Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	$ 112
Convertible Debt Derivative Asset
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	289
Convertible Debt Option Liability
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	(147)
EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	63
United Continental Holdings Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	6,086	6,246
United Continental Holdings Inc | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	522	478
United Continental Holdings Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	518	515
United Continental Holdings Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	421	355
United Continental Holdings Inc | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	112	113
United Continental Holdings Inc | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	20	22
United Continental Holdings Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	25	33
United Continental Holdings Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(101)	73
United Continental Holdings Inc | Foreign Currency Derivatives
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign currency derivatives		(1)
United Continental Holdings Inc | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	586	569
United Continental Holdings Inc | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	63	60
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 1 | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	6,086	6,246
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	586	569
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	522	478
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	518	515
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	421	355
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	20	22
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	25	33
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(101)	73
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Foreign Currency Derivatives
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign currency derivatives		(1)
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 3 | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	112	113
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 3 | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	63	60
United Airlines Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,076	3,458
United Airlines Inc | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	20	29
United Airlines Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	132	138
United Airlines Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	162	87
United Airlines Inc | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	6	5
United Airlines Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	22	16
United Airlines Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(54)	44
United Airlines Inc | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	445	433
United Airlines Inc | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	63	60
United Airlines Inc | Level 1 | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,076	3,458
United Airlines Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	445	433
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	20	29
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	132	138
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	162	87
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	6	5
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	22	16
United Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(54)	44
United Airlines Inc | Level 3 | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	63	60
Continental Airlines Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,004	2,782
Continental Airlines Inc | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	502	449
Continental Airlines Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	386	377
Continental Airlines Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	259	268
Continental Airlines Inc | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	112	113
Continental Airlines Inc | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	14	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	3	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(47)	29
Continental Airlines Inc | Foreign Currency Derivatives
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign currency derivatives		(1)
Continental Airlines Inc | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	140	135
Continental Airlines Inc | Convertible Debt Derivative Asset
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt derivative asset	289	193
Continental Airlines Inc | Convertible Debt Option Liability
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt option liability	(147)	(95)
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 1 | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	2,004	2,782
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	140	135
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Asset-Backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	502	449
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	386	377
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	259	268
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	14	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	3	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	(47)	29
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Foreign Currency Derivatives
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Foreign currency derivatives		(1)
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 3 | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	112	113
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 3 | Convertible Debt Derivative Asset
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt derivative asset	289	193
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 3 | Convertible Debt Option Liability
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt option liability	$ (147)	$ (95)