Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 25,009	$ 25,301
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	242	236
Less: Current maturities	2,493	2,554
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	22,274	22,511
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,759	23,551
Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,825
Variable interest rate	3.98%
Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,228	728
Variable interest rate	4.13%
Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	990
Variable interest rate	4.24%
Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,238	1,238
Variable interest rate	4.16%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,884	11,881
Average interest rate	4.24%
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	9.75%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,078	5,259
Average interest rate	4.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.18%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.48%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 815	857
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%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 711	773
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.81%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,750
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 5.50% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 750	750
Interest rate	5.50%
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 4.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate
Unsecured Debt [Member] | 6.125% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 0	$ 500
Interest rate	6.125%	4.63%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 238	$ 227
Less: Current maturities	2,497	2,058
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	20,995	21,236
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,730	23,521
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,825
Variable interest rate	3.98%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,228	728
Variable interest rate	4.13%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	990
Variable interest rate	4.24%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,238	1,238
Variable interest rate	4.16%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,884	11,881
Average interest rate	4.24%
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	9.75%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,078	5,259
Average interest rate	4.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.18%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.48%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 786	828
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 711	$ 772
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.81%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%