Commitments and Contingencies (Details 3) (USD $)	12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 employee	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2010 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2009 Total revenues Significant Customers Delta, United, and Continental Combined	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Pilots employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Flight Attendants employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Flight Controllers employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Mechanics employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions Atlantic Southeast Stock Clerks employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Pilots employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Flight Attendants employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Mechanics employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Dispatchers employee	Dec. 31, 2011 Full-time equivalent employees Employees represented by unions ExpressJet Delaware Stock Clerks employee
Commitments and Contingencies
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 240,000	$ 47,000
Concentration Risk and Significant Customers
Concentration risk (as a percent)			97.60%	94.70%	97.30%	46.00%
Number of full-time equivalent employees	18,418
Approximate Number of Active Employees							1,700	1,080	40	600	70	2,700	1,300	900	85	80