Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) - Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
AOCI tax, attributable to parent [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, tax			$ (880)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, tax			0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), tax			27
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss), tax			27
Ending Balance, tax	$ (853)		(853)
AOCI attributable to parent, net of tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, net of tax			(4,732)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax			2
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(16)	$ (26)	(48)	$ (87)
Total other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(15)	(30)	(46)	(92)
Ending Balance, net of tax	(4,778)		(4,778)
Pension, Retiree Medical, and Other Postretirement Benefits [Member]
AOCI attributable to parent, before tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, before tax			(3,842)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, before tax			(7)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(75)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(82)
Ending Balance, before tax	(3,924)		(3,924)
Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments [Member]
AOCI attributable to parent, before tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, before tax			(10)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, before tax			9
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			9
Ending Balance, before tax	(1)		(1)
AOCI attributable to parent, net of tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax				1
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
AOCI tax, attributable to parent [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, tax			(991)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, tax			0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), tax			27
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss), tax			27
Ending Balance, tax	(964)		(964)
AOCI attributable to parent, net of tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, net of tax			(4,831)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, net of tax			2
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(16)	(26)	(49)	(87)
Total other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(15)	$ (30)	(47)	(92)
Ending Balance, net of tax	(4,878)		(4,878)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Pension, Retiree Medical, and Other Postretirement Benefits [Member]
AOCI attributable to parent, before tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, before tax			(3,831)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, before tax			(7)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(76)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			(83)
Ending Balance, before tax	$ (3,914)		(3,914)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments [Member]
AOCI attributable to parent, before tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance, before tax			(9)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, before tax			9
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before tax			$ 9
AOCI attributable to parent, net of tax [Roll Forward]
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax				$ 1