Special Items, Net (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / Employees	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / Employees	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Fleet restructuring expenses	$ 146	$ 58	$ 422	$ 232	$ 177
Merger integration expenses	81	81	268	273	514
Severance expenses	37		58	0	0
Litigation settlement			45	0	0
Intangible asset impairment			26	0	0
Labor contract expenses			13	46	0
Mark-to-market adjustments for bankruptcy obligations, net	(37)	20	(76)	27	25
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense		149
Other operating charges (credits), net			31	11	(7)
Mainline operating special items, net			787	712	709
Regional operating special items, net			6	22	14
Operating special items, net			793	734	723
Mark-to-market adjustments on equity investments, net	22		104	0	0
Debt refinancing and extinguishment charges			13	22	49
Other nonoperating credits, net			(4)	0	0
Nonoperating special items, net			113	22	49
Income tax special items			18	0	0
Impact of the 2017 Tax Act		$ 823	0	823	0
Income tax special items, net			18	823	0
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee | $ / Employees		1,000
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Fleet restructuring expenses	146	$ 58	422	232	177
Merger integration expenses	81	81	268	273	514
Severance expenses	37		58	0	0
Litigation settlement			45	0	0
Intangible asset impairment			26	0	0
Labor contract expenses			13	46	0
Mark-to-market adjustments for bankruptcy obligations, net	(37)	20	(76)	27	25
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense		123
Other operating charges (credits), net			31	11	(7)
Mainline operating special items, net			787	712	709
Regional operating special items, net			0	3	13
Operating special items, net			787	715	722
Mark-to-market adjustments on equity investments, net	$ 22		104	0	0
Debt refinancing and extinguishment charges			13	22	49
Other nonoperating credits, net			(4)	0	0
Nonoperating special items, net			113	22	49
Income tax special items			18	0	0
Impact of the 2017 Tax Act		$ 924	0	924	0
Income tax special items, net			18	924	0
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee | $ / Employees		1,000
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Income tax special items, net			18
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Income tax special items, net			18
Mainline [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense			0	$ 123	0
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee | $ / Employees				1,000
Mainline [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Employee 2017 Tax Act bonus expense			$ 0	$ 123	$ 0
Tax reform bonus, amount per employee | $ / Employees				1,000