Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds	Dec. 31, 2013 Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds Indirect Guarantee of Indebtedness	Dec. 31, 2013 United Airlines, Inc. Employee	Dec. 31, 2012 United Airlines, Inc.	Dec. 31, 2013 Floating Rate Debt	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Rate Debt	Dec. 31, 2013 Loans And Leases From Non U S Entities	Dec. 31, 2013 Capital Addition Purchase Commitments	Dec. 31, 2013 Capital Addition Purchase Commitments Boeing 737-900ER aircraft Aircraft	Dec. 31, 2013 Capital Addition Purchase Commitments Boeing 787-8 aircraft Aircraft	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum Y	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds Indirect Guarantee of Indebtedness	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum Loans And Leases From Non U S Entities Y	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum Tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds Indirect Guarantee of Indebtedness
Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]
New aircraft, scheduled delivery date												2025				2014
New aircraft, scheduled delivery date									2014-06
Number of aircraft expected to be delivered										15	2
Guarantor obligations, maximum exposure		$ 1,900,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Operating leases obligations		1,600,000,000
Capital leases obligations		267,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year													2038	2041			2015	2014
Debt instrument principal amount				11,604,000,000	12,059,000,000	2,100,000,000	286,000,000	2,300,000,000
Debt instrument, remaining terms (years)												12			12
Contingent liabilities based on participation			$ 1,200,000,000
Number of employees				87,000
Percentage of employees represented by various U.S. labor organizations	80.00%