Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - New Accounting Standards (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									$ 36,133
Cargo									800	$ 700	$ 760
Other									5,274	4,901	4,718
Total operating revenues	$ 10,600	$ 10,878	$ 11,105	$ 9,624	$ 9,789	$ 10,594	$ 10,363	$ 9,435	42,207	40,180	40,990
Total operating expenses	9,910	9,646	9,570	9,023	9,022	9,163	8,612	8,100	38,149	34,896	34,786
Operating income	690	1,232	1,535	601	767	1,431	1,751	1,335	4,058	5,284	6,204
Total nonoperating expense, net									(974)	(985)	(1,588)
Income before income taxes									3,084	4,299	4,616
Income tax provision (benefit)									1,165	1,623	(2,994)
Net income	$ 258	$ 624	$ 803	$ 234	$ 289	$ 737	$ 950	$ 700	$ 1,919	$ 2,676	$ 7,610
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.54	$ 1.28	$ 1.63	$ 0.46	$ 0.56	$ 1.40	$ 1.68	$ 1.14	$ 3.90	$ 4.81	$ 11.07
Deferred tax asset	$ 427				$ 1,498				$ 427	$ 1,498
Air traffic liability	3,978				3,912				3,978	3,912
Current loyalty program liability	2,791				2,789				2,791	2,789
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	0								0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	3,926				3,785				3,926	3,785	$ 5,635	$ 2,021
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset	1,816								1,816
Air traffic liability	4,042								4,042
Current loyalty program liability	3,175								3,175
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,647								5,647
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(780)								(780)
Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset	1,389								1,389
Air traffic liability	64								64
Current loyalty program liability	384								384
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,647								5,647
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	(4,706)								(4,706)
Pro Forma [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									39,131
Cargo									890
Other									2,601
Total operating revenues									42,622
Total operating expenses									38,391
Operating income									4,231
Total nonoperating expense, net									(836)
Income before income taxes									3,395
Income tax provision (benefit)									2,113
Net income									$ 1,282
Diluted (in dollars per share)									$ 2.61
Pro Forma and Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									$ 2,687
Cargo									90
Other									(2,673)
Total operating revenues									104
Total operating expenses									104
Pro Forma and Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Total operating expenses									138
Operating income									(138)
Total nonoperating expense, net									138
Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Pro Forma [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									311
Total operating revenues									311
Operating income									311
Income before income taxes									311
Income tax provision (benefit)									948
Net income									(637)
Change in valuation allowance									830
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									36,133
Cargo									800	700	760
Other									5,262	4,884	4,666
Total operating revenues	10,597	$ 10,875	$ 11,102	$ 9,621	9,786	$ 10,591	$ 10,360	$ 9,427	42,195	40,163	40,938
Total operating expenses	9,921	9,650	9,575	9,017	8,995	9,159	8,603	8,104	38,163	34,859	34,749
Operating income	676	1,225	1,527	604	791	1,432	1,757	1,323	4,032	5,304	6,189
Total nonoperating expense, net									(788)	(861)	(1,521)
Income before income taxes									3,244	4,443	4,668
Income tax provision (benefit)									1,322	1,662	(3,452)
Net income	183	$ 649	$ 827	$ 263	341	$ 758	$ 972	$ 710	1,922	2,781	8,120
Change in valuation allowance									830
Deferred tax asset	682				1,912				682	1,912
Air traffic liability	3,978				3,912				3,978	3,912
Current loyalty program liability	2,791				2,789				2,791	2,789
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	0								0
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	14,594				$ 12,649				14,594	$ 12,649	$ 9,698	$ 1,406
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset	2,071								2,071
Air traffic liability	4,042								4,042
Current loyalty program liability	3,175								3,175
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,647								5,647
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	9,888								9,888
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Deferred tax asset	1,389								1,389
Air traffic liability	64								64
Current loyalty program liability	384								384
Noncurrent loyalty program liability	5,647								5,647
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit)	$ (4,706)								(4,706)
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Pro Forma [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									39,131
Cargo									890
Other									2,589
Total operating revenues									42,610
Total operating expenses									38,405
Operating income									4,205
Total nonoperating expense, net									(650)
Income before income taxes									3,555
Income tax provision (benefit)									2,270
Net income									1,285
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Pro Forma and Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									2,687
Cargo									90
Other									(2,673)
Total operating revenues									104
Total operating expenses									104
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Pro Forma and Restatement Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Total operating expenses									138
Operating income									(138)
Total nonoperating expense, net									138
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Difference between Revenue Guidance in Effect before and after Topic 606 [Member] | Pro Forma [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member]
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Passenger									311
Total operating revenues									311
Operating income									311
Income before income taxes									311
Income tax provision (benefit)									948
Net income									$ (637)