Long Term Debt (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	$ 11,074		$ 11,839
Unsecured Debt	154		794
Long-term Debt, Gross	11,228		12,633
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium), Net	(383)		(527)
Long-term Debt	10,845		12,106
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	(1,449)		(1,507)
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	9,396		10,599
Pacific Term Loan B1 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Oct. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.00%	[1]
Secured Debt	1,089	[2]	1,100	[2]
Pacific Term Loan B2 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2016
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.25%	[1]
Secured Debt	396	[2]	400	[2]
Pacific Revolving Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Oct. 31, 2017
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0		0
Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2017
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.50%	[1]
Secured Debt	1,341	[2]	1,354	[2]
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2016
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0		0
Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	3,834	[2],[3]	4,314	[2],[3]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start	Jan. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 31, 2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	4.75%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	9.75%
Aircraft Financings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	3,787	[2],[3]	3,964	[2],[3]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start	Jan. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 31, 2025
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	0.64%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	6.76%
Other Secured Financings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	627	[2],[4]	707	[2],[4]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start	Jan. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 31, 2031
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	0.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	6.12%
Bank Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	0		0
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start	Jan. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 31, 2015
American Express Advance Purchase of SkyMiles [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	0	[5]	619	[5]
Other Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, Start	Jan. 01, 2014
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Range, End	Dec. 31, 2035
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	3.01%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	9.00%
Unsecured Debt	$ 154	[2]	$ 175	[2]

[1] (1) Interest rate equal to LIBOR (generally subject to a floor) or another index rate, in each case plus a specified margin.

[2] (2) Due in installments

[3] (3) Secured by aircraft.

[4] (4) Primarily includes loans secured by spare parts, spare engines and real estate.

[5] (5) For additional information about our debt associated with American Express, see Note 7.