stock.    The Administrator shall determine the amount and form of any payment for Common Stock received pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award (which payment may be an amount that is less than the Market Value per Share on the date of grant); provided, however, that in the absence of such a determination, a Holder shall not be required to make any payment for

B-10


Table of Contents

Common Stock received pursuant to a Restricted Stock Award, except to the extent otherwise required by law.

        (d)    Restricted Stock Grant Document.    Each grant of Restricted Stock shall be evidenced by a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve. The terms and conditions of the respective Restricted Stock Grant Documents need not be identical.


9. PERFORMANCE AWARDS

        (a)    Performance Period.    The Administrator shall establish, with respect to and at the time of each Performance Award, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the maximum value of, the Performance Award and a performance period over which the performance applicable to the Performance Award shall be measured. A Performance Award may be granted in the form of a "restricted stock unit" or "RSU" award or such other form as determined by the Administrator from time to time.

        (b)    Performance Measures.    A Performance Award shall be awarded to a Holder contingent upon future performance of the Company or any subsidiary, division, or department thereof during the performance period. To the extent that compliance with section 162(m) of the Code is intended with respect to an Award, the Committee shall establish the Performance Measures applicable to such Performance Award within the applicable time period permitted by section 162(m) of the Code, subject to adjustment thereto as may be determined by the Administrator for changes in accounting principles and other specified significant extraordinary items or events as permitted by section 162(m) of the Code. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide for an adjustable (i) number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Performance Award or (ii) value of the Performance Award based upon the level of achievement of Performance Measures.

        (c)    Awards Criteria.    In determining the value of Performance Awards, the Administrator may take into account a Holder's responsibility level, performance, potential, other Awards, and such other considerations as it deems appropriate. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may provide for a reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Performance Award or the value of a Holder's Performance Award during the performance period, if permitted by the applicable Grant Document.

        (d)    Payment.    Following the end of the performance period for a Performance Award (or at such other time as the applicable Grant Document may provide, subject to Section 5(d)), the Holder of a Performance Award shall be entitled to receive payment of an amount not exceeding the number of shares of Common Stock subject to, or the maximum value of, the Performance Award, based on the achievement of the Performance Measures for such performance period, as determined by the Administrator and certified by the Committee if and as required by section 162(m) of the Code. Payment of a Performance Award may be made in cash, Common Stock (valued at the Market Value per Share), or a combination thereof, as determined by the Administrator. Payment shall be made in a lump sum or in installments as prescribed by the Committee. If a Performance Award covering shares of Common Stock is to be paid in cash, such payment shall be based on the Market Value per Share on the payment date or such other date, or averaged over such period, as may be specified by the Committee in the applicable Grant Document.

        (e)    Termination of Award.    A Performance Award shall terminate if the Holder does not remain continuously in the employ (or in service as a Director) of the Company or a subsidiary at all times during the applicable performance period, except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Grant Document or determined by the Administrator.

B-11


Table of Contents

        (f)    Performance Award Grant Document.    Each grant of a Performance Award shall be evidenced by a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve. The terms and conditions of the respective Performance Award Grant Documents need not be identical.


10. INCENTIVE AWARDS

        (a)    Incentive Awards.    Incentive Awards are rights to receive shares of Common Stock (or the Market Value per Share thereof), or rights to receive an amount equal to any appreciation or increase in the Market Value per Share of Common Stock over a specified period of time, which vest over a period of time, subject to Section 5(d), as established by the Administrator, without satisfaction of any performance criteria or objectives. The Administrator may, in its discretion, require payment or other conditions of the Holder respecting any Incentive Award. An Incentive Award may be granted in the form of a "phantom stock" award or "restricted stock unit" or "RSU" award or such other form as determined by the Administrator from time to time.

        (b)    Award Period.    The Administrator shall establish, with respect to and at the time of each Incentive Award, a period over which the Award shall vest with respect to the Holder.

        (c)    Awards Criteria.    In determining the value of Incentive Awards, the Administrator shall take into account a Holder's responsibility level, performance, potential, other Awards, and such other considerations as it deems appropriate.

        (d)    Payment.    Following the end of the vesting period for an Incentive Award (or at such other time as the applicable Grant Document may provide), the Holder of an Incentive Award shall be entitled to receive payment of an amount, not exceeding the maximum value of the Incentive Award, based on the then vested value of the Award. Payment of an Incentive Award may be made in cash, Common Stock (valued at the Market Value per Share), or a combination thereof as determined by the Administrator. Payment shall be made in a lump sum, except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Grant Document. Cash dividend equivalents may be paid during or after the vesting period with respect to an Incentive Award, as determined by the Administrator.

        (e)    Termination of Award.    An Incentive Award shall terminate if the Holder does not remain continuously in the employ (or in service as a Director) of the Company or a subsidiary at all times during the applicable vesting period, except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Grant Document or determined by the Administrator.

        (f)    Incentive Award Grant Document.    Each grant of an Incentive Award shall be evidenced by a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve. The terms and conditions of the respective Incentive Award Grant Documents need not be identical.


11. OTHER STOCK AWARDS

        (a)    Other Stock Awards.    Each Other Stock Award granted to a Holder shall constitute a transfer of unrestricted shares of Common Stock on such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine. Other Stock Awards shall be made in shares of Common Stock and, subject to Section 5(d), need not be subject to performance criteria or objectives or to forfeiture. The purchase price, if any, for shares of Common Stock issued in connection with an Other Stock Award shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion.

        (b)    Other Stock Award Grant Document.    Each grant of an Other Stock Award shall be evidenced by a Grant Document in such form and containing such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan as the Administrator from time to time shall approve. The terms and conditions of the respective Other Stock Award Grant Documents need not be identical.

B-12


Table of Contents


12. RECAPITALIZATION, REORGANIZATION AND OTHER CHANGES

        (a)    No Effect on Right or Power.    The existence of the Plan and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect in any way the right or power of the Board or the stockholders of the Company or any subsidiary to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company's or any subsidiary's capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company or any subsidiary, any issue of debt or equity securities ahead of or affecting Common Stock or the rights thereof, the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any subsidiary or any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition of all or any part of its assets or business or any other corporate act or proceeding.

        (b)    Subdivision or Consolidation of Shares; Common Stock Dividends.    The shares with respect to which Awards may be granted are shares of Common Stock as presently constituted, but if, and whenever, prior to the expiration of an Award theretofore granted, the Company shall effect a subdivision or consolidation of shares of Common Stock or the payment of a Common Stock dividend on Common Stock without receipt of full consideration by the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which such Award may thereafter be exercised or satisfied, as applicable, (i) in the event of an increase in the number of outstanding shares, shall be proportionately increased, and, if applicable, the purchase price per share shall be proportionately reduced, and (ii) in the event of a reduction in the number of outstanding shares, shall be proportionately reduced, and, if applicable, the purchase price per share shall be proportionately increased. Any fractional share resulting from such adjustment shall be rounded up or down to the next whole share as determined by the Administrator. Further, the Committee shall have the authority to make such further adjustments to Awards pursuant to this paragraph as necessary to avoid adverse accounting effects or to satisfy regulatory requirements.

        (c)    Adjustments to Options and SARs.    If the Company recapitalizes, reclassifies its capital stock, or otherwise changes its capital structure (a "recapitalization"), the number and class of shares of Common Stock or other property (including cash) covered by an Option or SAR theretofore granted and, if applicable, the purchase price of Common Stock or other property subject to such Option or SAR shall be adjusted so that such Option or SAR shall thereafter cover the number and class of shares of stock and other property to which the Holder would have been entitled pursuant to the terms of the recapitalization if, immediately prior to the recapitalization, the Holder had been the holder of record of the number of shares of Common Stock then covered by such Option or SAR.

        If (i) the Company shall not be the surviving entity in any merger or consolidation (or survives only as a subsidiary of an entity), (ii) the Company sells, leases, or exchanges or agrees to sell, lease, or exchange all or substantially all of its assets to any other person or entity, or (iii) the Company is dissolved and liquidated (each such event is referred to herein as a "Corporate Change"), then, the Committee, acting in its sole discretion without the consent or approval of any Holder, shall effect one or more of the following alternatives in an equitable and appropriate manner to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, which alternatives may vary among individual Holders and which may vary among Options or SARs held by any individual Holder:

B-13


Table of Contents

For the purposes of this Section 12(c), the "Corporate Change Value" shall equal the amount determined in clause (A) or (B), whichever is applicable, as follows: (A) the per share price offered to stockholders of the Company in any such merger, consolidation, sale of assets or dissolution transaction, or (B) if a Corporate Change occurs other than pursuant to an offer to stockholders, the fair market value per share of the shares into which such Options or SARs being surrendered are exercisable, as determined by the Committee as of the date determined by the Committee (in accordance with section 409A of the Code to the extent applicable) to be the date of cancellation and surrender of such Awards. In the event that the consideration in any transaction described in this Section 12(c) above consists of anything other than cash, the Committee shall determine the fair cash equivalent of the portion of the consideration offered which is other than cash.

        (d)    Other Changes in Common Stock and Company Transactions.    In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock or corporate transactions involving the Company, including, but not limited to, recapitalizations, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations, combinations, split-ups, split-offs, spin-offs, stock splits, exchanges, liquidations, issuances of rights or warrants, or other relevant changes in capitalization or distributions (other than ordinary dividends) to the holders of Common Stock occurring after the date of the grant of any Award, and not otherwise provided for in this Section 12 with respect to such Award, then such Award and the related Grant Document shall be subject to adjustment by the Committee at its sole discretion in a timely, equitable and appropriate manner to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under such Award (including, without limitation, adjustments as to the number and price of shares of Common Stock or other consideration subject to such Award). In the event of any such change in the outstanding Common Stock, corporate transaction or distribution to the holders of Common Stock, or upon the occurrence of any other event described in this Section 12, the aggregate maximum number of shares available under the Plan, the aggregate maximum number of shares that may be issued under the Plan through Incentive Stock Options, the kind of shares that may be delivered under the Plan and the provisions of Section 5(a) imposing limits on the numbers of shares of Common Stock covered by Awards granted or issued under the Plan shall be adjusted appropriately by the Committee. Adjustments to Awards pursuant to this paragraph may include, but shall not be limited to, (i) adjustments to the number and kind of shares subject to outstanding Awards, (ii) adjustments of the purchase price or exercise price, if applicable, of outstanding Awards, (iii) replacement of Awards with other Awards that the Committee determines have comparable value and which are based on stock of a company resulting from the transaction, and (iv) cancellation of an Award in return for a payment of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the current value of the Award (as determined by the Committee). Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) adjustments pursuant to this Section 12 shall be subject to any required stockholder action and (y) to the extent required by section 409A of the Code, no adjustment shall be made in a manner that would give rise to an impermissible acceleration of the time or form of a payment of a benefit under the Plan pursuant to section 409A(a)(3) of the Code and any regulations or guidance issued thereunder.

B-14


Table of Contents

        (e)    Change in Control.    As used in the Plan (except as otherwise provided in an applicable Grant Document), the term "Change in Control" shall mean:

        For purposes of clause (aa) above, the term "Outside Persons" means any Persons other than (I) Persons described in clauses (aa)(i) or (iii) above (as to Persons described in clause (aa)(iii) above, while they are Excluded Persons) and (II) members of senior management of the Company in office immediately prior to the time the Acquiring Person acquires the beneficial ownership described in clause (aa).

        For purposes of clause (cc) above, the Company shall be considered to be the "Controlling Corporation" in any merger, consolidation, reorganization or similar transaction unless either (1) the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction (the "Old Stockholders") would not, immediately after such consummation, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, securities of the resulting or acquiring entity entitled to elect a majority of the members of the Board of Directors or other governing body of the resulting entity or (2) those persons who were Directors of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction would not, immediately after such consummation, constitute a majority of the directors of the resulting entity, provided that (I) there shall be excluded from the determination of the voting power of the Old Stockholders securities in the resulting entity beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the other party to the transaction and any such securities beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any Person acting in concert with the other party to the transaction, (II) there shall be excluded from the determination of the voting power of the Old Stockholders securities in the resulting entity acquired in any such transaction other than as a result of the beneficial ownership of Company securities prior to the transaction and (III) persons who are directors of the resulting entity shall be deemed not to have been Directors of the Company immediately prior to the consummation of the transaction if they were elected as Directors of the Company within 90 days prior to the consummation of the transaction.

B-15


Table of Contents


13. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

        (a)    The Plan.    Subject to the last sentence of Section 3 hereof, the Board in its discretion may terminate the Plan at any time with respect to any shares of Common Stock for which Awards have not theretofore been granted. Subject to Section 13(c) hereof, the Board shall have the right to amend the Plan or any part thereof from time to time, and the Administrator may amend any Award (and its related Grant Document) at any time, except as otherwise specifically provided in such Grant Document; provided that no change in any Award theretofore granted may be made which would impair the rights of the Holder thereof without the consent of such Holder, and provided further that the Board may not, without approval of the stockholders of the Company, amend the Plan to (i) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the Plan, (ii) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued under the Plan pursuant to Incentive Stock Options, (iii) change the class of individuals eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, or (iv) amend or delete Section 7(i). Notwithstanding the foregoing, prior to the date of stockholder approval of the Plan at the Company's 2010 annual stockholder meeting, the Board may authorize the Committee to amend the Plan or any part thereof, including but not limited to the provisions referenced in clauses (i) thru (iv) above.

        (b)    Grant Documents.    Subject to the consent of the Holder and the restrictions set forth in the Plan, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, amend an outstanding Grant Document from time to time in any manner that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan.

        (c)    Stockholder Approval Requirements.    To the extent stockholder approval of an amendment to the Plan is necessary to satisfy (i) the requirements of Rule 16b-3 or (ii) any securities exchange listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange or other securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed, no such amendment shall be effective unless and until so approved by the stockholders of the Company.


14. MISCELLANEOUS

        (a)    No Right to an Award.    Neither the adoption of the Plan nor any action of the Board or the Administrator shall be deemed to give an employee or Director any right to be granted an Award except as may be evidenced by a Grant Document from the Company reflecting a grant by the Company of an Award to such person and setting forth the terms and conditions thereof. The Plan shall be unfunded. The Company shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of funds or assets to assure the performance of its obligations under any Award.

        (b)    No Employment or Membership Rights Conferred.    Nothing contained in the Plan shall (i) confer upon any employee any right with respect to continuation of employment with the Company or any subsidiary or (ii) interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any subsidiary to terminate his or her employment at any time. Nothing contained in the Plan shall confer upon any Director any right with respect to continuation of membership on the Board. For purposes of the Plan, except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, an employee shall be considered to be in the employment of the Company as long as the employee remains an employee of (1) the Company, (2) a parent corporation with respect to the Company, (3) a subsidiary, or (4) a corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such corporation assuming or substituting a new award for an Award granted under the Plan. Without limiting the scope of the preceding sentence and except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, an employee shall be considered to have terminated employment with the Company at the time of the termination of the "subsidiary" status under the Plan of the entity or other organization that employs such employee. Any question as to whether and when there has been a termination of such employment, and the cause of such termination, shall be determined by the Administrator and its determination shall be final.

B-16


Table of Contents

        (c)    Compliance with Laws.    The grant of Awards and the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to any Award shall be subject to compliance with all applicable requirements of federal, state, local and foreign law with respect to such securities and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Common Stock may then be listed. The Company shall not be obligated to issue any Common Stock pursuant to any Award granted under the Plan at any time when the shares covered by such Award have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and such other state and federal laws, rules, and regulations as the Company or the Administrator deems applicable or, in the opinion of legal counsel for the Company, there is no exemption from the registration requirements of such laws, rules, and regulations available for the issuance and sale of such shares. The Administrator shall have the right to suspend the right of any Holder to exercise an Option during any period in which the Administrator deems such suspension to be necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

        (d)    Withholding.    The Company shall have the right to (i) make deductions from any settlement or exercise of an Award made under the Plan, including the delivery of shares, or require shares or cash or both be withheld from any Award, in each case in an amount sufficient to satisfy withholding of any taxes required by law, or (ii) take such other action as may be necessary or appropriate to satisfy any such tax withholding obligations. The Administrator may determine the manner in which such tax withholding may be satisfied, and may permit shares of Common Stock (together with cash, as appropriate) to be used to satisfy required tax withholding based on the Market Value per Share of any such shares of Common Stock.

        (e)    No Restriction on Corporate Action.    Subject to the restrictions contained in Section 13, nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company or any subsidiary from taking any corporate action, whether or not such action would have an adverse effect on the Plan or any Award granted hereunder. No employee, Director, beneficiary or other person shall have any claim against the Company or any subsidiary as a result of any such action.

        (f)    Restrictions on Transfer.    An Award (other than an Incentive Stock Option, which shall be subject to the transfer restrictions set forth in Section 7(c)) shall not be transferable otherwise than (i) by will or the laws of descent and distribution, (ii) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined by the Code or Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules thereunder, or (iii) with the consent of the Administrator. In the discretion of the Administrator, a percentage (determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Grant Document) of the aggregate shares of Common Stock obtained from exercises of an Option (which percentage may be satisfied out of particular exercises as determined by the Administrator and set forth in the applicable Grant Document) shall not be transferable prior to the earliest to occur of (x) the termination of the relevant Option term (or such shorter period as may be determined by the Administrator and set forth in the Grant Document), (y) the Holder's retirement, death or Disability, or (z) termination of the Holder's employment with the Company and its subsidiaries.

        (g)    Governing Law.    The Plan shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

B-17


Table of Contents


FIRST AMENDMENT TO
UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.
INCENTIVE PLAN 2010

        WHEREAS, United Continental Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") has heretofore adopted the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010, as amended and restated through February 17, 2011 (the "Plan");

        WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") is authorized to amend the Plan; and

        WHEREAS, the Board desires to amend the Performance Measures set forth in Section 2 of the Plan to conform to the performance measures set forth in the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Plan (the "2008 Plan") and to amend certain award limits set forth in Section 5 of the Plan to conform to corresponding award limits set forth in the 2008 Plan.

        NOW, THEREFORE, subject to stockholder approval at the Company's 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Plan shall be amended as follows, effective with respect to awards granted on or after June 12, 2013:

        1.     Section 2(v) of the Plan shall be deleted and the following shall be substituted therefor:

B-18


Table of Contents

        2.     Subparagraph (i) of Section 5(a) shall be deleted and the following shall be substituted therefor:

        3.     As amended hereby, the Plan is specifically ratified and reaffirmed.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned officer of the Company acting pursuant to authority granted to him by the Board of Directors of the Company has executed this instrument on this 21st day of March, 2013.

    UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ BRETT J. HART

        Name:   Brett J. Hart
        Title:   Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

B-19


Table of Contents


Annex C

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS
OF UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS, INC.

ARTICLE 1

Definitions

As used in these Restated Bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

C-1


Table of Contents


ARTICLE 2

Stockholders' Meetings

        2.1    Annual Meeting.    A meeting of Stockholders shall be held annually for the election of Directors and the transaction of other business at an hour and date as shall be determined by the Board and designated in the notice of meeting.

        2.2    Special Meetings.    Subject to the Restated Certificate, a special meeting of the

        (a)    A special meeting of the Stockholders may be called by (i) both the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman or (ii) the Board, and at an hour and date as shall be determined by them.

        Stockholders may be called only by (a) the Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman or (b) the Board, and at an hour and date as shall be determined by them. At any special meeting of Stockholders, no business other than that set forth in the notice thereof given pursuant to Section 2.4 may be transacted. (b) Subject to this Section 2.2 and other applicable provisions of these Restated Bylaws, a special meeting of Stockholders shall be called by the Secretary upon the written request (each such request, a "Special Meeting Request" and such meeting, a "Stockholder Requested Special Meeting") of one or more Stockholders of record of the Corporation that together have continuously held, for their own account or on behalf of others, beneficial ownership of at least a twenty-five percent (25%) aggregate "net long position" of the outstanding Common Stock (the "Requisite Percentage") for at least one year prior to the date such request is delivered to the Corporation (such period, the "One-Year Period"). For purposes of determining the Requisite Percentage, "net long position" shall be determined with respect to each requesting holder in accordance with the definition thereof set forth in Rule 14e-4 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the "Exchange Act"); provided that (x) for purposes of such definition, (A) "the date that a tender offer is first publicly announced or otherwise made known by the bidder to the holders of the security to be acquired" shall be the date of the relevant Special Meeting Request, (B) the "highest tender offer price or stated amount of the consideration offered for the subject security" shall refer to the closing sales price of Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange (or any successor thereto) on such date (or, if such date is not a trading day, the next succeeding trading day), (C) the "person whose securities are the subject of the offer" shall refer to the Corporation, and (D) a "subject security" shall refer to the outstanding Common Stock; and (y) the net long position of such holder shall be reduced by the number of shares of Common Stock as to which such holder does not, or will not, have the right to vote or direct the vote at the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting or as to which such holder has, at

C-2


Table of Contents

any time during the One-Year Period, entered into any derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding that hedges or transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, any of the economic consequences of ownership of such shares and which derivative or other agreement, arrangement or understanding remains in effect. Whether the requesting holders have submitted valid Special Meeting Requests representing the Requisite Percentage and complying with the requirements of this Section 2.2 and related provisions of these Restated Bylaws (a "Valid Special Meeting Request") shall be determined in good faith by the Board, which determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Corporation and the Stockholders.

        (c)    In order for a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting to be called, one or more Special Meeting Requests must be signed by the Requisite Percentage of Stockholders submitting such request and by each of the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is being made and must be delivered to the Secretary. The Special Meeting Request(s) shall be delivered to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation by nationally recognized private overnight courier service, return receipt requested. Each Special Meeting Request shall (i) set forth a statement of the specific purpose(s) of the requested special meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at it, (ii) bear the date of signature of each such Stockholder signing the Special Meeting Request, (iii) set forth (A) the name and address, as they appear in the Corporation's books, of each Stockholder signing such request and the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf such request is made and (B) the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by each such Stockholder and the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf such request is made, (iv) set forth any material interest of each Stockholder signing the Special Meeting Request in the business desired to be brought before the special meeting, (v) include documentary evidence that the Stockholders requesting the special meeting own the Requisite Percentage as of the date on which the Special Meeting Request is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation; provided, however, that if the Stockholders are not the beneficial owners of the shares constituting all or part of the Requisite Percentage, then to be valid, the Special Meeting Request must also include documentary evidence (or, if not simultaneously provided with the Special Meeting Request, such documentary evidence must be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation within ten (10) days after the date on which the Special Meeting Request is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation) that the beneficial owners on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is made beneficially own such shares as of the date on which such Special Meeting Request is delivered to the Secretary, (vi) an agreement by each of the Stockholders requesting the special meeting and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is being made to notify the Corporation promptly in the event of any decrease in the net long position held by such Stockholder or beneficial owner following the delivery of such Special Meeting Request and prior to the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting and an acknowledgement that any such decrease shall be deemed to be a revocation of such Special Meeting Request by such Stockholder or beneficial owner to the extent of such reduction, (vii) contain any other information that would be a Disclosable Interest, as defined in Section 2.10(a)(3)(B)(vi) of these Restated Bylaws, if such Stockholder or beneficial owner, as applicable, were a Proposing Person, as defined in Section 2.10(a)(2) of these Restated Bylaws and (viii) if the purpose of the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting includes the election of one or more Directors, contain any other information that would be required to be set forth set forth with respect to a proposed nominee pursuant to Section 2.10(a)(3)(C) of these Restated Bylaws. Each Stockholder making a Special Meeting Request and each beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the Special Meeting Request is being made is required to update such Special Meeting Request delivered pursuant to this Section 2.2 in accordance with the requirements of Section 2.10(a)(4) of these Restated Bylaws. Any requesting Stockholder may revoke his, her or its Special Meeting Request at any time prior to the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting by written revocation delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation. There shall be no requirement to hold a special meeting

C-3


Table of Contents

(and the Board may cancel the special meeting) if the unrevoked (taking into account any specific written revocation or any reduction in the net long position held by such Stockholder, as described above) Special Meeting Requests represent in the aggregate less than the Requisite Percentage at any time after (a) a Valid Special Meeting Request has been delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation or (b) sixty (60) days following the earliest dated Special Meeting Request.

        (d)    In determining whether Special Meeting Requests have met the requirements of this Section 2.2, multiple Special Meeting Requests will be considered together only if (i) each Special Meeting Request identifies substantially the same purpose or purposes of the requested special meeting and substantially the same matters proposed to be acted on at the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting (in each case as determined in good faith by the Board), and (ii) such Special Meeting Requests have been delivered to the Secretary within 60 days of the delivery to the Secretary of the earliest dated Special Meeting Request relating to such item(s) of business.

        (e)    If none of the Stockholders who submitted a Special Meeting Request appears or sends a qualified representative to present the item of business submitted by the Stockholders for consideration at the Stockholder Requested Special Meeting, such item of business shall not be submitted for vote of the Stockholders at such Stockholder Requested Special Meeting, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation or such Stockholder(s). A Special Meeting Request shall not be valid (and the Board shall have no obligation to call a special meeting in respect of such Special Meeting Request) if it relates to an item of business that is not a proper subject for Stockholder action under applicable law, was made in a manner that involved a violation of an applicable law or regulation, would violate the law, would cause the Corporation to violate the law or does not comply with the provisions of this Section 2.2. The procedures set forth in this Section 2.2 are the exclusive means by which items of business may be raised by Stockholders at a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting.

        (f)    Except as provided in the next sentence, a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting shall be held at such date, time and place within or without the State of Delaware as may be fixed by the Board; provided, however, that the date of any such Stockholder Requested Special Meeting shall be not more than ninety (90) days after the date on which a Valid Special Meeting Request has been delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation (such date of delivery being the "Delivery Date"). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Stockholder Requested Special Meeting need not be held if (i) the Board has called or calls a meeting of Stockholders to be held within 90 days after the Delivery Date and the business of such meeting includes (among any other matters properly brought forth before the meeting) an item of business that is identical or substantially similar (as determined in good faith by the Board, a "Similar Item") to an item of business specified in the Special Meeting Request or Requests, (ii) the Delivery Date is during the period commencing ninety (90) days prior to the first anniversary of the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting and ending on the earlier of (A) the date of the next annual meeting and (B) thirty (30) days after the first anniversary of the date of the immediately preceding annual meeting, or (iii) the subject of such Special Meeting Request or Requests contains a Similar Item to an item of business that was voted on at any meeting of Stockholders held within 120 days prior to the Delivery Date (it being understood that, for purposes of this Section 2.2, the election or removal of directors shall be deemed a Similar Item with respect to all items involving the election or removal of directors).

        Written notice of a special meeting stating the place, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which Stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be given not less than ten nor more than sixty days before the date of the meeting to each Stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting.

C-4


Table of Contents

        Any notice relating to a special meeting appropriately called pursuant to this Section 2.2 shall describe the item or items of business to be considered at such special meeting. Business transacted at any special meeting shall be limited to the matters identified in the Corporation's notice given pursuant to Section 2.4; provided, however, that nothing herein shall prohibit the Board from including in such notice and submitting to the Stockholders additional matters to be considered at any Stockholder Requested Special Meeting.

        2.3    Place of Meetings.    All meetings of Stockholders shall be held at such places, within or without the State of Delaware, as may from time to time be fixed by the Board or as specified or fixed in the respective notices. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of the Stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto). Any previously-scheduled meeting of the Stockholders may be postponed by action of the Board taken prior to the time previously scheduled for such annual meeting of Stockholders.

        2.4    Notices of Stockholders' Meetings.    Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.5 or otherwise required by the Restated Certificate or applicable law, written notice of each meeting of Stockholders, whether annual or special, shall be given to each Stockholder required or permitted to take any action at, or entitled to notice of, such meeting not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which the meeting is to be held, by delivering such notice to him or her, personally, by mail or by electronic transmission in the manner provided by law. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when deposited in the United States mail, with postage prepaid, directed to the Stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the stock ledger of the Corporation. Every notice of a meeting of Stockholders shall state the place, date and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.

        2.5    Waivers of Notice.    Notwithstanding any other provision in these Restated Bylaws, notice of any meeting of Stockholders shall not be required as to any Stockholder who shall attend such meeting in person or be represented by proxy, except when such Stockholder attends such meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business at such meeting because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. If any Stockholder shall, in person or represented by proxy, waive notice of any meeting, whether before or after such meeting, notice thereof shall not be required as to such Stockholder.

        2.6   Quorum Requirements and Required Vote at Stockholder Meetings.

        (a)   Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, at all meetings of Stockholders the presence, in person or represented by proxy, of the holders of outstanding shares representing at least a majority of the total voting power entitled to vote at a meeting of Stockholders shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however, that where a separate vote of a class or classes or series of stock is required, the presence in person or represented by proxy of the holders of outstanding shares representing at least a majority of the total voting power of all outstanding shares of such class or classes or series shall constitute a quorum thereof entitled to take action with respect to such separate vote.

        (b)   Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, each holder of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote on any matter at any meeting of the Stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of such stock standing in the name of such holder on the stock ledger of the Corporation on the record date for the determination of the Stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, including, without limitation, Section 3.3 hereof, the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the subject matter at a meeting of Stockholders at which a quorum is present

C-5


Table of Contents

shall be the act of the Stockholders. Except as required by applicable law, the method of voting and the manner in which votes are counted shall be discretionary with the presiding officer at the meeting.

        (c)   The holders of a majority in voting power of the shares entitled to vote and present in person or represented by proxy at any meeting of Stockholders, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn such meeting to another time and place. At any such adjourned meeting at which a quorum shall be present, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally called. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, no notice of an adjourned meeting need be given.

        2.7   Proxies.    Each Stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of Stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for him or her by proxy executed in writing by the Stockholder or as otherwise permitted by law, or by his or her duly authorized attorney-in-fact, but such proxy shall no longer be valid eleven months after the date of such proxy. Such proxy must be filed with the Secretary of the Corporation or his or her representative at or before the time of the meeting.

        2.8   Inspectors.    The Board by resolution shall appoint one or more inspectors, which inspector or inspectors may include individuals who serve the Corporation in other capacities, including, without limitation, as officers, employees, agents or representatives of the Corporation, to act at the meeting and make a written report thereof. One or more persons may be designated as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If no inspector or alternate has been appointed to act, or if all inspectors or alternates who have been appointed are unable to act, at the meeting of Stockholders, the chairman of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before discharging his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspectors shall have the duties prescribed by the DGCL. The chairman of the meeting shall fix and announce at the meeting the time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the Stockholders will vote at a meeting.

        2.9    Conduct of Stockholders' Meetings.    The Chief Executive Officer or the Chairman of the Board, as designated by the Board, or, in their absence or the absence of any such designation, the appointee of the presiding officer of the meeting, shall preside at all meetings of Stockholders and may establish such rules of procedure for conducting the meetings as he or she deems fair and reasonable. The Secretary, or in his or her absence an Assistant Secretary, or if none be present, the appointee of the presiding officer of the meeting, shall act as secretary of the meeting.

        2.10 Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.

        (a)   Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

C-6


Table of Contents

C-7


Table of Contents

C-8


Table of Contents

C-9


Table of Contents

        (b)   Special Meeting of Stockholders.

        Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of Stockholders called pursuant to Section 2.2 as shall have been properly brought before thesuch meeting in accordance with Section 2.2. Nominations of persons for election to the Board may be made at a special meeting of Stockholders called pursuant to Section 2.2(a) (a "Management Requested Special Meeting") at which Directors are properly to be elected only (1) by or at the direction of the Board or (2) by any Stockholder who (A) was a Stockholder of record (and, with respect to any beneficial owner, if different, on whose behalf any nomination is made, only if such beneficial owner was the beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation) both at the time of giving of notice provided for in this Section 2.10 and at the time of the meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meetingsuch Management Requested Special Meeting and (C) complied with this paragraph (b) and paragraph (a)(3) of this Section 2.10 as to such nominations. Without qualificationexception, in order for a Stockholder to present any nominations of persons for election to the Board at such a special meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting, pursuant to clause (2) of this paragraph (b), the Stockholder must (x) have given timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation (which notice shall include disclosure of the information that is required by the applicable provisions of paragraph (a)(3) of this Section 2.10) and (y) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by paragraph (a)(4) of this Section 2.10. To be timely, a Stockholder's notice shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth day prior to the date of such special meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (x) the ninetieth day prior to the date of such special meeting and (y) the tenth day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of such special meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board to be elected at such special meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting. In no event shall any adjournment of a special meetingManagement Requested Special Meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Stockholder's notice as described above.

        (c)   General.

C-10


Table of Contents

        2.11    List of Stockholders.    It shall be the duty of the Secretary or other officer who has charge of the stock ledger to prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before each annual or special meeting of the Stockholders, a complete list of the Stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each Stockholder and the number of shares registered in such Stockholder's name. Such list shall be produced and kept available at the times and places required by law. The stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to which Stockholders are the Stockholders entitled to examine the stock ledger or the list required by this Section 2.11, or to vote in person or by proxy at such meeting of the Stockholders.

        2.12    Remote Communication.    For the purposes of these Restated Bylaws, if authorized by the Board in its sole discretion, and subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Board may adopt, Stockholders and proxyholders may, by means of remote communication:

        (a)   participate in a meeting of Stockholders; and

        (b)   be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of Stockholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that (i) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a Stockholder or proxyholder, (ii) the Corporation shall implement reasonable measures to provide such Stockholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the Stockholders, including an opportunity to read or hear the proceedings of the meeting substantially concurrently with such proceedings, and (iii) if any Stockholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Corporation.


ARTICLE 3

Board Of Directors

        3.1    Number and Term of Office.    The number and term of office of Directors on the Board shall be determined as provided in the Restated Certificate.

        3.2    Powers.    The Board may, except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate or the DGCL, exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.

C-11


Table of Contents

        3.3    Election.    Except as otherwise required by applicable law or the Restated Certificate, and notwithstanding Section 2.6(b) hereof, Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast at a meeting of Stockholders by the holders of shares entitled to vote on their election.

        3.4    Place of Meetings.    Meetings of the Board may be held either within or without the State of Delaware at such place as is indicated in the notice or waiver of notice thereof. It is intended that a majority of the in-person Board meetings in each calendar year shall be held in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area.

        3.5    Organization Meeting.    The Board shall meet as soon as practicable after each annual meeting of Stockholders at the place of such annual meeting for the purpose of organization and the transaction of other business. No notice of such meeting of the Board shall be required. Such organization meeting may be held at any other time or place specified in a notice given as hereinafter provided for special meetings of the Board, or in a consent and waiver of notice thereof, signed by all of the Directors.

        3.6    Stated Meetings.    The Board shall from time to time, by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Entire Board, appoint the time and place for holding stated meetings of the Board; and such meetings shall thereupon be held at the time and place so appointed, without the giving of any special notice with regard thereto. Any and all business may be transacted at any stated meeting.

        3.7    Special Meetings.    Special meetings of the Board shall be held whenever called by the Secretary, at the direction of any three Directors, or by the Chairman, or, in the event that the office of the Chairman is vacant, by the Chief Executive Officer, or in the event that the offices of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are vacant, by the President. Notice of a special meeting shall set forth a description of such meeting and be sent to the Directors as provided in Section 3.8.

        3.8    Notices of Board Meetings.    Notice of any meeting shall be sent to each Director at his or her residence or usual place of business either (a) by reputable overnight delivery service in circumstances to which such service guarantees next day delivery, not later than on the day that is the second business day immediately preceding the day of such meeting, or (b) by facsimile, telex, telegram or electronic mail, not later than twenty-four (24) hours before the time of such meeting. If sent by overnight delivery service, such notice shall be deemed to be given when delivered to such service; if sent by facsimile, telex, telegram or electronic mail, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted. Notice of any meeting of the Board need not however be given to any Director, if waived by him or her in writing or if, subject to applicable law, he or she shall be present at the meeting. Any meeting of the Board shall be a legal meeting without any notice thereof having been given if all of the Directors shall be present thereat, except when a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

        3.9    Quorum and Manner of Acting.    Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, the presence at any organization, stated or special meeting of Directors having at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Entire Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; and, except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board. In the absence of a quorum, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Directors present may adjourn any meeting, from time to time, until a quorum is present.

C-12


Table of Contents

        3.10    Telephone Meetings.    Directors or members of any committee of the Board may participate in a meeting of the Board or of such committee by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to this Section 3.10 shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

        3.11    Chairman of the Board Pro Tempore.    In the absence of both the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer at any meeting of the Board, the Board may appoint from among its members a Chairman of the Board pro tempore, who shall preside at such meeting, except where otherwise provided by law.

        3.12    Resignation.    Any Director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time received by the Corporation, unless the resignation specifies a later effective date or an effective date determined upon the happening of one or more events.

        3.13    Removal of Directors.    Any Director or the entire Board may be removed with or without cause as provided under the DGCL.

        3.14    Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships.    Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of Directors may be filled by a majority of the Directors then in office, even if less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining Director, and the Directors so chosen shall hold office until the next election of Directors and until their successors are duly elected and qualified or until earlier resignation or removal. If there are no Directors in office, then an election of Directors may be held in the manner provided by statute.

        3.15    Directors' Fees.    The Board shall have authority to determine, from time to time, the amount of compensation that shall be paid to its members for attendance at meetings of the Board or of any committee of the Board, which compensation may be payable currently or deferred.

        3.16    Action Without Meeting.    Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board or any committee of the Board may be taken without a meeting if all of the members of the Board or of any such committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing, by electronic transmission or transmissions, or as otherwise permitted by law and, if required by law, the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or of such committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.


ARTICLE 4

Board Committees

        4.1   Designation.

        (a)   Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, the Board may, by resolution adopted by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Entire Board, designate one or more committees of the Board, each such committee to consist of one or more Directors. Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, unless sooner discharged by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Entire Board, members of each committee of the Board shall hold office until the organization meeting of the Board in the next subsequent year and until their respective successors are appointed.

        (b)   So far as practicable, members of each committee of the Board shall be appointed annually at the organization meeting of the Board. The Board may designate one or more Directors as alternate members of any committee of the Board, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any

C-13


Table of Contents

meeting of such committee. The Nominating/Governance Committee of the Board shall have the power to recommend to the Board a chairman of each committee of the Board by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by all of the members of the Nominating/Governance Committee. The Board shall have the power to appoint one of its members to act as chairman of each committee of the Board.

        (c)   Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as required by law or otherwise provided in these Restated Bylaws, no committee of the Board will have the authority to (i) issue dividends, distributions or securities, except for issuances of cash or securities pursuant to employee benefit plans; (ii) to approve a Fundamental Change or Change in Ownership, except as may be required in the exercise of fiduciary duties; (iii) to take any action that would require the approval of the Stockholders pursuant to the DGCL; (iv) elect any officer designated as such in Section 5.1 or to fill any vacancy in any such office; (v) designate the Chief Executive Officer or the Chairman of the Board; (vi) fill any vacancy in the Board or any newly created Directorship; (vii) amend these Restated Bylaws; (viii) take any action that under these Restated Bylaws is required to be taken by vote of a specified proportion of the Entire Board or of the Directors at the time in office; or (ix) take any action, the power or authority for which is reserved for the Entire Board pursuant to Section 141(c)(2) of the DGCL, except as otherwise set forth in such Section 141(c)(2).

        4.2   Meetings.

        (a)   Stated meetings of any committee of the Board shall be held at such times and at such places as shall be fixed, from time to time, by resolution adopted by the Board or by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the members of such committee of the Board and upon notification pursuant to Section 4.3 to all the members of such committee. Any and all business may be transacted at any stated meeting of any committee of the Board.

        (b)   Special meetings of any committee of the Board may be called at any time by the chairman of such committee or by any two members of such committee. Notice of a special meeting of any committee of the Board shall set forth a description of the business to be transacted at such meeting and be sent to the members of such committee of the Board as provided in Section 4.3.

        4.3    Notice of Board Committee Meetings.    Notice of any meeting of any committee of the Board shall be sent to each member of such committee at his or her residence or usual place of business either (a) by reputable overnight delivery service in circumstances to which such service guarantees next day delivery, not later than on the day that is the second business day immediately preceding the day of such meeting, or (b) by facsimile, telex, telegram or electronic mail, not later than twenty-four (24) hours before the time of such meeting. If sent by overnight delivery service, such notice shall be deemed to be given when delivered to such service; if sent by facsimile, telex, telegram or electronic mail, such notice shall be deemed to be given when transmitted. Notice of any meeting of a committee of the Board need not however be given to any member of such committee, if waived by him or her in writing or if, subject to applicable law, he or she shall be present at the meeting. Any meeting of a committee of the Board shall be a legal meeting without any notice thereof having been given if all of the members shall be present thereat except when a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

        4.4    Place of Meetings.    Meetings of any committee of the Board may be held either within or without the State of Delaware.

        4.5   Quorum and Voting Requirements of Board Committees.

        (a)   The presence of Directors entitled to cast at least a majority of the aggregate number of votes entitled to be cast by all Directors on a committee of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and any act of a committee of the Board shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Directors present at a meeting of such committee at which a quorum is present.

C-14


Table of Contents

        (b)   The members of any committee of the Board shall act only as a committee of the Board, and the individual members of the Board shall have no power as such.

        4.6    Records.    Each committee of the Board shall keep a record of its acts and proceedings and shall report the same, from time to time, to the Board. The Secretary, or, in his or her absence, an Assistant Secretary, shall act as secretary to each committee of the Board, or a committee of the Board may, in its discretion, appoint its own secretary.

        4.7    Vacancies.    Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, any vacancy in any committee of the Board shall be filled by a majority of the Directors then in office.

        4.8    Committee Procedure.    The Board by resolution or resolutions shall establish the rules of procedure to be followed by each committee, which shall include a requirement that such committee keep regular minutes of its proceedings and deliver to the Secretary the same.

        4.9   Executive Committee.

        (a)   In addition to any requirements set forth in the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, an Executive Committee shall be appointed, to consist of the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer and three or more other Directors; provided, however, that at least a majority of the Executive Committee shall consist of Directors who are neither officers nor employees of the Corporation or of any of its affiliated corporations.

        (b)   Subject to the provisions of the DGCL and these Restated Bylaws, the Executive Committee shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, including, without limitation, the power to authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it, but excluding any powers granted by the Board to any other committee of the Board.

        (c)   Subject to any provision in the Restated Certificate or the DGCL, any action herein authorized to be taken by the Executive Committee and which is duly taken by it in accordance herewith shall have the same effect as if such action were taken by the Board.


ARTICLE 5

Officers, Employees and Agents:
Powers And Duties

        5.1    Officers.    The officers of the Corporation, who shall be elected by the Board, may be a Chairman of the Board (who shall be a Director), a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers, and shall be a Chief Executive Officer, a President, one or more Vice Chairmen, one or more Vice Presidents(who may be further classified by such descriptions as "executive," "senior," "assistant," "staff" or otherwise, as the Board shall determine), a General Counsel, a Secretary and one or more Assistant Secretaries. The Board may also elect, and may delegate power to appoint, such other officers and select such other employees or agents as, from time to time, may appear to be necessary or advisable in the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation. Any officer may also be elected to another office or offices.

        5.2    Term of Office.    Subject to the provisions of the Restated Certificate or these Restated Bylaws, so far as practicable, each officer shall be elected at the organization meeting of the Board in each year, and shall hold office until the organization meeting of the Board in the next subsequent year and until his or her successor is chosen or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal in the manner hereinafter provided.

        5.3    Resignation and Removal of Officers.    Any officer may resign at any time upon written notice to the Corporation. Any officer may be removed at any time, either for or without cause, by the

C-15


Table of Contents

affirmative vote of at least a majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the Entire Board, at any meeting called for that purpose. The Board may delegate such power of removal as to officers, agents and employees not appointed by the Board. Such removal shall be without prejudice to a person's contract rights, if any, but the appointment of any person as an officer, agent or employee of the Corporation shall not of itself create contract rights.

        5.4    Vacancies.    If any vacancy occurs in any office, the Board may elect a successor to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the term.

        5.5   Chairman of the Board.

        (a)   The Board may elect a Director as Chairman of the Board.

        (b)   The Chairman shall determine the agenda for Board meetings, in consultation with the lead independent director of the Board, if applicable, and shall preside at all meetings of the Board at which he or she may be present. The Chairman shall have such other powers and duties as he or she may be called upon by the Board to perform.

        5.6    Chief Executive Officer.    The Chief Executive Officer shall have general and active control of the business and affairs of the Corporation and, in the absence of the Chairman (or if there be none), he or she shall preside at all meetings of the Board. He or she shall have general power (a) to execute bonds, deeds and contracts in the name of the Corporation, (b) to affix the corporate seal, (c) to sign stock certificates, (d) subject to the provisions of the Restated Certificate, these Restated Bylaws and the approval of the Board, to select all employees and agents of the Corporation whose selection is not otherwise provided for and to fix the compensation thereof, (e) to remove or suspend any employee or agent who shall not have been selected by the Board, (f) to suspend for cause, pending final action by the Board any employee or agent who shall have been selected by the Board and (g) to exercise all the powers usually and customarily performed by the chief executive officer of a corporation.

        5.7    President.    The President, if not designated as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, shall perform such duties as are delegated by the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer. In the event of an absence, disability or vacancy in the office of the Chief Executive Officer, the President shall act in the place of the Chief Executive Officer with authority to exercise all his or her powers and perform his or her duties.

        5.8    Vice Chairmen.    The Board may elect one or more officers designated as the Vice Chairman, but the appointment of one or more Vice Chairmen shall not be required. If one or more Vice Chairmen shall be elected, then each Vice Chairman shall have such powers and perform all such duties and services as may be assigned to or required of them, from time to time, by the Board, the Chairman or the Chief Executive Officer, respectively. In the event of the absence or disability of both the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer, the President may designate one of the Vice Chairmen, or one of the several Vice Presidents, to act in his or her place with authority to exercise all of his or her powers and perform his or her duties, provided that the Board may change such designation, or if the President fails or is unable to make such designation, the Board may make such designation at a regular or special meeting called for that purpose.

        5.9    Vice Presidents and Other Officers.    The several Vice Presidents and other elected officers, including, without limitation, the General Counsel, shall perform all such duties and services as shall be assigned to or required of them, from time to time, by the Board, or the Chief Executive Officer, respectively. In the event of the absence or disability of both the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer, the President may designate one of the Vice Chairmen, or one of the several Vice Presidents, to act in his or her place with authority to exercise all of his or her powers and perform his or her duties, provided that the Board may change such designation, or if the President fails or is unable to make such designation, the Board may make such designation at a regular or special meeting called for that purpose.

C-16


Table of Contents

        5.10    Secretary.    The Secretary shall attend to the giving of notice of all meetings of Stockholders and the Board and shall keep and attest true records of all proceedings thereat. He or she shall have charge of the corporate seal and have authority to attest any and all instruments or writings to which the same may be affixed. He or she shall keep and account for all books, documents, papers and records of the Corporation, except those which are directed to be in charge of the Treasurer, and he or she may delegate responsibility for maintaining the stock ledger to any transfer agent or registrar appointed by the Board. He or she shall have authority to sign stock certificates and shall generally perform all the duties usually appertaining to the office of secretary of a corporation. In the absence of the Secretary, an Assistant Secretary or Secretary pro tempore shall perform his or her duties.

        5.11    Treasurer.    The Treasurer, if any, shall be responsible for the collection, receipt, care, custody and disbursement of the funds of the Corporation and shall deposit or cause to be deposited all funds of the Corporation in and with such depositories as the Board shall, from time to time, direct. He or she shall have the care and custody of all securities owned by the Corporation, and shall deposit such securities with such banks or in such safe deposit vaults, and under such controls, as the Board shall, from time to time, direct. He or she shall disburse funds of the Corporation on the basis of vouchers properly approved for payment by the controller of the Corporation or his or her duly authorized representative. He or she shall be responsible for the maintenance of detailed records of cash and security transactions and shall prepare such reports thereof as may be required. He or she shall have the power to sign stock certificates and to endorse for deposit or collection or otherwise all checks, drafts, notes, bills of exchange or other commercial paper payable to the Corporation and to give proper receipts or discharges therefor. He or she shall have such other duties as are commonly incidental to the office of treasurer of a corporation. In the absence of the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer shall perform his or her duties.

        5.12    Additional Powers and Duties.    In addition to the foregoing especially enumerated duties and powers, the officers of the Corporation shall perform such other duties and exercise such further powers as may be provided in these Restated Bylaws or as the Board may, from time to time, determine or as may be assigned to them by any competent superior officer.

        5.13    Compensation.    Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, the compensation of all officers of the Corporation shall be fixed, from time to time, by the Board or the Compensation Committee, but this power may be delegated to any officer by the Board or the Compensation Committee in accordance with applicable law.

        5.14    Prohibition on Loans to Directors and Executive Officers.    The Corporation shall not directly or indirectly extend or maintain credit, arrange for the extension of credit, or renew an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any member of the Board or executive officer of the Corporation, as such terms are used in Section 13(k) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.


ARTICLE 6

Stock And Transfers Of Stock

        6.1    Stock Certificates.    The Common Stock shall be uncertificated. The shares of the Corporation other than the Common Stock shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated. The Board shall have the power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem expedient concerning the issue, transfer and registration of uncertificated shares or certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation. Each certificate shall be signed by the Chairman or the President or a Vice Chairman or a Vice President, and by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, certifying the number of certificated shares owned by such Stockholder in the Corporation. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, Transfer Agent or Registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a

C-17


Table of Contents

certificate shall cease to be such officer, Transfer Agent or Registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, Transfer Agent or Registrar at the date of issuance.

        6.2    Transfer Agents and Registrars.    The Board may, in its discretion, appoint responsible banks or trust companies as the Board may deem advisable, from time to time, to act as Transfer Agents and Registrars of the stock of the Corporation; and, when such appointments shall have been made, no stock certificate shall be valid until countersigned by one of such Transfer Agents and registered by one of such Registrars.

        6.3    Transfers of Stock.    Transfers of shares of stock of the Corporation shall be made on the stock ledger of the Corporation only upon authorization by the record holder thereof or by such holder's attorney, successor or assignee thereunto authorized by power of attorney (or other proper evidence of succession, assignment or authority to transfer) duly executed and filed with the Corporation's Transfer Agent or Registrar. Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Certificate, and subject to any other transfer restriction applicable thereto, shares of certificated stock may be transferred by delivery of the certificates therefor, accompanied either by an assignment in writing on the back of the certificates or by written power of attorney to sell, assign and transfer the same with reasonable assurances given that such endorsement is genuine and that all applicable taxes thereon have been paid, signed by the record holder thereof; but no transfer shall affect the right of the Corporation to pay any dividend upon the stock to the holder of record thereof, or to treat the holder of record as the holder in fact thereof for all purposes, and no transfer shall be valid, except between the parties thereto, until such transfer shall have been made upon the books of the Corporation. No transfer of stock in violation of the provisions of Article Fourth, Part III, Section 1 or Article Fourth, Part IV, Section 1 of the Restated Certificate shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose.

        6.4    Lost Certificates.    In case any certificate of stock shall be lost, stolen or destroyed, the Board, in its discretion, may authorize the issuance of a substitute certificate in place of the certificate lost, stolen or destroyed and may cause such substitute certificate to be countersigned by the appropriate Transfer Agent (if any) and registered by the appropriate Registrar (if any), provided that, in each such case, the applicant for a substitute certificate shall furnish to the Corporation and to such of its Transfer Agents and Registrars as may require the same, evidence to their satisfaction, in their discretion, of the loss, theft or destruction of such certificate and of the ownership thereof, and also such security or indemnity as may be required by them.

        6.5   Record Date.

        (a)   In order that the Corporation may determine the Stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of Stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or, subject to applicable law, to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board is authorized, from time to time, to fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such Stockholder meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other action.

        (b)   A determination of Stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of Stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.

        (c)   Only Stockholders that are Stockholders of record on the date so fixed shall be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, a meeting of Stockholders and any adjournment thereof or to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights or to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for any other purpose, as applicable,

C-18


Table of Contents

notwithstanding any transfer of any stock on the stock ledger of the Corporation after any record date so fixed.


ARTICLE 7

Miscellaneous

        7.1    Fiscal Year.    The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be the calendar year.

        7.2    Surety Bonds.    The Treasurer, each Assistant Treasurer and such other officers or agents of the Corporation as the Board may direct, from time to time, shall be bonded for the faithful performance of their duties in such amounts and by such surety companies as the Board may determine. The premiums on such bonds shall be paid by the Corporation and the bonds so furnished shall be in the custody of the Chief Executive Officer or the chief financial officer.

        7.3    Signature of Negotiable Instruments.    All bills, notes, checks or other instruments for the payment of money shall be signed or countersigned by such officer or officers and in such manner as, from time to time, may be prescribed by resolution (whether general or special) of the Board.

        7.4    Subject to Law and Restated Certificate.    All powers, duties and responsibilities provided for in these Restated Bylaws, whether or not explicitly so qualified, are qualified by the provisions of the Restated Certificate and all applicable laws.

        7.5    Voting of Stocks.    Unless otherwise ordered by the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board, President and General Counsel shall each have full power and authority, in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation, to attend, act and vote at any meeting of stockholders of a corporation in which the Corporation may hold stock, and, in connection with any such meeting, shall possess and may exercise any and all rights and powers incident to the ownership of such stock which, as the owner thereof, the Corporation might possess and exercise. The Board of Directors from time to time may confer like powers upon any other person or persons.

        7.6    Dividends.    Dividends upon the capital stock may be declared by the Board at any regular or special meeting and may be paid in cash or in property or in shares of the capital stock. Before paying any dividend or making any distribution of profits, the Directors may set apart out of any funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may later or abolish any such reserve or reserves.

        7.7    Corporate Seal.    The seal of the Corporation shall be circular in form and shall bear, in addition to any other emblem or device approved by the Board, the name of the Corporation and the words "Corporate Seal" and "Delaware." The seal may be used by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.


ARTICLE 8

Amendments

        8.1    Amendment of these Restated Bylaws.    Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, these Restated Bylaws may be altered or repealed and new bylaws, not inconsistent with any provision of the Restated Certificate or applicable law, may be adopted, either (a) by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the Directors voting at a meeting of the Board at which a quorum is present or (b) by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority in voting power of the stock entitled to vote thereon, at an annual meeting of Stockholders, or at a special meeting thereof, the notice of which meeting shall include the form of the proposed amendment or supplement to or modification of these Restated Bylaws or of the proposed new bylaws, or a summary thereof.

C-19


Table of Contents


ARTICLE 9

Restated Certificate to Govern

        9.1    Restated Certificate to Govern.    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if any provision contained herein is inconsistent with or conflicts with a provision of the Restated Certificate, such provision herein shall be superseded by the inconsistent provision in the Restated Certificate, to the extent necessary to give effect to such provision in the Restated Certificate

C-20


LOGO


Proxy/Voting Instruction Card Using a black ink pen, mark your votes with an X as shown in this example. Please do not write outside the designated areas. X 01MYRA 1 U PX + Annual Meeting Proxy/Voting Instruction Card . Authorized Signatures — This section must be completed for your vote to be counted. — Date and Sign Below B Please sign exactly as name(s) appears hereon. Joint owners should each sign. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, corporate officer, trustee, guardian, or custodian, please give full title. Signature 1 — Please keep signature within the box. Signature 2 — Please keep signature within the box. Date (mm/dd/yyyy) — Please print date below. + A Proposals — The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all the nominees listed under Proposal 1, FOR Proposal 2, FOR Proposal 3, FOR Proposal 4, FOR Proposal 5 and FOR Proposal 6. For Against Abstain 2. Ratification of the Appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. For Against Abstain 3. Advisory Resolution Approving the Compensation of the Named Executive Officers 01 - Carolyn Corvi 04 - Henry L. Meyer III 07 - Jeffery A. Smisek 02 - Jane C. Garvey 05 - Oscar Munoz 08 - David J. Vitale 03 - Walter Isaacson 06 - Laurence E. Simmons 09 - John H. Walker 1. Election of Directors For Withhold For Withhold For Withhold IMPORTANT ANNUAL MEETING INFORMATION 10 - Charles A. Yamarone 4. Reapproval of the performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. 2008 Incentive Compensation Plan. 5. Approval of the amended performance measures under the United Continental Holdings, Inc. Incentive Plan 2010. 6. Approval of an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated bylaws to provide stockholders with the right to call a special meeting of stockholders. MMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000000000.000000 ext 000004 MR A SAMPLE DESIGNATION (IF ANY) ADD 1 ADD 2 ADD 3 ADD 4 ADD 5 ADD 6 ENDORSEMENT_LINE______________ SACKPACK_____________ 1234 5678 9012 345 MMMMMMM 1 6 2 8 0 0 1 MR A SAMPLE (THIS AREA IS SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE 140 CHARACTERS) MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MR A SAMPLE AND MMMMMMMMM C 1234567890 J N T C123456789 IF VOTING BY MAIL, YOU MUST COMPLETE SECTIONS A - C ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD. qIF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.q Electronic Voting Instructions Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Instead of mailing your proxy or voting instructions, you may choose one of the two methods outlined below to vote your proxy or direct the trustee as to shares held in your 401(k) plan. We encourage you to vote by internet. Internet • Log on to the internet and go to http://www.envisionreports.com/ual. • Follow the steps outlined on the secured website. Telephone • Call toll free 1-800-652-VOTE (8683) within the United States, Canada & Puerto Rico any time on a touch tone telephone. There is NO CHARGE to you for the call. • Follow the instructions provided by the recorded message. * Proxies submitted by internet or telephone must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. Voting instructions to the trustee of the United 401(k) plans must be received by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Sunday, June 9, 2013. This Proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors.

 


. The undersigned, having received the Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement, hereby appoints Jeffery A. Smisek and Brett J. Hart, and each of them, as proxies with full power of substitution, for and in the name of the undersigned, to vote all shares of common stock of United Continental Holdings, Inc. owned of record by the undersigned on the matters listed in this proxy and, in their discretion, on such other matters as may properly come before the 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel - Crystal City, 300 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202 on June 12, 2013 at 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof, unless otherwise specified herein. This proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed. If no direction is made, this proxy will be voted FOR all the director nominees listed under Proposal 1, FOR Proposal 2, FOR Proposal 3, FOR Proposal 4, FOR Proposal 5 and FOR Proposal 6. In their discretion, the proxies are each authorized to vote upon other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting. EMPLOYEES/PARTICIPANTS HOLDING SHARES IN UNITED AIRLINES 401(K) PLANS: This card constitutes your voting instructions to Evercore Trust Company, N.A. or its successor, as trustee under the United Airlines 401(k) plans. By signing on the reverse side, you are instructing the trustee to vote the shares of common stock of United Continental Holdings, Inc. held in the 401(k) plan in which you participate with regard to the matters listed on the reverse side of this proxy card and to act in its discretion upon other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof, all as set forth in the Notice to Plan Participants. Your voting instructions to the trustee are confidential. If properly executed and timely received, the voting instruction card will constitute a direction to the trustee to vote in the matter directed. In its discretion, the trustee is authorized to vote upon other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting. If no choice is made or no timely direction is received, the trustee will vote your shares in proportion to allocated shares in such plan for which instructions are received, subject to applicable law. The proxies cannot vote your shares, and the trustee cannot ensure that your instructions are tabulated, unless you vote or instruct the trustee by telephone, internet or sign and return this card. Voting instructions to the trustee from employees/participants holding shares in the 401(k) plans must be received prior to 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on Sunday, June 9, 2013. Votes from all other stockholders that are submitted by internet or telephone must be received prior to 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. TO BE SIGNED AND DATED ON THE REVERSE SIDE Annual Meeting Proxy/Voting Instruction Card – United Continental Holdings, Inc. C Non-Voting Items Change of Address — Please print new address below. IF VOTING BY MAIL, YOU MUST COMPLETE SECTIONS A - C ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS CARD. + + Admission Ticket 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of United Continental Holdings, Inc. Wednesday, June 12, 2013 9:00 a.m., Eastern Time Doubletree by Hilton Hotel - Crystal City 300 Army Navy Drive Arlington, VA 22202 Doors will open for registration and admittance at 8:30 a.m. Upon arrival, you must present this admission ticket and valid picture identification at the registration desk to be admitted to the Annual Meeting. * The Proxy Statement and 2012 Annual Report are available at http://www.envisionreports.com/ual qIF YOU HAVE NOT VOTED VIA THE INTERNET OR TELEPHONE, FOLD ALONG THE PERFORATION, DETACH AND RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION IN THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE.q