Special Items, Net (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Fleet restructuring expenses	$ 39,000	$ 94,000	$ 271,000	$ 422,000	$ 232,000
Fleet impairment			213,000	0	0
Merger integration expenses	85,000	81,000	191,000	268,000	273,000
Litigation reserve adjustments			(53,000)	45,000	0
Mark-to-market adjustments on bankruptcy obligations, net		(37,000)	(11,000)	(76,000)	27,000
Severance expenses		37,000	11,000	58,000	0
Intangible asset impairment			0	26,000	0
Labor contract expenses			0	13,000	46,000
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense			0	0	123,000
Other operating charges, net			13,000	31,000	11,000
Mainline operating special items, net			635,000	787,000	712,000
Regional operating special items, net			6,000	6,000	22,000
Operating special items, net			641,000	793,000	734,000
Debt refinancing and extinguishment charges			16,000	13,000	22,000
Mark-to-market adjustments on equity and other investments, net	(42,000)	22,000	(5,000)	104,000	0
Other nonoperating income, net			(8,000)	(4,000)	0
Nonoperating special items, net			3,000	113,000	22,000
Income tax special items			0	18,000	0
Impact of the 2017 Tax Act			0	0	823,000
Income tax special items, net			0	18,000	823,000
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee					1
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Fleet restructuring expenses	39,000	94,000	271,000	422,000	232,000
Fleet impairment			213,000	0	0
Merger integration expenses	85,000	81,000	191,000	268,000	273,000
Litigation reserve adjustments			(53,000)	45,000	0
Mark-to-market adjustments on bankruptcy obligations, net		37,000	(11,000)	(76,000)	27,000
Severance expenses		37,000	11,000	58,000	0
Intangible asset impairment			0	26,000	0
Labor contract expenses			0	13,000	46,000
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense			0	0	123,000
Other operating charges, net			13,000	31,000	11,000
Mainline operating special items, net			635,000	787,000	712,000
Regional operating special items, net			0	0	3,000
Operating special items, net			635,000	787,000	715,000
Debt refinancing and extinguishment charges			16,000	13,000	22,000
Mark-to-market adjustments on equity and other investments, net	$ (42,000)	$ 22,000	(5,000)	104,000	0
Other nonoperating income, net			0	(4,000)	0
Nonoperating special items, net			11,000	113,000	22,000
Income tax special items			0	18,000	0
Impact of the 2017 Tax Act			0	0	924,000
Income tax special items, net			$ 0	$ 18,000	924,000
Mainline [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee					$ 1