Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 2,494	$ 1,256
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures and aircraft purchase deposits	(1,409)	(1,047)
Purchase of short-term investments	(3,474)	(1,176)
Sales of short-term investments	1,660	882
Decrease in restricted cash and short-term investments	17	88
Net proceeds from slot transaction		307aal_NetCashProceedsFromSlotTransaction
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	4	3
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,202)	(943)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on long-term debt and capital leases	(746)	(501)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	1,766	224
Deferred financing costs	(25)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts	(7)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDebtIssuanceCosts
Sale-leaseback transactions		165
Exercise of stock options		9
Treasury stock repurchases	(181)	(84)
Dividend payment	(70)us-gaap_PaymentsOfOrdinaryDividends
Other financing activities	18
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	762	(194)
Net increase in cash	54us-gaap_CashPeriodIncreaseDecrease	119us-gaap_CashPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Cash at beginning of period	994us-gaap_Cash	1,140us-gaap_Cash
Cash at end of period	1,048us-gaap_Cash	1,259us-gaap_Cash
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Settlement of bankruptcy obligations	35	3,557
Capital lease obligations	5us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsIncurred	122us-gaap_CapitalLeaseObligationsIncurred
Supplemental information:
Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized	219us-gaap_InterestPaidNet	204us-gaap_InterestPaidNet
Income taxes paid	3us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	3us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,285	742
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures and aircraft purchase deposits	(1,160)	(722)
Purchase of short-term investments	(1,945)	(499)
Sales of short-term investments	382	682
Decrease in restricted cash and short-term investments	4	3
Net proceeds from slot transaction		299
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	4	3
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,715)	(234)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Payments on long-term debt and capital leases	(680)	(430)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	1,227
Deferred financing costs	(18)	(5)
Sale-leaseback transactions		165
Funds transferred to affiliates		(84)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	529	(354)
Net increase in cash	99	154
Cash at beginning of period	785	829
Cash at end of period	884	983
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Settlement of bankruptcy obligations	35	3,104
Capital lease obligations		122
Supplemental information:
Interest paid, net of amounts capitalized	189	170
Income taxes paid	$ 1	$ 2

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