Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121570589&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121570589&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226000-175313

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of the assets less the liabilities of a derivative or group of derivatives.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121572278&loc=d3e13433-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Nominal volume used to calculate payments on a derivative instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmountVolume
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:volumeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121590274&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=dal_ForeignExchangeContractEuroBasedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=dal_ForeignExchangeContractWonBasedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EnergyRelatedDerivativeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Derivatives and Risk Management - Hedge Position (Details) € in Millions, ₩ in Millions, gal in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 gal	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) gal	Sep. 30, 2020 KRW (₩)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 KRW (₩)	Dec. 31, 2019 EUR (€)
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, net		$ 20		$ 68
Prepaid Expenses and Other
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		5		38
Other Noncurrent Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		23		53
Other Accrued Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		(6)		(19)
Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		(2)		(4)
Foreign exchange contracts - Euro based \| Not designated as hedges
Derivatives, Fair Value
Volume \| €						€ 397
Total derivative contracts, net				9
Foreign exchange contracts - Euro based \| Not designated as hedges \| Prepaid Expenses and Other
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets				9
Foreign exchange contracts - Euro based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets				0
Foreign exchange contracts - Euro based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Accrued Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities				0
Foreign exchange contracts - Euro based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities				0
Foreign exchange contracts - Won based \| Not designated as hedges
Derivatives, Fair Value
Volume \| ₩			₩ 177,045		₩ 177,045
Total derivative contracts, net		(2)		(3)
Foreign exchange contracts - Won based \| Not designated as hedges \| Prepaid Expenses and Other
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		0		1
Foreign exchange contracts - Won based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		0		0
Foreign exchange contracts - Won based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Accrued Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		0		0
Foreign exchange contracts - Won based \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		$ (2)		(4)
Fuel hedge contracts \| Not designated as hedges
Derivatives, Fair Value
Volume, nonmonetary \| gal	243	197
Total derivative contracts, net		$ (3)		1
Fuel hedge contracts \| Not designated as hedges \| Prepaid Expenses and Other
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		3		16
Fuel hedge contracts \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		0		0
Fuel hedge contracts \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Accrued Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		(6)		(15)
Fuel hedge contracts \| Not designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		0		0
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Designated as hedges
Derivatives, Fair Value
Volume		150		1,872
Total derivative contracts, net		25		61
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Designated as hedges \| Prepaid Expenses and Other
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		2		12
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Assets
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, assets		23		53
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Designated as hedges \| Other Accrued Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		0		(4)
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts \| Designated as hedges \| Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Derivatives, Fair Value
Total derivative contracts, liabilities		$ 0		$ 0