Employee Benefit Plans - Changes in Fair Value Measurements of Level 3 Investments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Pension Benefits [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	$ 10,017	$ 9,707
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	11,395	10,017
Pension Benefits [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Private Equity Partnerships [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	21	16
Actual loss on plan assets relating to assets still held at the reporting date	(4)
Actual return on plan assets relating to assets sold during the period		7
Purchases	1	7
Sales	(1)	(9)
Transfers out	(3)
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	14	21
Pension Benefits [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Insurance Group Annuity Contracts [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	2	2
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	2	2
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Private Equity Partnerships [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	21	16
Actual loss on plan assets relating to assets still held at the reporting date	(4)
Actual return on plan assets relating to assets sold during the period		7
Purchases	1	7
Sales	(1)	(9)
Transfers out	(3)
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	14	21
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Level 3 [Member] \| Insurance Group Annuity Contracts [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	2	2
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	2	2
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Pension Benefits [Member]
Change in fair value measurements of level 3 investments
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of period	9,968	9,660
Fair value of plan assets at end of period	$ 11,340	$ 9,968

Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets Level 3 Reconciliation, Purchases

No definition available.

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- Definition

Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets Level 3 Reconciliation, Sales

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount, measured using unobservable inputs, of increase (decrease) in plan assets of defined benefit plan from actual return (loss) on assets sold.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(5)(iv)(02)(A)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Amount, measured using unobservable inputs, of increase (decrease) in plan assets of defined benefit plan from actual return (loss) on assets still held.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Fair value of assets that have been segregated and restricted to provide pension or postretirement benefits. Assets include, but are not limited to, stocks, bonds, other investments, earnings from investments, and contributions by the employer and employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Amount, measured using unobservable inputs, of increase (decrease) in plan assets of defined benefit plan, for assets transferred into (out of) Level 3 of fair value hierarchy. Includes, but is not limited to, transfer due to change in observability of significant inputs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(5)(iv)(02)(C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

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