CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Operating Revenues
Passenger, Mainline	$ 5,858	$ 4,098	$ 3,939
Passenger, Regional	960	908	854
Total passenger revenue	6,818	5,006	4,793
Freight and mail	114	108	108
Other—net	1,001	817	697
Total Operating Revenues	7,933	5,931	5,598
Operating Expenses
Wages and benefits	1,924	1,382	1,254
Variable incentive pay	135	127	120
Aircraft fuel, including hedging gains and losses	1,447	831	954
Aircraft maintenance	391	270	253
Aircraft rent	274	114	105
Landing fees and other rentals	460	320	296
Contracted services	314	247	214
Selling expense	357	225	211
Depreciation and amortization	372	363	320
Food and beverage service	195	126	113
Third-party regional carrier expense	121	95	72
Other operating expenses	565	365	356
Special items—merger-related costs and other	118	117
Special items—other			32
Total Operating Expenses	6,673	4,582	4,300
Operating Income	1,260	1,349	1,298
Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Interest income	34	27	21
Interest expense	(103)	(55)	(42)
Interest capitalized	17	25	34
Other—net	(1)	(1)	1
Nonoperating Income (Expense) Total	(53)	(4)	14
Income before income tax	1,207	1,345	1,312
Income Tax Expense, Before Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017	453	514	490
Special tax expense (benefit)	(280)	17	(26)
Income tax expense	173	531	464
Net Income	$ 1,034	$ 814	$ 848
Basic earnings per share	$ 8.39	$ 6.59	$ 6.61
Diluted earnings per share	$ 8.35	$ 6.54	$ 6.56
Shares used for computation:
Basic	123,211	123,557	128,373
Diluted	123,854	124,389	129,372
Cash dividend declared per share	$ 1.20	$ 1.10	$ 0.80
Virgin America Inc. [Member]
Operating Expenses
Contracted services	$ 52	$ 32
Special items—merger-related costs and other	$ 118	$ 117