Current State and Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit)

No definition available.

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- Details

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- Definition

Income taxes special items net.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net Operating Losses, Maximum Allowable Utilization

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Operating Loss Carryforwards Expiration Year

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Operating loss carryforwards expiration year range end.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Operating loss carryforwards expiration year range start.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of deferred federal income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to income (loss) from continuing operations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 6.I.7)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34349781&loc=d3e330036-122817

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Article 4

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 6

-Section I

-Subsection 7

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Deferred Tax Expense (or Benefit)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510177

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards that are subject to expiration dates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Alternative Minimum Tax

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504908

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

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- Details

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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 09, 2013
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized federal tax benefit			$ 867,000,000
Federal NOL carryforwards, maximum allowable utilization				9,000,000,000
Alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards			341,000,000
Non-cash deferred income tax provision	9,000,000aal_IncomeTaxesSpecialItemsNet	8,000,000aal_IncomeTaxesSpecialItemsNet
State and international tax expense	2,000,000	5,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized federal tax benefit			712,000,000
Federal NOL carryforwards, maximum allowable utilization				9,500,000,000
Alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards			435,000,000
Non-cash deferred income tax provision	8,000,000	7,000,000
State and international tax expense		4,000,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			10,100,000,000
Valuation allowance			4,500,000,000
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			10,300,000,000
Valuation allowance			5,100,000,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			4,600,000,000
NOL carryforwards expiration year, range start			2015
NOL carryforwards expiration year, range end			2034
Valuation allowance			264,000,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			3,900,000,000
NOL carryforwards expiration year, range start			2015
NOL carryforwards expiration year, range end			2034
Valuation allowance			208,000,000
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Available for use in 2015 [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			4,600,000,000
Federal [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL carryforwards expiration year			2022
Federal [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL carryforwards expiration year			2022
Federal [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Available for use in 2015 [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
NOL subject to expiration			$ 10,100,000,000