Retirement Benefits - Schedule of Health Care Cost Trend Rates (Detail)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items]
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year	5.21%	5.25%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate trend rate)	4.56%	4.55%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2024	2023
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items]
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year	521.00%	525.00%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (the ultimate trend rate)	456.00%	455.00%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2024	2023

Pension Plans, Postretirement and Other Employee Benefits [Line Items]

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- Definition

The assumed health care cost trend rate for the next year used to measure the expected cost of benefits covered by the plan (gross eligible charges). This is based upon the annual rate of change in the cost of health care benefits currently provided by the postretirement benefit plan, due to factors other than changes in the composition of the plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Health Care Cost Trend Rate
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6514820

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

The ultimate trend rate for health care costs.

+ 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 (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Year the ultimate health care cost trend rate is expected to be reached, in CCYY format.

+ References

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