Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 32,770	$ 23,856
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	749	211
Less: Current maturities	2,697	2,749
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	29,324	20,896
Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	28,755	22,606
Secured Debt \| 2013 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,788	1,807
Variable interest rate	1.90%
Secured Debt \| 2013 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	$ 750
Variable interest rate	2.15%
Secured Debt \| 2014 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,220	1,202
Variable interest rate	1.90%
Secured Debt \| 2014 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,643	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	$ 1,643
Variable interest rate	2.15%
Secured Debt \| April 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 960	970
Variable interest rate	2.15%
Secured Debt \| April 2016 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 450	0
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	$ 450
Variable interest rate	2.15%
Secured Debt \| December 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,200	1,213
Variable interest rate	2.16%
Secured Debt \| Senior Notes 11.75% Due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 2,500	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	11.75%
Secured Debt \| Senior Secured IP Notes 10.75% Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	10.75%
Secured Debt \| Senior Secured LGA/DCA Notes 10.75%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 200	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	10.75%
Secured Debt \| Treasury Loan Agreement \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 550	0
Variable interest rate	3.73%
Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,013	11,933
Average interest rate	3.98%
Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	3.00%
Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	8.39%
Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,417	4,727
Average interest rate	1.88%
Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	1.32%
Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.83%
Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,064	754
Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.00%
Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	8.00%
Unsecured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,015	1,250
Unsecured Debt \| PSP1, CAREs Act
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	1,765	0
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 6.50% Due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	6.50%
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 5.000% Due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750	750
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.00%
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 3.75% Matures 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 500	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	3.75%
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 4.625%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0	500
Fixed interest rate per annum	4.625%
American Airlines, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 28,731
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	321	205
Less: Current maturities	2,700	2,246
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	$ 25,710	20,126
American Airlines, Inc. \| Treasury Loan Agreement \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable interest rate	3.73%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 28,731	22,577
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| 2013 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,788	1,807
Variable interest rate	1.90%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| 2013 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750	0
Variable interest rate	2.15%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| 2014 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,220	1,202
Variable interest rate	1.90%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| 2014 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,643	0
Variable interest rate	2.15%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| April 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 960	970
Variable interest rate	2.15%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| April 2016 Credit Facilities \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 450	0
Variable interest rate	2.15%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| December 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,200	1,213
Variable interest rate	2.16%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Senior Notes 11.75% Due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 2,500	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	11.75%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Senior Secured IP Notes 10.75% Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	10.75%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Senior Secured LGA/DCA Notes 10.75%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 200	0
Fixed interest rate per annum	10.75%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Treasury Loan Agreement \| Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 550	0
Variable interest rate	3.73%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,013	11,933
Average interest rate	3.98%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	8.39%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,417	4,727
Average interest rate	1.88%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	1.32%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.83%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,040	$ 725
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Secured Debt \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	5.38%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 6.50% Due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	6.50%
American Airlines, Inc. \| Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes 3.75% Matures 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed interest rate per annum	3.75%

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)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120520924&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
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- Definition

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

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-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.

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No definition available.

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- Definition

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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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=120520924&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
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- 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.

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