Employee Benefit Plans - Fair Values of Retiree Medical and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Assets by Asset Category (Detail) - Retiree Medical And Other Postretirement Benefits [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 266	$ 253	$ 244
Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	266	23
Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	266	253	$ 244
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	266	23
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
Money Market Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	5	4
Money Market Funds [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	5	4
Money Market Funds [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	5	4
Money Market Funds [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	5	4
Mutual Funds [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
Mutual Funds [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
Mutual Funds [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
Mutual Funds [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		230
Mutual Funds Institutional Class [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	261	19
Mutual Funds Institutional Class [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	261	19
Mutual Funds Institutional Class [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	261	19
Mutual Funds Institutional Class [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	$ 261	$ 19