Long Term Debt (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 2,243
Secured Debt	12,490	14,059
Unsecured Debt	1,307	1,383
Long-term Debt, Gross	13,797	15,442
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium), Net	737	935
Long-term Debt	13,060	14,507
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	(1,827)	(1,954)
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	11,233	12,553
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	834	1,067	342
Debt Instrument, Fair Value Disclosure	13,600	15,400
Senior Secured Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	2,600
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio 1.20:1; Minimum Unrestricted Liquidity - Unrestricted cash and permitted investments $1.0 billion; Unrestricted cash, permitted investments, and undrawn revolving credit facilities $2.0 billion; Minimum Collateral Coverage Ratio 1.67:1; Excluding the non-Pacific international routes from the collateral for purposes of the calculation, the required minimum collateral coverage ratio is 0.75:1
Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	1,400
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2017
Secured Debt	1,368	0
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.50%
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	1,200
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2016
Secured Debt	0	0
Senior Secured Exit Financing Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	0	1,450
Senior Secured Pacific Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	Minimum Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio 1.20:1; Minimum Unrestricted Liquidity - Unrestricted cash, permitted investments, and undrawn revolving credit facilities $2.0 billion; Minimum Collateral Coverage Ratio 1.60:1
Pacific Routes Term Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			250
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Mar. 31, 2016
Secured Debt	248	247
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.25%
Pacific Routes Revolving Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			500
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Mar. 31, 2013
Secured Debt	0	0
Senior Secured Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			750
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Sep. 30, 2014
Secured Debt	600	675
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.50%
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	Minimum Collateral Coverage Ratio 1.60:1
Senior Second Lien Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	600
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Mar. 31, 2015
Secured Debt	306	397
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	12.25%
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description	Minimum Collateral Coverage Ratio 1.00:1
Bank Revolving Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	0	0
Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	4,677	5,310
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	0.92%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	9.75%
Debt Instrument, Collateral	262 aircraft
Aircraft Financings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	4,570	5,170
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	0.86%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	6.76%
Debt Instrument, Collateral	269 aircraft
Other Secured Financings [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	721	810
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	2.25%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	6.12%
American Express Advance Purchase of SkyMiles [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	1,000
Unsecured Debt	952	1,000
Other Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured Debt	355	383
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum	3.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum	9.07%
EETC 2011 1A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	293
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Apr. 30, 2019
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	5.30%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	293	0	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	4/30/2011
EETC 2011 1A [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	26 aircraft
EETC 2011 1B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	102
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Oct. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.125%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	102	0	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	8/30/2011
EETC 2011 1B [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	26 aircraft
EETC 2010 2A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	474
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	May 31, 2019
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.95%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	204	270	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	11/30/2010
EETC 2010 2A [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	28 aircraft
EETC 2010 2B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	135
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Nov. 30, 2015
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.75%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	135	0	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	2/28/2011
EETC 2010 2B [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	28 aircraft
EETC 2010 1A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	450
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Jul. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.20%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	0	450	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	7/31/2010
EETC 2010 1A [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	24 aircraft
EETC 2010 1B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	100
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Jan. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	6.375%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	100	0	0
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	2/28/2011
EETC 2010 1B [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	24 aircraft
EETC 2009 1A [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	569
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.75%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	0	288	281
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	11/30/2009
EETC 2009 1A [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	27 aircraft
EETC 2009 1B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	120
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	9.75%
Proceeds from Issuance of Debt	$ 0	$ 59	$ 61
Debt Instrument, Offering Date	11/30/2009
EETC 2009 1B [Member] | Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Collateral	27 aircraft