Income Taxes (Deferred Taxes) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss carryforward and federal credits	$ 35,902	$ 36,624
Capital and operating leases	0	2,841
Post-retirement employee benefits	31,067	6,470
Employee benefits other than post-retirement	16,489	16,667
Inventory reserve	2,930us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory	3,050us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsInventory
Deferred revenue	9,154us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	8,903us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Other	1,810us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	1,262us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Deferred tax assets	97,352us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	75,817us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Deferred tax liabilities:
Accelerated depreciation	(164,858)	(155,769)
Partnership items	(9,493)	(9,466)
State taxes	(5,995)atsg_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesStateTaxes	(6,265)atsg_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesStateTaxes
Valuation allowance against deferred tax assets	(229)	(229)
Deferred tax liabilities	180,575	171,729
Net deferred tax (liability)	$ (83,223)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	$ (95,912)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities

Deferred Tax Assets, Capital and Operating Leases

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Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforward and Federal Tax Credits

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Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net of Valuation Allowance

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Deferred Tax Liabilities, Partnership Items

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Deferred Tax Liabilities, State Taxes

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from deferred income.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from inventory.

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Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from postretirement benefits.

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Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

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Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from property, plant, and equipment.

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