AIRTRAN ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATTERS (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Years	Dec. 31, 2010
Acquisition of AirTran [Abstract]
Date entered into Merger Agreement	May 2, 2011
Cash payment per share of AirTran stock (in dollars per share)	$ 3.75
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquiree	AirTran Holdings, Inc.
Stock Consideration Paid Per Share Of Acquirees Stock (in shares)	0.321
Business Acquisition Average Acquirer Stock Price Used To Determine Value (in dollars per share)	$ 11.90
Business Acquisition Acquiree Common Stock Value Assigned Per Share (in dollars per share)	$ 7.57
Business Acquisition Acquiree Common Stock Value Assigned Total	$ 1,000,000,000
Common stock issued to acquire business	44,000,000
Business Acquisition Number Of Shares Issued As Percentage Of Acquirer Common Shares Outstanding	5.60%
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid	518,000,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Transaction Costs	134,000,000
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price	3,200,000,000
Cash Paid To Redeem Share Based Performance Awards	7,000,000
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued (in shares)	7,000,000
Payments of Convertible Debt	81,000,000	0
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Status	Certain estimated values are not yet finalized
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill Amount	970,000,000
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Federal net operating loss carryforwards	548,000,000
Federal loss carryforwards expiration date	2017 to 2031
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	192,000,000
Business Combination Fair Value Adjustments [Abstract]
Fair value adjustment to deferred tax assets	10,000,000
Fair value adjustments to customer relationship intangible	(7,000,000)
Fair value adjustment to property, plant, and equipment	3,000,000
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	477,000,000
Restricted cash	6,000,000
Other current assets	234,000,000
Operating property and equipment	1,154,000,000
Goodwill	970,000,000
Deferred income taxes	160,000,000
Other identified intangibles	125,000,000
Other noncurrent assets	45,000,000
Long-term debt and capital leases, including current portion	(1,119,000,000)
Air traffic liability	(354,000,000)
Other liabilities assumed	(657,000,000)
Net assets acquired	1,041,000,000
Leasehold Interest [Abstract]
Leasehold interest market adjustment, asset	2,000,000
Leasehold interest market adjustment, liability	376,000,000
Leasehold interest weighted average useful life, asset (in years)	9
Leasehold interest weighted average useful life, liability (in years)	10
Leasehold interest weighted average useful life, net (in years)	10
2011 Amortization income	26,000,000
2012 Amortization income	39,000,000
2013 Amortization income	39,000,000
2014 Amortization income	39,000,000
2015 Amortization income	39,000,000
2016 Amortization income	39,000,000
2017 and thereafter amortization income	155,000,000
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Pro forma operating revenues	16,601,000,000	14,721,000,000
Pro Forma net income (Loss)	160,000,000	499,000,000
Pro forma net income per share, basic	$ 0.21	$ 0.63
Pro forma net income per share, diluted	$ 0.21	$ 0.63
AirTran Revenues	2,000,000,000
AirTran Net income (loss)	(23,000,000)
AirTran Airways [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Federal net operating loss carryforwards	542,000,000
Federal loss carryforwards expiration date	between 2017 and 2029
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	$ (190,000,000)