Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Continental Airlines Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,119	$ 2,782
Continental Airlines Inc | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	631	449
Continental Airlines Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	200	377
Continental Airlines Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	248	268
Continental Airlines Inc | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	115	113
Continental Airlines Inc | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	7	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	4	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	9	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	116	135
Continental Airlines Inc | Convertible Debt Derivative Asset
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt derivative asset	202	193
Continental Airlines Inc | Convertible Debt Option Liability
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Convertible debt option liability	(91)	(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	2,119	2,782
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	116	135
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	631	449
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	200	377
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	248	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	7	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	4	17
Continental Airlines Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	9	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	115	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	202	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	(91)	(95)
United Air Lines Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,005	3,458
United Air Lines Inc | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	16	29
United Air Lines Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	140	138
United Air Lines Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	156	87
United Air Lines Inc | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	8	5
United Air Lines Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	26	16
United Air Lines Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	24	44
United Air Lines Inc | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	354	433
United Air Lines Inc | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	62	60
United Air Lines Inc | Level 1 | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,005	3,458
United Air Lines Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	354	433
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	16	29
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	140	138
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	156	87
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | U.S. Government And Agency Notes
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	8	5
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	26	16
United Air Lines Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	24	44
United Air Lines Inc | Level 3 | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	62	60
United Continental Holdings Inc | Cash and Cash Equivalents
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	5,129	6,246
United Continental Holdings Inc | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	647	478
United Continental Holdings Inc | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	340	515
United Continental Holdings Inc | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	404	355
United Continental Holdings Inc | Auction Rate Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	115	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	15	22
United Continental Holdings Inc | Other Fixed Income Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	30	33
United Continental Holdings Inc | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	33	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	471	569
United Continental Holdings Inc | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	62	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	5,129	6,246
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 1 | Restricted Cash
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Restricted cash	471	569
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	647	478
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Corporate Debt
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	340	515
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | CDARS
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Short-term investments	404	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	15	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	30	33
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 2 | Fuel Derivatives, Net
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fuel derivatives, net	33	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	115	113
United Continental Holdings Inc | Level 3 | EETC
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
EETC	$ 62	$ 60