Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements - Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Carrying Amount
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 13,935	$ 13,445
Synergy Term Loan	480	478
Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	14,136	13,450
Synergy Term Loan	422	422
Level 1 \| Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	0	0
Synergy Term Loan	0	0
Level 2 \| Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	10,307	9,525
Synergy Term Loan	0	0
Level 3 \| Fair Value
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Long-term debt	3,829	3,925
Synergy Term Loan	$ 422	$ 422

Loans Receivable, Gross

No definition available.

Name:	ual_LoansReceivableGross
Namespace Prefix:	ual_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196772

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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