Statements of Consolidated Operations (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Operating revenue:
Mainline	$ 6,864	$ 3,532	$ 12,627	$ 6,401
Regional	1,742	962	3,166	1,750
Total passenger revenue	8,606	4,494	15,793	8,151
Cargo	316	190	599	347
Special revenue item (Note 1)	107		107
Other operating revenue	780	477	1,512	904
Total revenues	9,809	5,161	18,011	9,402
Operating expenses:
Aircraft fuel	3,227	1,486	5,899	2,693
Salaries and related costs	1,916	1,061	3,722	2,051
Regional capacity purchase	615	405	1,188	793
Landing fees and other rent	502	271	975	528
Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs	444	245	883	467
Depreciation and amortization	385	223	773	444
Distribution expenses	375	198	725	370
Aircraft rent	252	81	505	162
Special charges (Note 10)	146	106	223	124
Other operating expenses	1,139	644	2,276	1,253
Total operating expenses	9,001	4,720	17,169	8,885
Operating income	808	441	842	517
Nonoperating income (expense):
Interest expense	(250)	(178)	(504)	(363)
Interest income	5	2	9	3
Interest capitalized	8	3	14	5
Miscellaneous, net	(29)	3	(30)	28
Total other income (expense)	(266)	(170)	(511)	(327)
Income before income taxes	542	271	331	190
Income tax expense (benefit)	4	(2)	6	(1)
Net income	538	273	325	191
Earnings per share, basic	$ 1.63	$ 1.62	$ 0.98	$ 1.14
Earnings per share, diluted	$ 1.39	$ 1.29	$ 0.88	$ 0.96
Continental Airlines Inc [Member] | Successor [Member]
Operating revenue:
Mainline	3,118		5,741
Regional	696		1,229
Total passenger revenue	3,814		6,970
Cargo	126		241
Special revenue item (Note 1)	19		19
Other operating revenue	325		612
Total revenues	4,284		7,842
Operating expenses:
Aircraft fuel	1,394		2,554
Salaries and related costs	864		1,669
Regional capacity purchase	214		406
Landing fees and other rent	228		448
Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs	154		303
Depreciation and amortization	156		317
Distribution expenses	177		340
Aircraft rent	173		345
Special charges (Note 10)	56		59
Other operating expenses	494		998
Total operating expenses	3,910		7,439
Operating income	374		403
Nonoperating income (expense):
Interest expense	(88)		(171)
Interest income	2		4
Interest capitalized	4		8
Miscellaneous, net	(28)		(35)
Total other income (expense)	(110)		(194)
Income before income taxes	264		209
Income tax expense (benefit)	2		4
Net income	262		205
Earnings per share, basic
Earnings per share, diluted
Continental Airlines Inc [Member] | Predecessor [Member]
Operating revenue:
Mainline		2,635		4,892
Regional		616		1,117
Total passenger revenue		3,251		6,009
Cargo		111		213
Special revenue item (Note 1)
Other operating revenue		329		632
Total revenues		3,691		6,854
Operating expenses:
Aircraft fuel		992		1,865
Salaries and related costs		822		1,618
Regional capacity purchase		205		402
Landing fees and other rent		215		428
Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs		131		273
Depreciation and amortization		122		256
Distribution expenses		161		306
Aircraft rent		230		459
Special charges (Note 10)		24		34
Other operating expenses		460		934
Total operating expenses		3,362		6,575
Operating income		329		279
Nonoperating income (expense):
Interest expense		(92)		(187)
Interest income		2		4
Interest capitalized		6		13
Miscellaneous, net		(12)		(21)
Total other income (expense)		(96)		(191)
Income before income taxes		233		88
Income tax expense (benefit)				1
Net income		233		87
Earnings per share, basic		$ 1.67		$ 0.62
Earnings per share, diluted		$ 1.46		$ 0.60
United Airlines Inc [Member]
Operating revenue:
Mainline	3,745	3,532	6,884	6,401
Regional	1,046	962	1,937	1,750
Total passenger revenue	4,791	4,494	8,821	8,151
Cargo	191	190	358	347
Special revenue item (Note 1)	88		88
Other operating revenue	500	479	979	908
Total revenues	5,570	5,163	10,246	9,406
Operating expenses:
Aircraft fuel	1,833	1,486	3,345	2,693
Salaries and related costs	1,038	1,061	2,025	2,051
Regional capacity purchase	401	405	783	793
Landing fees and other rent	275	271	527	528
Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs	290	245	582	467
Depreciation and amortization	229	223	456	444
Distribution expenses	199	198	386	370
Aircraft rent	80	81	161	162
Special charges (Note 10)	90	106	164	124
Other operating expenses	698	644	1,372	1,252
Total operating expenses	5,133	4,720	9,801	8,884
Operating income	437	443	445	522
Nonoperating income (expense):
Interest expense	(159)	(173)	(327)	(353)
Interest income	3	2	5	3
Interest capitalized	3	3	6	5
Miscellaneous, net	(3)	4	(8)	29
Total other income (expense)	(156)	(164)	(324)	(316)
Income before income taxes	281	279	121	206
Income tax expense (benefit)		(2)		(1)
Net income	$ 281	$ 281	$ 121	$ 207