SUBSEQUENT EVENT	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Subsequent Event Note Disclosure [Abstract]
Subsequent Events [Text Block]	Subsequent to June 30, 2013, Alaska Airlines executed a Third Amended and Restated Alaska Airlines Affinity Card Agreement (Agreement) with FIA Card Services, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (BAC), through which the Company sells mileage credits and other items to BAC and the Company's loyalty program members accrue frequent flyer miles based on purchases using credit cards issued by BAC. The Agreement materially modifies the previously existing agreement between BAC and Alaska. As a result of the execution of the Agreement, consideration received as part of this agreement are subject to Accounting Standards Update 2009-13, "Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements - a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force" (ASU 2009-13). Under the Agreement and ASU 2009-13, the Company has identified four elements in the agreement: air transportation; companion tickets; use of the Alaska Airlines brand and access to frequent flyer member lists; and advertising. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company determined the selling price of air transportation and allocated the remaining consideration under the contract on a residual basis. Under ASU 2009-13, these deliverables will be accounted for separately and allocation of consideration from the contract will be determined based on the relative selling price of each deliverable. The application of the new accounting standard to the Agreement decreases the relative value of the air transportation deliverables related to the agreement that the company records as deferred revenue (and ultimately Passenger Revenue when redeemed awards are flown) and increases the relative value of the marketing-related deliverables recorded in Other Revenue at the time these marketing-related deliverables are provided. Under the transition provisions of ASU 2009-13, the existing deferred revenue will be reduced to reflect the relative value of the undelivered deliverables at the date of the contract modification as if the modified arrangement had been accounted for under ASU 2009-13 from its inception. As a result, the company expects to record a one-time non-cash increase to revenue in the third quarter of 2013 of approximately $150 million.

Subsequent to June 30, 2013, Alaska Airlines executed a Third Amended and Restated Alaska Airlines Affinity Card Agreement (Agreement) with FIA Card Services, N.A., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation (BAC), through which the Company sells mileage credits and other items to BAC and the Company's loyalty program members accrue frequent flyer miles based on purchases using credit cards issued by BAC. The Agreement materially modifies the previously existing agreement between BAC and Alaska. As a result of the execution of the Agreement, consideration received as part of this agreement are subject to Accounting Standards Update 2009-13, "Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements - a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force" (ASU 2009-13).

Under the Agreement and ASU 2009-13, the Company has identified four elements in the agreement: air transportation; companion tickets; use of the Alaska Airlines brand and access to frequent flyer member lists; and advertising. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company determined the selling price of air transportation and allocated the remaining consideration under the contract on a residual basis. Under ASU 2009-13, these deliverables will be accounted for separately and allocation of consideration from the contract will be determined based on the relative selling price of each deliverable.

The application of the new accounting standard to the Agreement decreases the relative value of the air transportation deliverables related to the agreement that the company records as deferred revenue (and ultimately Passenger Revenue when redeemed awards are flown) and increases the relative value of the marketing-related deliverables recorded in Other Revenue at the time these marketing-related deliverables are provided. Under the transition provisions of ASU 2009-13, the existing deferred revenue will be reduced to reflect the relative value of the undelivered deliverables at the date of the contract modification as if the modified arrangement had been accounted for under ASU 2009-13 from its inception. As a result, the company expects to record a one-time non-cash increase to revenue in the third quarter of 2013 of approximately $150 million.