Fair Value Measurements (Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	$ 882		$ 1,035
Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments, mature in more than one year	469	[1],[2]
Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments, mature in more than one year	2,000	[1],[2]
Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments, mature in more than one year	525	[1],[2]
Fair Value [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	8,249	[1],[2]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	882	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	9,131
Fair Value [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	195	[1],[2]
Fair Value [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	921	[1],[2]
Fair Value [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	248	[1],[2]
Fair Value [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	5,410	[1],[2]
Fair Value [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	1,475	[1],[2]
Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	195	[1],[2]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	851	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	1,046
Level 1 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	195	[1],[2]
Level 1 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 1 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 1 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 1 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	8,054	[1],[2]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	31	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	8,085
Level 2 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 2 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	921	[1],[2]
Level 2 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	248	[1],[2]
Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	5,410	[1],[2]
Level 2 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	1,475	[1],[2]
Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	0	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	0
Level 3 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 3 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 3 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 3 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
Level 3 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[1],[2]
AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	650		702
AA [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments, mature in more than one year	200	[1],[2]
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	4,822	[2],[3]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	650	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	5,472
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	192	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	920	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	133	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	2,918	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Fair Value [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	659	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	192	[2],[3]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	618	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	810
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	192	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	4,630	[2],[3]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	32	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	4,662
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	920	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	133	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	2,918	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	659	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
Restricted cash and short-term investments	0	[2]
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis	0
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Government agency investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
AA [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Bank Notes/Certificates of Deposit/Time Deposits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	0	[2],[3]
Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	791
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	6.53
Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	791
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	6.53
4.3 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	94
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	4.3
4.3 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	94
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	4.3
6.3 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	611
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	6.3
6.3 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	611
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	6.3
10.6 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	86
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	10.6
10.6 Bolivars per Dollar [Member] | Venezuelan bolívar fuerte [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Unrestricted cash balance held in Venezuelan bolivars	86
Foreign currency translation exchange rate	10.6
Carrying Value [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	16,728		16,799
Carrying Value [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	10,588		10,809
Fair Value [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	17,564		17,035
Fair Value [Member] | AA [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	11,113		11,045
Maturity Dates Exceeding One Year [Member] | AA [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	1,700
Maturity Dates Exceeding One Year [Member] | AA [Member] | Government Agency Investments [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	$ 469

[1] The Company's short-term investments mature in one year or less except for $2.0 billion of corporate obligations, $525 million of Bank notes/Certificates of deposit/Time deposits and $469 million of U.S. government agency investments.

[2] Unrealized gains or losses on short-term investments and restricted cash and short-term investments are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) at each measurement date.

[3] American's short-term investments mature in one year or less except for $1.7 billion of corporate obligations, $469 million of U.S. government agency investments and $200 million of Bank notes/Certificates of deposit/Time deposits.