Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Restricted cash	$ 11	$ 104	$ 11	$ 104
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	11,559	10,965	33,603	32,011
Total operating expenses	10,910	9,709	31,495	28,419
Operating income	649	1,256	2,108	3,592
Total nonoperating expense, net	(193)	(193)	(610)	(605)
Income before income taxes	456	1,063	1,498	2,987
Income tax provision	115	402	404	1,122
Net income	$ 341	$ 661	$ 1,094	$ 1,865
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.74	$ 1.36	$ 2.34	$ 3.76
Deferred tax asset	$ 1,293		$ 1,293			$ 1,816
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,317		5,317			5,701
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	(568)		(568)			(780)
As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		$ 10,878		$ 31,606
Total operating expenses		9,646		28,238
Operating income		1,232		3,368
Total nonoperating expense, net		(228)		(709)
Income before income taxes		1,004		2,659
Income tax provision		380		998
Net income		$ 624		$ 1,661
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 1.28		$ 3.35
Deferred tax asset						427
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)						3,926
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred tax asset						1,389
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)						(4,706)
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Deferred Revenue Method [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		$ 59		$ 328
Operating income		59		328
Income before income taxes		59		328
Income tax provision		22		124
Net income		37		204
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		28		77
Total operating expenses		28		77
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Total operating expenses		35		104
Operating income		(35)		(104)
Total nonoperating expense, net		35		104
Retained Earnings [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption					$ 77
Passenger [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	10,561	10,096	30,714	29,447
Passenger [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		9,377		27,114
Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Deferred Revenue Method [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		59		328
Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		651		1,976
Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		9		29
Cargo [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	260	223	748	633
Cargo [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		200		568
Cargo [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		10		31
Cargo [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		13		34
Other [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	738	646	2,141	1,931
Other [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		1,301		3,924
Other [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		(661)		(2,007)
Other [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		6		14
Air traffic liability [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current	5,040		5,040			4,042
Air traffic liability [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						3,978
Air traffic liability [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						64
Loyalty program liability [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current	3,242		3,242			3,121
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						5,701
Loyalty program liability [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						2,791
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						0
Loyalty program liability [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						330
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						5,701
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Restricted cash	11	104	11	104
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	11,556	10,962	33,594	32,003
Total operating expenses	10,887	9,713	31,440	28,423
Operating income	669	1,249	2,154	3,580
Total nonoperating expense, net	(133)	(146)	(429)	(468)
Income before income taxes	536	1,103	1,725	3,112
Income tax provision	133	417	467	1,170
Net income	403	686	1,258	1,942
Deferred tax asset	1,429		1,429			2,071
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,317		5,317			5,701
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	11,240		11,240			9,888
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		10,875		31,598
Total operating expenses		9,650		28,242
Operating income		1,225		3,356
Total nonoperating expense, net		(181)		(572)
Income before income taxes		1,044		2,784
Income tax provision		395		1,046
Net income		649		1,738
Deferred tax asset						682
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)						14,594
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred tax asset						1,389
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)						(4,706)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Deferred Revenue Method [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		59		328
Operating income		59		328
Income before income taxes		59		328
Income tax provision		22		124
Net income		37		204
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		28		77
Total operating expenses		28		77
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Total operating expenses		35		104
Operating income		(35)		(104)
Total nonoperating expense, net		35		104
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Retained Earnings [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of new accounting principle in period of adoption					$ 77
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Passenger [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	10,561	10,096	30,714	29,447
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Passenger [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		9,377		27,114
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Deferred Revenue Method [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		59		328
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		651		1,976
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Passenger [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		9		29
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Cargo [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	260	223	748	633
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Cargo [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		200		568
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Cargo [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		10		31
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Cargo [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		13		34
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues	735	643	2,132	1,923
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		1,298		3,916
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Ancillary Revenue Reclassifications [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		(661)		(2,007)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Gross Versus Net Presentation [Member]
Operating revenues:
Operating revenues		$ 6		$ 14
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Air traffic liability [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current	5,040		5,040			4,042
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Air traffic liability [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						3,978
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Air traffic liability [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						64
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Loyalty program liability [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current	$ 3,242		$ 3,242			3,121
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						5,701
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Loyalty program liability [Member] | As Reported [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						2,791
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						0
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Loyalty program liability [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
Operating revenues:
Deferred revenue, current						330
Noncurrent loyalty program liability						$ 5,701