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Investments (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Nov. 04, 2014
Investments        
Gain on sale of aircraft $ 8,030,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment $ 14,430,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment    
Blackbird        
Investments        
Percentage of equity ownership       9.50%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
Gain on sale of aircraft 1,700,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
  9,000,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfPropertyPlantEquipment
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
 
Due from affiliate 527,000us-gaap_DueFromAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
  454,000us-gaap_DueFromAffiliates
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
 
Equity method investment $ 11,700,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentAggregateCost
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember
  $ 10,100,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentAggregateCost
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= al_BlackbirdCapitalILLCMember