Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2017	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) Segment	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Accumulated deficit			$ (119,205,000)		$ (68,203,000)
Cash flow from operations			(28,782,000)	$ (18,764,000)
Cash and cash equivalents			24,946,000		22,121,000
Short-term investments			$ 87,102,000		72,192,000
Cash and cash equivalents with original maturities			three months or less
Impairment charges and corresponding decrease to carrying value			$ 21,692,000
Number of operating segments | Segment			1
Contingent milestones or co-development commitments met or incurred			$ 0		0
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Minimum royalty payment			0
Amount of signing fee or milestones included in royalty payments			$ 0
Agreement description			Under an agreement, as amended, with the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (“API”) manufacturer, no signing fee or milestones are included in the royalty payments, and there is no minimum royalty.
Royalty percent on net sale			3.00%
aPAP [Member] | Japan [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Percentage of other contingent milestone payments associated with specific research, regulatory and filing activities			50.00%
Other contingent milestone payments associated with specific research, regulatory and filing activities			$ 750,000
aPAP [Member] | Japan [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other contingent milestone payments associated with specific research, regulatory and filing activities			$ 800,000
Nebulizer | Maximum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Royalty percent on net sale			5.00%
Nebulizer | Minimum [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Royalty percent on net sale			3.50%
Savara ApS [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits			22.00%
Research and development tax credits receivable			$ 1,700,000
Savara ApS [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits receivable					800,000
Savara ApS [Member] | Other Non-Current Assets [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits receivable			$ 900,000
Savara Australia Pty Limited [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits			43.50%
Research and development tax credits receivable			$ 400,000
Savara Australia Pty Limited [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits receivable					$ 100,000
Savara Australia Pty Limited [Member] | Other Non-Current Assets [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Research and development tax credits receivable			$ 300,000
Serendex A/S [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Business combination completion date			Jul. 15, 2016
Carrying value of goodwill			$ 100,000
Carrying value of IPR&D			400,000
Mast [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Business combination completion date	Apr. 27, 2017
Tax benefit related to reduction in deferred tax liability		$ 4,600,000
IPR&D [Member] | Mast [Member]
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Impairment charges and corresponding decrease to carrying value		21,700,000	$ 21,700,000
Tax benefit related to reduction in deferred tax liability		$ 4,600,000