Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 23,569	$ 24,001
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	218	222
Less: Current maturities	3,286	3,213
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	20,065	20,566
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	22,319	22,751
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,825
Variable interest rate	4.24%
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,215	1,215
Variable interest rate	4.49%
Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	980
Variable interest rate	4.50%
Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,225	1,225
Variable interest rate	4.48%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,059	11,648
Average interest rate	4.17%
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	8.39%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,217	5,060
Average interest rate	4.27%
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	7.89%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 798	798
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%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,250
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] \| 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	$ 215	219
Less: Current maturities	2,038	2,466
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	20,037	20,037
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	22,290	22,722
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
Variable interest rate	4.24%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,215	1,215
Variable interest rate	4.49%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	980
Variable interest rate	4.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,225	1,225
Variable interest rate	4.48%
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	$ 11,059	11,648
Average interest rate	4.17%
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	8.39%
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	$ 5,217	5,060
Average interest rate	4.27%
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	7.89%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 769	$ 769
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	5.00%

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.

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

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

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- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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