Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 24,969	$ 25,301
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	230	236
Less: Current maturities	2,793	2,554
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	21,946	22,511
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,219	23,551
Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,825
Interest rate	3.88%
Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 728	728
Interest rate	3.74%
Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 990	990
Interest rate	3.88%
Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,238	1,238
Interest rate	3.78%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,764	11,881
Average interest rate	4.25%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.75%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,062	5,259
Average interest rate	3.70%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.34%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.48%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 857	857
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 755	773
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.81%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,750	1,750
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 5.50% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 750	750
Interest rate	5.50%
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 6.125% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	6.125%
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 4.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	4.625%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 223	227
Less: Current maturities	2,297	2,058
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	20,669	21,236
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,189	23,521
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,825
Interest rate	3.88%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 728	728
Interest rate	3.74%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 990	990
Interest rate	3.88%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,238	1,238
Interest rate	3.78%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,764	11,881
Average interest rate	4.25%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.75%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,062	5,259
Average interest rate	3.70%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.34%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.48%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 828	828
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 754	$ 772
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.81%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%