Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 24,001	$ 24,530
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	222	236
Less: Current maturities	3,213	2,476
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	20,566	21,818
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	22,751	22,780
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,825	1,825
Variable interest rate	4.26%
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,215	728
Variable interest rate	4.39%
Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 980	990
Variable interest rate	4.52%
Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,225	1,238
Variable interest rate	4.46%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,648	11,881
Average interest rate	4.21%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	9.01%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 5,060	5,259
Average interest rate	4.26%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	2.34%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	8.48%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 798	857
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	5.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	8.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0	2
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	1,250	1,750
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Senior Notes 5.50% Due in 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750	750
Fixed interest rate	5.50%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Senior Notes 4.625% Due in 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 500	500
Fixed interest rate	4.625%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Senior Notes 6.125% Due in 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0	$ 500
Fixed interest rate		6.125%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	22,722
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	219	$ 227
Less: Current maturities	2,466	1,980
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	20,037	20,543
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	22,722	22,750
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,825	1,825
Variable interest rate	4.26%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,215	728
Variable interest rate	4.39%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 980	990
Variable interest rate	4.52%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,225	1,238
Variable interest rate	4.46%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,648	11,881
Average interest rate	4.21%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	9.01%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 5,060	5,259
Average interest rate	4.26%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	2.34%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	8.48%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 769	828
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0	$ 1

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
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Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 210
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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

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- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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- Definition

The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a rate subject to change from time to time.

+ References

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