EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Net periodic benefit costs for qualified defined-benefit plans include the following (in millions): 

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Service cost	$	11	$	11	$	37	$	32
Pension expense included in Wages and benefits	11		11		37		32
Interest cost	19		23		57		67
Expected return on assets	(28)		(24)		(83)		(71)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1)		(1)		(1)		(1)
Recognized actuarial loss	9		9		26		27
Pension expense included in Nonoperating Income (Expense)	$	(1)	$	7	$	(1)	$	22

In the third quarter of 2020, the Company also recorded $16 million of pension expense within Special items - restructuring charges for those pilots accepting certain furlough mitigation programs, which is not reflected in the table above.