Houston area is served by all major airlines.

Continental Airlines

Continental, which has a hub at Bush Intercontinental Airport, is working toward joining the Star Alliance later this year and forging a close partnership with United Airlines. Additionally, it’s expanding to Shanghai starting in March. Continental also is fighting a federal plan to alleviate congestion in the New York area, where it runs a hub in Newark, N.J.

Southwest Airlines

Dallas-based Southwest’s successful fuel price hedges are no longer any help, at least for now, because energy prices have dropped. The domestic-only carrier that dominates traffic at Hobby Airport also is expanding its reach by building partnerships with Canada’s WestJet and Mexico’s Volaris. Labor issues also are in the mix, as six unions are in various forms of talks. Southwest, which posted its first quarterly loss in 17 years three months ago, reports earnings Thursday.

United Airlines

United is working 
on its partnership with Continental, which is trying to secure antitrust immunity with it and other carriers in the Star Alliance to allow them to coordinate schedules and other matters. United and Continental also have talked about streamlining costs by aligning their frequent-flier programs, information technology and other functions. United also is facing renewed labor battles, particularly with pilots, who have stridently opposed CEO Glenn Tilton.

American Airlines

American, the big Fort Worth-based carrier, also is facing some labor issues this year, including mediated contract negotiations with its flight attendants. The carrier is expected to begin rolling out more a la carte pricing for on-board amenities this year, a move some other airlines are taking to increase revenues.

Delta Air Lines/Northwest Airlines

Atlanta-based Delta is in the process of becoming the biggest airline in the world as it absorbs Northwest. Their merger became final last fall, but the integration will take another year or two. Delta already has begun putting its name and colors on some Northwest planes.

US Airways

Labor continues to be a problem as the Tempe, Ariz.-based carrier is still integrating America West pilots as part of a 2005 merger. US Airways also is dealing with an investigation into the nonfatal water landing last week of Flight 1549 from New York to Charlotte. Officials believe the engines failed after ingesting birds.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier, which continues to operate despite filing for bankruptcy last spring, only flies to its Denver hub from Bush Intercontinental. Pilots earlier this month ratified a labor agreement that includes a 10 percent pay cut. The 15-year-old carrier said its planes were an average of 80 percent full in December, a company record.

JetBlue Airways

The New York-based low-fare carrier only flies to a brand new terminal at New York JFK from Hobby. The carrier, which bore the brunt of criticism last year when it and other airlines had marathon delays and tarmac waits because of winter weather, has gone through a series of top management changes recently.

AirTran Airways

AirTran, the low-fare carrier that only flies to Atlanta out of Houston from Hobby Airport, reduced growth last year to fight high fuel 
 prices and sold some planes. Reports emerged this week that AirTran, along with Delta, was considering moving some connecting flights from Atlanta because of airport costs there. (Houston Chronicle)

The city also has a bus service serving all neighborhoods and many portions of the county.

Houston Airport System

METRORail

This tram will drive you to Houston downtown, Rice University, and several hospitals.

Greyhound Bus Service