Statements Of Consolidated Stockholders' Equity (Deficit) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data		Common Stock [Member] Successor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Predecessor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Common Stock [Member] United Airlines Inc [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Capital Invested [Member] Successor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Additional Capital Invested [Member] Predecessor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Additional Capital Invested [Member] United Airlines Inc [Member]	Additional Capital Invested [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Additional Capital Invested [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings (Deficit) [Member] Successor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Retained Earnings (Deficit) [Member] Predecessor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Retained Earnings (Deficit) [Member] United Airlines Inc [Member]	Retained Earnings (Deficit) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Successor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Predecessor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] United Airlines Inc [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Successor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Successor [Member]	Predecessor [Member] Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Predecessor [Member]	United Airlines Inc [Member]	Continental Airlines Inc [Member]	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2008			$ 1		$ 1		$ 2,038	$ 2,831		$ 2,919	$ (26)		$ (160)	$ (5,260)	$ (5,308)		$ (1,756)	$ 93	$ 93				$ 123	$ (2,336)		$ (2,321)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2008			123,000,000		140,000,000
Net income (loss)													(282)	(628)	(651)							(282)	(282)	(628)		(651)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net																	571	(58)	(58)			571	571	(58)		(58)
Other comprehensive income (loss)																	571	(58)	(58)			571	571	(58)		(58)
Issuance of common stock					1		158			206													158			207
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			14,000,000		26,000,000
Capital contributions from parent								559																559
Share-based compensation							9	11		11													9	11		11
Proceeds from exercise of stock options							11																11
Proceeds from exercise of stock options (in shares)			2,000,000
Other															3											3
Other (in shares)					2,000,000
Treasury stock acquisitions											(2)															(2)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009			1		2		2,216	3,401		3,136	(28)		(442)	(5,888)	(5,956)		(1,185)	35	35				590	(2,452)		(2,811)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009			139,000,000		168,000,000
Net income (loss)													441									441	441
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net																	93					93	93
Other comprehensive income (loss)																	93					93	93
Share-based compensation									10																	10
Proceeds from exercise of stock options							28																28
Proceeds from exercise of stock options (in shares)			2,000,000
Balance at Sep. 30, 2010			1				2,254						(1)				(1,092)						1,162
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2010			141,000,000
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009					2			3,401		3,136	(28)			(5,888)	(5,956)			35	35					(2,452)		(2,811)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009					168,000,000
Net income (loss)														399	253									399		253
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net																		56	352					56		352
Other comprehensive income (loss)																		56	352					56		352
Shares issued in exchange for Continental common stock					1					3,501																3,502
Shares issued in exchange for Continental common stock (Shares)					148,000,000
Equity Component of Continental convertible debt assumed in Merger										157																157
Shares issued in exchange for redemption of Continental convertible debt										164																164
Shares issued in exchange for redemption of Continental convertible debt (in shares)					9,000,000
Fair value of Continental stock options related to Merger										78																78
Capital contributions from parent								8																8
Share-based compensation								12		14														12		14
Proceeds from exercise of stock options					3					21																21
Treasury stock acquisitions											(3)															(3)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010					3			3,421		7,071	(31)			(5,489)	(5,703)			91	387					(1,977)	4,310	1,727
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010					328,000,000
Balance at Sep. 30, 2010
Elimination of equity accounts in connection with the Merger		(1)				(2,254)						1				1,092					(1,162)
Elimination of equity accounts in connection with the Merger (in shares)		(141,000,000)
Net income (loss)												(95)								(95)	(95)					(325)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net																290				290	290
Other comprehensive income (loss)																290				290	290
Shares issued in exchange for Continental common stock									3,579																	3,579
Capital contributions from parent						520															520
Proceeds from exercise of stock options						13															13
Other						3															3
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010					3	4,115		3,421		7,071		(95)		(5,489)	(5,703)	290		91	387		4,310			(1,977)	4,310	1,727
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010					328,000,000
Net income (loss)												569		281	840					569	569			281		840
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net																(587)		(219)	(804)	(587)	(587)			(219)		(804)
Other comprehensive income (loss)																(587)		(219)	(804)	(587)	(587)			(219)		(804)
Capital contributions from parent								2																2
Share-based compensation						9		9		17											9			9		17
Proceeds from exercise of stock options					3	24				26											24					26
Proceeds from exercise of stock options (in shares)	[1]																									2,449,000
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011					$ 3	$ 4,148		$ 3,432		$ 7,114	$ (31)	$ 474		$ (5,208)	$ (4,863)	$ (297)		$ (128)	$ (417)		$ 4,325			$ (1,904)	$ 4,325	$ 1,806
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011					331,000,000

[1] The aggregate intrinsic value of shares exercised in 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $33 million, $42 million and less than $1 million, respectively.