Commitments and Contingencies - Aircraft Purchase and Lease Commitments and Contract Carrier Agreements (Details) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) aircraft
Future aircraft purchase commitments
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
2017	$ 2,580
2018	2,980
2019	3,380
2020	1,730
2021	1,130
Thereafter	660
Total	$ 12,460
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	245
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| B 737-900ER
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	51
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| A321-200
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	67
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| A330-300
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	2
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| A330-900 NEO
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	25
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| A350-900
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	25
Future aircraft purchase commitments \| CS100
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
Aircraft purchase commitments, minimum quantity required \| aircraft	75
Airline capacity purchase arrangements
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation
2017	$ 2,039
2018	1,827
2019	1,562
2020	1,220
2021	737
Thereafter	1,196
Total	$ 8,581

Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73718637&loc=d3e25336-109308

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Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

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Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

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Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Amount of the unrecorded obligation to transfer funds in the future for fixed or minimum amounts or quantities of goods or services at fixed or minimum prices (for example, as in take-or-pay contracts or throughput contracts).

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Amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the unrecorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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The minimum number of units that must be purchased, in connection with an unconditional purchase obligation that has not been recognized for financial reporting purposes.

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