SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY, ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Equity [Abstract]
Related to marketable securities	$ (292)	$ (494)	$ (262)	$ (494)
Total	(292)		(262)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
OCI, Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss), before Adjustment, after Tax	(33)	2
Related to marketable securities	(292)	(494)	(262)	(494)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	3	(2)
Marketable Securities
Equity [Abstract]
Related to marketable securities	(44)	11	(4)	23
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
OCI, Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss), before Adjustment, after Tax	(42)	(8)
Related to marketable securities	(44)	11	(4)	23
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	2	(4)
AOCI Employee Benefit Plan
Equity [Abstract]
Related to marketable securities	(251)	(492)	(252)	(498)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
OCI, Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss), before Adjustment, after Tax	0	0
Related to marketable securities	(251)	(492)	(252)	(498)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	1	6
AOCI - Interest Rate Derivatives
Equity [Abstract]
Related to marketable securities	3	(13)	(6)	(19)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]
OCI, Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss), before Adjustment, after Tax	9	6
Related to marketable securities	3	(13)	$ (6)	$ (19)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, Net of Tax	$ 0	$ 0

Amount, after tax, of accumulated unrealized gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e681-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAvailableForSaleSecuritiesAdjustmentNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(30)(a)(4))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(23)(a)(3))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 65
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124501264&loc=SL117420844-207641

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 65
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)(2)(ii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124501264&loc=SL117420844-207641

Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e681-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after tax and before adjustment, of unrealized holding gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale). Excludes unrealized gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity) from transfer to available-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after tax of reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118261656&loc=d3e32136-110900

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118261656&loc=d3e32211-110900

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124431353&loc=SL124442411-227067

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450520&loc=d3e32583-110901

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 6: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124507222&loc=d3e1436-108581

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124431353&loc=SL124442407-227067

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=alk_AOCIMarketableSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=alk_AOCIEmployeeBenefitPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=alk_AOCIInterestRateDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: