Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 24, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 39,639,000,000		$ 32,770,000,000
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	515,000,000		749,000,000
Less: Current maturities	2,339,000,000		2,697,000,000
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	36,785,000,000		29,324,000,000
Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	34,728,000,000		28,755,000,000
Secured Debt | 2013 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,788,000,000		1,788,000,000
Variable interest rate	1.86%
Secured Debt | 2013 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		750,000,000
Secured Debt | 2014 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,208,000,000		1,220,000,000
Variable interest rate	1.86%
Secured Debt | 2014 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		1,643,000,000
Secured Debt | April 2016 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 960,000,000		960,000,000
Variable interest rate	2.11%
Secured Debt | April 2016 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		450,000,000
Secured Debt | December 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,200,000,000		1,200,000,000
Variable interest rate	2.11%
Secured Debt | 11.75% Senior Secured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 2,500,000,000		2,500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	11.75%
Secured Debt | 10.75% Senior Secured Notes, IP Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000,000,000		1,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	10.75%
Secured Debt | 10.75% Senior Secured Notes, LGA/DCA Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 200,000,000		200,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	10.75%
Secured Debt | Treasury Loan Agreement, CARES Act | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		550,000,000
Secured Debt | 5.50% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,500,000,000		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%
Secured Debt | 5.75% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,000,000,000		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.75%
Secured Debt | AAdvantage Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,500,000,000	$ 3,500,000,000	0
Variable interest rate	5.50%
Secured Debt | AAdvantage Term Loan Facility | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Variable interest rate	0.75%
Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 10,652,000,000		11,013,000,000
Average interest rate	3.95%
Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.39%
Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,156,000,000		4,417,000,000
Average interest rate	1.87%
Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.28%
Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.83%
Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,064,000,000		1,064,000,000
Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.00%
Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.00%
Unsecured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,911,000,000		4,015,000,000
Unsecured Debt | Payroll Support Program Promissory Note One, CARES Act
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	1,765,000,000		1,765,000,000
Unsecured Debt | Payroll Support Program Promissory Note Two, CARES Act
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	896,000,000		0
Unsecured Debt | 6.50% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000,000,000		1,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.50%
Unsecured Debt | 5.000% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750,000,000		750,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.00%
Unsecured Debt | 3.75% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 500,000,000		500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.75%
American Airlines, Inc.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 479,000,000		321,000,000
Less: Current maturities	2,342,000,000		2,700,000,000
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	31,883,000,000		25,710,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	34,704,000,000		28,731,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 2013 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,788,000,000		1,788,000,000
Variable interest rate	1.86%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 2013 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		750,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 2014 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,208,000,000		1,220,000,000
Variable interest rate	1.86%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 2014 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		1,643,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | April 2016 Revolving Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 960,000,000		960,000,000
Variable interest rate	2.11%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | April 2016 Revolving Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		450,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | December 2016 Credit Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,200,000,000		1,200,000,000
Variable interest rate	2.11%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 11.75% Senior Secured Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 2,500,000,000		2,500,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	11.75%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 10.75% Senior Secured Notes, IP Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000,000,000		1,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	10.75%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 10.75% Senior Secured Notes, LGA/DCA Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 200,000,000		200,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	10.75%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Treasury Loan Agreement, CARES Act | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0		550,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 5.50% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,500,000,000		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | 5.75% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,000,000,000		0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.75%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | AAdvantage Term Loan Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 3,500,000,000		0
Variable interest rate	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 10,652,000,000		11,013,000,000
Average interest rate	3.95%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	8.39%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,156,000,000		4,417,000,000
Average interest rate	1.87%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	1.28%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.83%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,040,000,000		$ 1,040,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. | Secured Debt | Special Facility Revenue Bonds | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.38%