Debt - Details of Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (Detail) - Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2017
2016-3 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 558
Interest rate	3.00%
2016-3 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 256
Interest rate	3.25%
2016-3 EETC Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 193	$ 193
Interest rate	3.75%
2017-1 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 537
Interest rate	3.65%
2017-1 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 248
Interest rate	4.00%
2017-1 Series B Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 198
Interest rate	4.95%
2017-2 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 545
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 152
Interest rate	3.35%
2017-2 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 252
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 70
Interest rate	3.60%
2017-2 EETC Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 221	221
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 61
Interest rate	3.70%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2016-3 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 558
Interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2016-3 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 256
Interest rate	3.25%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2016-3 EETC Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 193	193
Interest rate	3.75%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-1 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 537
Interest rate	3.65%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-1 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 248
Interest rate	4.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-1 Series B Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 198
Interest rate	4.95%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-2 Series AA Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 545
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 152
Interest rate	3.35%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-2 Series A Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 252
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 70
Interest rate	3.60%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| 2017-2 EETC Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument principal amount	$ 221	$ 221
Debt instrument, unused borrowing capacity	$ 61
Interest rate	3.70%

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Amount of unused borrowing capacity under the long-term financing arrangement that is available to the entity as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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