Commitments and Contingencies (Details 3) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2011 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2010 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Pilots item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Flight Attendants item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Flight Controllers item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Mechanics item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Stock Clerks item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Pilots item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Flight Attendants item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Mechanics item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Dispatchers item	Dec. 31, 2012 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Stock Clerks item
Commitments and Contingencies
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 94,000	$ 240,000
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Concentration risk (as a percent)			94.80%	97.60%	94.70%	42.00%
Number of full-time equivalent employees	18,145
Approximate Number of Active Employees							1,620	940	70	420	70	2,560	1,200	670	80	75