Commitments and Contingencies - Concentration Risks and Employees Under Collective Bargaining Agreements (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) employee	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Allowance for doubtful accounts | $	$ 173,000	$ 187,000
Atlantic Southeast pilots and ExpressJet Delaware pilots
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Labor agreement, contract extension term (in years)	2 years
Revenue from rights, concentration risk | Customer concentration risk | Delta, United, and Continental Combined
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Concentration risk (as a percent)	85.40%	86.90%	88.70%
Full-time equivalent number of employees
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	16,900
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Concentration risk (as a percent)	33.40%
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | Atlantic Southeast Pilots
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	1,238
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | Atlantic Southeast Flight Attendants
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	833
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | Atlantic Southeast Flight Controllers
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	68
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | Atlantic Southeast Mechanics
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	366
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | Atlantic Southeast Stock Clerks
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	35
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | ExpressJet Delaware Pilots
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	1,496
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | ExpressJet Delaware Flight Attendants
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	783
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | ExpressJet Delaware Mechanics
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	730
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | ExpressJet Delaware Dispatchers
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	47
Full-time equivalent number of employees | Unionized employees | ExpressJet Delaware Stock Clerks
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Number of employees	47