Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 24,681	$ 23,856
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	233	211
Less: Current maturities	3,415	2,749
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	21,033	20,896
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	23,431	22,606
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,807	1,807
Variable interest rate	2.71%
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,220	1,202
Variable interest rate	2.69%
Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 970	970
Variable interest rate	2.94%
Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,213	1,213
Variable interest rate	2.70%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000	0
Variable interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,712	11,933
Average interest rate	4.03%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.39%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,755	4,727
Average interest rate	3.02%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	1.87%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	7.31%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 754	754
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,250	1,250
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| 5.000% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 750	750
Interest rate	5.00%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| 3.75% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 500	0
Interest rate	3.75%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| 4.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 0	500
Interest rate	4.625%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 221	205
Less: Current maturities	3,414	2,246
Long-term debt, net of current maturities	19,767	20,126
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	23,402	22,577
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,807	1,807
Variable interest rate	2.71%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,220	1,202
Variable interest rate	2.69%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 970	970
Variable interest rate	2.94%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,213	1,213
Variable interest rate	2.70%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Delayed Draw Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 1,000	0
Variable interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 11,712	11,933
Average interest rate	4.03%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.39%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 4,755	4,727
Average interest rate	3.02%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	1.87%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	7.31%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt	$ 725	$ 725
Interest rate	5.00%

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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-Topic 210
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- 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.

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- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

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- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

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- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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- Definition

The interest rate applicable to the portion of the carrying amount of long-term borrowings outstanding as of the balance sheet date, including current maturities, which accrues interest at a rate subject to change from time to time.

+ References

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