Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 24,786	$ 24,573
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	243	229
Less: Current maturities	1,714	1,855
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	22,829	22,489
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,036	22,823
Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,843	1,843
Interest rate	2.98%
Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 735	735
Interest rate	3.38%
Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,000	1,000
Interest rate	3.48%
Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,250
Interest rate	3.41%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,181	10,912
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.75%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,305	5,343
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.21%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.53%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 891	891
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 831	849
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.60%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,750	1,750
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 5.50% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 750	750
Interest rate	5.50%
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 6.125% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	6.125%
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 4.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	4.625%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 231	216
Less: Current maturities	1,717	1,859
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	21,058	20,718
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,006	22,793
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,843	1,843
Interest rate	2.98%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 735	735
Interest rate	3.38%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,000	1,000
Interest rate	3.48%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,250
Interest rate	3.41%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,181	10,912
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.75%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,305	5,343
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.21%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.53%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 862	862
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 830	$ 848
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.60%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%