Retirement Benefits - Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Pension Benefits [Member]
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$ 2	$ 3	$ 3
Interest cost	737	746	654
Expected return on assets	(851)	(786)	(720)
Curtailments			2
Settlements	1	4	(1)
Amortization of Prior service cost (benefit)	28	28	28
Amortization of Unrecognized net loss (gain)	112	43	90
Net periodic benefit cost (income) for defined benefit plans	29	38	56
Defined contribution plans	662	546	328
Defined Benefit Plan and Defined Contribution Plan Periodic Benefit Cost	691	584	384
Pension Benefits [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	2	2	3
Interest cost	733	742	654
Expected return on assets	(848)	(783)	(720)
Curtailments			2
Settlements	1	4	(1)
Amortization of Prior service cost (benefit)	28	28	28
Amortization of Unrecognized net loss (gain)	111	43	90
Net periodic benefit cost (income) for defined benefit plans	26	36	56
Defined contribution plans	657	527	311
Defined Benefit Plan and Defined Contribution Plan Periodic Benefit Cost	683	563	367
Retiree Medical And Other Postretirement Benefits [Member]
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	3	1
Interest cost	50	61	50
Expected return on assets	(19)	(19)	(16)
Amortization of Prior service cost (benefit)	(243)	(244)	(251)
Amortization of Unrecognized net loss (gain)	(9)	(8)	(9)
Net periodic benefit cost (income) for defined benefit plans	(218)	(209)	(226)
Defined Benefit Plan and Defined Contribution Plan Periodic Benefit Cost	(218)	(209)	(226)
Retiree Medical And Other Postretirement Benefits [Member] | American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	3	1
Interest cost	50	61	50
Expected return on assets	(19)	(19)	(16)
Amortization of Prior service cost (benefit)	(243)	(244)	(251)
Amortization of Unrecognized net loss (gain)	(9)	(8)	(9)
Net periodic benefit cost (income) for defined benefit plans	(218)	(209)	(226)
Defined Benefit Plan and Defined Contribution Plan Periodic Benefit Cost	$ (218)	$ (209)	$ (226)