Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Reporting_Unit	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Interest capitalized	$ 52,000,000	$ 61,000,000	$ 47,000,000
Consolidated reporting unit | Reporting_Unit	1
Goodwill impairment	$ 0
Amortization expense	55,000,000	81,000,000	20,000,000
Indefinite lived intangible assets	1,800,000,000	1,700,000,000
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived (excluding goodwill)	0
Frequent flyer liability	2,525,000,000	2,807,000,000
Air traffic liability	3,747,000,000	4,252,000,000
Advertising and promotional expenses	110,000,000	92,000,000	166,000,000
Foreign currency losses	751,000,000	114,000,000	56,000,000
Nonoperating special items, net	594,000,000	132,000,000	211,000,000
Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases	(2,231,000,000)	(1,677,000,000)
Long-term debt and capital leases	(18,330,000,000)	(16,043,000,000)
Venezuelan [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Foreign currency losses		43,000,000
Nonoperating special items, net	592,000,000
Other Assets - Net [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred finance costs, noncurrent, net		184,000,000
Other Liabilities [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases		31,000,000
Long-term debt and capital leases		153,000,000
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-17 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets, net, current		361,000,000
Mileage Credits Sale [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000
Marketing Component of Mileage Sales [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other revenues recognized for marketing component of mileage sales at the time of sale	1,500,000,000	1,400,000,000	834,000,000
AAdvantage Program [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	657,000,000	674,000,000
US Airways Loyalty Program [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	$ 296,000,000	611,000,000
Minimum [Member] | Major Rotable Parts, Avionics and Assemblies [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Residual value percentage of equipment and properties	5.00%
Minimum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	12 years
Minimum [Member] | Other Leased Equipment and Property [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	3 years
Maximum [Member] | Major Rotable Parts, Avionics and Assemblies [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Residual value percentage of equipment and properties	10.00%
Maximum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	30 years
Maximum [Member] | Other Leased Equipment and Property [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	30 years
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Interest capitalized	$ 52,000,000	61,000,000	47,000,000
Indefinite lived intangible assets	1,800,000,000	1,700,000,000
Impairment of intangible assets, indefinite-lived (excluding goodwill)	0
Frequent flyer liability	2,525,000,000	2,807,000,000
Air traffic liability	3,747,000,000	4,252,000,000
Advertising and promotional expenses	110,000,000	92,000,000	166,000,000
Foreign currency losses	751,000,000	114,000,000	56,000,000
Nonoperating special items, net	616,000,000	128,000,000	121,000,000
Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases	(2,234,000,000)	(1,678,000,000)
Long-term debt and capital leases	(16,592,000,000)	(14,804,000,000)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Venezuelan [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Foreign currency losses		43,000,000
Nonoperating special items, net	592,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other Assets - Net [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred finance costs, noncurrent, net		174,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases		29,000,000
Long-term debt and capital leases		145,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2015-17 [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Deferred tax assets, net, current		(314,000,000)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Mileage Credits Sale [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Marketing Component of Mileage Sales [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other revenues recognized for marketing component of mileage sales at the time of sale	1,500,000,000	1,400,000,000	834,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | AAdvantage Program [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	657,000,000	674,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | US Airways Loyalty Program [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Frequent flyer liability	$ 296,000,000	$ 611,000,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Major Rotable Parts, Avionics and Assemblies [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Residual value percentage of equipment and properties	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	12 years
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Other Leased Equipment and Property [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	3 years
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Major Rotable Parts, Avionics and Assemblies [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Residual value percentage of equipment and properties	10.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Aircraft [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	30 years
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Other Leased Equipment and Property [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Lease terms for equipment and property under capital leases	30 years
Relative Selling Price Approach [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other revenue recognized for American's Citibank modification			31,000,000
Relative Selling Price Approach [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Other revenue recognized for American's Citibank modification			$ 31,000,000
Gate Leasehold Rights [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	25 years
Gate Leasehold Rights [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	25 years
Domestic Airport Slots [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	25 years
Intangible assets residual value	$ 0
Domestic Airport Slots [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	25 years
Intangible assets residual value	$ 0
Customer Relationships [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	9 years
Customer Relationships [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	9 years
Marketing Agreements [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	30 years
Marketing Agreements [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	30 years
Tradenames [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	15 months
Tradenames [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Organization Basis Of Presentation And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Amortized years of intangible assets	15 months