Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 United Airlines Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 United Airlines Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Continental Airlines Inc [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 6,246		$ 8,069	$ 3,458	$ 4,665	$ 2,782	$ 3,398
Short-term investments	1,516		611	275		1,241	611
Total unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments	7,762		8,680	3,733	4,665	4,023	4,009
Restricted cash	40		37	40	37
Receivables, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,358		1,613	763	1,004	595	609
Aircraft fuel, spare parts and supplies, less obsolescence allowance	615		466	340	321	275	246
Deferred income taxes	615		591	348	373	267	225
Receivables from related parties				228	135		3
Prepaid expenses and other	607		658	447	366	165	185
Total current assets	10,997		12,045	5,899	6,901	5,325	5,277
Operating property and equipment: Owned -
Flight equipment	15,786		15,181	9,135	8,718	6,651	6,463
Other property and equipment	3,126		2,890	2,260	2,086	866	804
Operating property and equipment - owned, gross	18,912		18,071	11,395	10,804	7,517	7,267
Less-Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(4,005)		(2,858)	(3,359)	(2,717)	(646)	(141)
Operating property and equipment - owned, net	14,907		15,213	8,036	8,087	6,871	7,126
Purchase deposits for flight equipment	382		230	57	51	324	178
Operating property and equipment: Capital leases -
Flight equipment	1,458		1,741	1,458	1,741
Other property and equipment	237		217	67	49
Operating property and equipment - capital leases, gross	1,695		1,958	1,525	1,790	170	168
Less-Accumulated amortization	(565)		(456)	(548)	(453)	(17)	(3)
Operating property and equipment - capital leases, net	1,130		1,502	977	1,337	153	165
Total property, plant, and equipment, net	16,419		16,945	9,070	9,475	7,348	7,469
Other assets:
Goodwill	4,523		4,523			4,523	4,523
Intangibles, less accumulated amortization	4,750		4,917	2,283	2,343	2,469	2,575
Restricted cash	529		350	393	190	135	160
Other, net	770		818	600	719	364	375
Other assets total	10,572		10,608	3,276	3,252	7,491	7,633
Total assets	37,988		39,598	18,245	19,628	20,164	20,379
Current liabilities:
Advance ticket sales	3,114		2,998	1,652	1,536	1,462	1,463
Frequent flyer deferred revenue	2,405		2,582	1,484	1,703	921	879
Accounts payable	1,998		1,805	1,109	907	894	902
Accrued salaries and benefits	1,509		1,470	988	938	521	532
Current maturities of long-term debt	1,186		2,411	615	1,546	571	865
Current maturities of capital leases	125	[1],[2]	252	122	249	3	3
Payables to related parties				104	63	11
Other	1,057		1,127	853	950	279	236
Total current liabilities	11,394		12,645	6,927	7,892	4,662	4,880
Long-term debt	10,496		11,434	5,130	5,480	4,957	5,536
Long-term obligations under capital leases	928	[1],[2]	1,036	735	858	193	178
Other liabilities and deferred credits:
Frequent flyer deferred revenue	3,253		3,491	2,018	2,321	1,235	1,170
Postretirement benefit liability	2,407		2,344	2,115	2,091	292	253
Pension liability	1,862		1,473	92	101	1,770	1,372
Advanced purchase of miles	1,711		1,159	1,442	1,159	270
Deferred income taxes	1,603		1,585	707	731	820	784
Lease fair value adjustment, net	1,133		1,371			1,133	1,374
Other	1,395		1,333	983	972	507	522
Total non-current liabilities	13,364		12,756	7,357	7,375	6,027	5,475
Commitments and contingencies
Stockholders' equity (deficit):
Preferred stock
Common stock	3		3
Additional capital invested	7,114		7,071	3,432	3,421	4,148	4,115
Retained deficit	(4,863)		(5,703)	(5,208)	(5,489)	474	(95)
Stock held in treasury, at cost	(31)		(31)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(417)		387	(128)	91	(297)	290
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	1,806		1,727	(1,904)	(1,977)	4,325	4,310
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficit)	$ 37,988		$ 39,598	$ 18,245	$ 19,628	$ 20,164	$ 20,379

[1] The operating lease payments presented above include United's and Continental's future payments of $13 million and $165 million, respectively, related to nonoperating aircraft as of December 31, 2011. United and Continental have 12 and 25 nonoperating aircraft subject to leases, respectively. United's regional carrier, Express Jet, subleases aircraft from Continental; UAL operating lease payments exclude payments related to these aircraft.

[2] For UAL and Continental, the table above does not include projected sublease income of $106 million to be received through 2016 from other operators related to aircraft that are not operated on Continental's behalf. Continental expects such sublease income to be $25 million, $20 million, $20 million, $20 million and $21 million in each of the next five years, respectively.