Regional Expenses (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Regional Expenses [Line Items]
Aircraft fuel and related taxes	$ 1,393	$ 1,593	$ 3,736	$ 4,912
Salaries, wages and benefits	2,772	2,404	8,094	7,141
Maintenance, materials and repairs	481	456	1,352	1,452
Other rent and landing fees	463	432	1,342	1,290
Aircraft rent	299	308	908	941
Selling expenses	347	366	990	1,051
Depreciation and amortization	399	336	1,128	1,013
Special items, net	289	163	450	610
Other	1,182	1,131	3,386	3,278
Total regional expenses	1,538	1,518	4,488	4,536
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Regional Expenses [Line Items]
Aircraft fuel and related taxes	1,393	1,593	3,736	4,912
Salaries, wages and benefits	2,770	2,402	8,087	7,134
Maintenance, materials and repairs	481	456	1,352	1,452
Other rent and landing fees	463	432	1,342	1,290
Aircraft rent	299	308	908	941
Selling expenses	347	366	990	1,051
Depreciation and amortization	399	336	1,128	1,013
Special items, net	289	163	450	610
Other	1,184	1,133	3,391	3,281
Total regional expenses	1,632	1,541	4,738	4,614
Regional Carrier [Member]
Regional Expenses [Line Items]
Aircraft fuel and related taxes	303	310	801	970
Salaries, wages and benefits	337	296	990	881
Capacity purchases from third-party regional carriers	378	419	1,164	1,237
Maintenance, materials and repairs	82	84	264	254
Other rent and landing fees	143	133	413	376
Aircraft rent	9	8	26	25
Selling expenses	90	87	256	252
Depreciation and amortization	78	64	218	187
Special items, net	5	2	13	20
Other	113	115	343	334
Total regional expenses	1,538	1,518	4,488	4,536
Regional Carrier [Member] \| American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Regional Expenses [Line Items]
Aircraft fuel and related taxes	303	310	801	970
Salaries, wages and benefits	82	71	249	207
Capacity purchases from third-party regional carriers	891	823	2,665	2,454
Maintenance, materials and repairs	1	2	4	3
Other rent and landing fees	124	114	356	324
Aircraft rent	7	7	20	21
Selling expenses	90	87	256	253
Depreciation and amortization	62	50	174	145
Special items, net	3	2	11	11
Other	69	75	202	226
Total regional expenses	$ 1,632	$ 1,541	$ 4,738	$ 4,614

Capacity Purchases

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Regional Expenses [Line Items]

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No definition available.

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Significant and non-routine operating expenses (credits) such as asset impairments and restructuring charges that may not be an indicator of future cash flows.

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No definition available.

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Maintenance costs incurred and directly related to services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. Includes the cost of inspections and repairs, materials and routine maintenance costs for all aircraft and engines.

+ References

No definition available.

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Expenses incurred related to the lease of aircraft from outside third parties that are used in the entity's business operations.

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Costs incurred related to air services provided by third-party transportation companies, including regional affiliates.

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The current period expense charged against earnings on long-lived, physical assets not used in production, and which are not intended for resale, to allocate or recognize the cost of such assets over their useful lives; or to record the reduction in book value of an intangible asset over the benefit period of such asset; or to reflect consumption during the period of an asset that is not used in production.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 360
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
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-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
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Fuel costs incurred that are directly related to goods produced and sold and services rendered during the reporting period.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
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The aggregate amount of expenditures for salaries, wages, profit sharing and incentive compensation, and other employee benefits, including equity-based compensation, and pension and other postretirement benefit expense.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

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Direct costs incurred at airports in which the entity conducts flight operations. The costs primarily consist of fees paid to the airport authority for takeoff and landing, gate space and facilities, allocations of common space such as security and other terminal costs and fuel storage facilities.

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The total amount of other operating cost and expense items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operation.

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

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The aggregate total amount of expenses directly related to the marketing or selling of products or services.

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