Retirement Benefits - Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets (Detail)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015
Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	62.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	72.00%
U.S. Value [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	20.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	35.00%
International Value [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	14.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	24.00%
Emerging Markets [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	5.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	11.00%
Alternative Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	18.00%
Fixed Income [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	28.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	38.00%
U.S. Long Duration [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	26.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	36.00%
Emerging Markets [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	4.00%
Other [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	5.00%
Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Equity [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	62.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	72.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | U.S. Value [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	20.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	35.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | International Value [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	14.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	24.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Emerging Markets [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	5.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	11.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	18.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Fixed Income [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	28.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	38.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | U.S. Long Duration [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	26.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	36.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Emerging Markets [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	4.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Other [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Cash Equivalents [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - minimum	0.00%
Percentage of target assets allocation, Equity - maximum	5.00%