Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 21,999	$ 20,807
Less: Total unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs	255	246
Less: Current maturities	2,610	2,231
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	19,134	18,330
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	20,249	19,057
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,867	1,867
Interest rate	3.25%
Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 743	743
Interest rate	3.50%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Credit Facility, Tranche B-1, Citicorp 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	980
Interest rate	3.50%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Credit Facility, Tranche B-2, Citicorp 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 588	588
Interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 9,634	8,693
Interest rate, minimum	3.38%
Interest rate, maximum	9.75%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 4,449	4,183
Interest rate, minimum	1.83%
Interest rate, maximum	8.48%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,080	1,080
Interest rate, minimum	2.00%
Interest rate, maximum	8.00%
Secured Debt [Member] \| Other Secured Obligations, Fixed Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 908	923
Interest rate, minimum	3.60%
Interest rate, maximum	12.24%
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,750	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] \| 6.125% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	6.125%
Unsecured Debt [Member] \| 4.625% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 500	500
Interest rate	4.625%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 20,246	19,054
Less: Total unamortized debt discount and debt issuance costs	238	228
Less: Current maturities	2,613	2,234
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	17,395	16,592
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	20,219	19,027
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,867	1,867
Interest rate	3.25%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 743	743
Interest rate	3.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Credit Facility, Tranche B-1, Citicorp 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 980	980
Interest rate	3.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Credit Facility, Tranche B-2, Citicorp 2013 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 588	588
Interest rate	3.00%
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	$ 9,634	8,693
Interest rate, minimum	3.38%
Interest rate, maximum	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	$ 4,449	4,183
Interest rate, minimum	1.83%
Interest rate, maximum	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	$ 1,051	1,051
Interest rate, minimum	2.00%
Interest rate, maximum	8.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Secured Debt [Member] \| Other Secured Obligations, Fixed Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 907	922
Interest rate, minimum	3.60%
Interest rate, maximum	12.24%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 27	27
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] \| Unsecured Debt [Member] \| Affiliate Unsecured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 27	$ 27

Debt And Capital Lease Obligations Gross

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section H

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