Debt - Components of Long-Term Debt (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 24,922	$ 24,573
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	238	229
Less: Current maturities	2,467	1,855
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	22,217	22,489
Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,172	22,823
Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,843
Interest rate	3.24%
Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 735	735
Interest rate	3.24%
Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 990	1,000
Interest rate	3.74%
Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,250
Interest rate	3.73%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 11,396	10,912
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	9.75%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 5,330	5,343
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.34%
Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.99%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 857	891
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.00%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 789	849
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.60%
Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	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]
Less: Total unamortized debt discount, premium and issuance costs	$ 230	216
Less: Current maturities	1,970	1,859
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities	20,942	20,718
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	23,142	22,793
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2013 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,825	1,843
Interest rate	3.24%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | 2014 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 735	735
Interest rate	3.24%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | April 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 990	1,000
Interest rate	3.74%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | December 2016 Credit Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 1,250	1,250
Interest rate	3.73%
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	$ 11,396	10,912
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates (EETC) [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	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	$ 5,330	5,343
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	2.34%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Equipment Loans and Other Notes Payable [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	8.99%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 828	862
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.00%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Special Facility Revenue Bonds [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.50%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total long-term debt and capital lease obligations	$ 788	$ 848
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.60%
American Airlines, Inc. [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Other Secured Obligations [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	12.24%