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Investments - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
Investments - Narrative (Details)	May 31, 2020 USD ($) aircraft	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($) aircraft joint_venture_party $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) aircraft	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Investments [Line Items]
Short-term investments			$ 5,048,000,000				$ 5,048,000,000		$ 0
Short-term investments expected to mature in one year or less			4,400,000,000				4,400,000,000
Acquisition of strategic investments							2,099,000,000	$ 170,000,000
Estimated future disbursements for establishment of strategic alliance			75,000,000				75,000,000
Restructuring charges			5,345,000,000			$ 0	7,798,000,000	0
Impairments and equity method (losses)/gains			114,000,000			(27,000,000)	2,432,000,000	44,000,000
Long-term investments			1,310,000,000				1,310,000,000		$ 1,099,000,000
Net gain (loss) on Investments			(95,000,000)			$ (35,000,000)	(199,000,000)	$ (17,000,000)
Number of parties in joint venture \| joint_venture_party		3
Receivables from investees
Investments [Line Items]
Reserve against outstanding receivables from Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Australia, LATAM, Grupo Aeromexico, and others			$ 156,000,000				$ 156,000,000
LATAM
Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (percent)		20.00%		20.00%
Acquisition of strategic investments		$ 1,900,000,000
Per share price in tender offer (USD per share) \| $ / shares		$ 16
Total consideration for investment					$ 2,300,000,000
Carrying value of equity investment					1,100,000,000
Impairments and equity method (losses)/gains				$ 1,100,000,000
Grupo Aeromexico
Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (percent)				51.00%
Impairments and equity method (losses)/gains				$ 770,000,000
Voting interest limit per bylaws (percent)				49.00%
Virgin Atlantic
Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (percent)			49.00%				49.00%		49.00%
Carrying value of equity investment			$ 0	$ 0			$ 0		$ 375,000,000
Impairments and equity method (losses)/gains							511,000,000
Alliance-related
Investments [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangibles			1,863,000,000				1,863,000,000		1,005,000,000
Alliance-related \| LATAM
Investments [Line Items]
Consideration allocated to indefinite-lived intangible asset					1,200,000,000
Indefinite-lived intangibles			1,200,000,000				$ 1,200,000,000
LATAM
Investments [Line Items]
Planned transition payments to support establishment of strategic alliance		$ 350,000,000
Payments to support establishment of strategic alliance			75,000,000						$ 200,000,000
Restructuring charges	$ 62,000,000			$ 62,000,000
LATAM \| A350
Investments [Line Items]
Number of aircraft agreed to acquire \| aircraft		4
Number of purchase commitments assumed \| aircraft		10					10
Number of aircraft in terminated purchase agreement \| aircraft	4
GOL \| Loan receivable
Investments [Line Items]
Loan issued			250,000,000
Loan receivable			235,000,000				$ 235,000,000
Wheels Up
Investments [Line Items]
Gain on transaction to combine subsidiary with Wheels Up					$ 240,000,000
Virgin Atlantic
Investments [Line Items]
Receivable			115,000,000				115,000,000
LATAM
Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (percent)				20.00%
Long-term investments			0				0
Grupo Aeromexico
Investments [Line Items]
Long-term investments			$ 0				$ 0
Wheels Up
Investments [Line Items]
Ownership interest (percent)		27.00%	25.00%				25.00%		0.00%
Long-term investments			$ 234,000,000				$ 234,000,000		$ 0
Related agreements for Virgin Atlantic recapitalization process
Investments [Line Items]
Note payable			$ 115,000,000				$ 115,000,000
Term loan facility \| Financial guarantee \| GOL
Investments [Line Items]
Guarantee borrowings on third party debt										$ 300,000,000
Guarantee borrowings on third party debt, term (in years)										5 years