Debt instrument conversion original debt base principal amount.

No definition available.

Name:	aeo_DebtInstrumentConversionOriginalDebtBasePrincipalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument, conversion period beginning month and year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument conversion shares to be issued for each base principal amount.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument, convertible, latest trading day immediately preceding maturity date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt instrument, maturity year.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aeo_
Data Type:	xbrli:gYearItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The price per share of the conversion feature embedded in the debt instrument.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Earliest date when the debt instrument can be converted into equity, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Remaining amortization period for discount on the liability component of convertible debt which may be settled in cash upon conversion, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Threshold period of specified consecutive trading days within which common stock price to conversion price of convertible debt instrument must exceed threshold percentage for specified number of trading days to trigger conversion feature.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentConvertibleThresholdConsecutiveTradingDays1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum percentage of common stock price to conversion price of convertible debt instruments to determine eligibility of conversion.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Threshold number of specified trading days that common stock price to conversion price of convertible debt instruments must exceed threshold percentage within a specified consecutive trading period to trigger conversion feature.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments (monthly, quarterly, annual).

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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+ Details

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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate as being fixed or variable, and, if variable, identification of the index or rate on which the interest rate is based and the number of points or percentage added to that index or rate to set the rate, and other pertinent information, such as frequency of rate resets.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Start date of debt instrument redemption period, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityExpirationDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=aeo_CreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=aeo_AssetBasedRevolvingCreditFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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Period Type:

- Details

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Long-Term Debt, Net - Additional Information (Detail)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
Long-Term Debt, Net - Additional Information (Detail)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($) TradingDay $ / shares shares	Jan. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2022 USD ($) $ / shares	May 01, 2021 USD ($)
Credit Agreement \| Credit Facilities
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Loans and letters of credit maximum borrowing capacity		$ 400,000,000
Line of credit facility, expiration date		Jan. 30, 2024
Credit Agreement \| Stand-by Letters of Credit
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding amount			$ 7,900,000
Credit Agreement \| Credit Agreement Loans
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding borrowings			$ 0	$ 0
2025 Notes
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of debt issued	$ 415,000,000
Debt instrument, stated interest rate	3.75%
Debt instrument, maturity year	2025
Debt instrument, interest terms	The 2025 Notes have a stated interest rate of 3.75%, payable semi-annually.
Debt instrument, frequency of periodic payment of interest	payable semi-annually
Debt instrument, redemption period beginning date	Apr. 17, 2023
Debt instrument, redemption earliest date	Apr. 17, 2023
Debt instrument, redemption, scheduled trading day immediately preceding maturity date \| TradingDay	40
Debt instrument, redemption percentage of common stock price to conversion price	130.00%
Debt instrument, redemption, effect for trading days \| TradingDay	20
Debt instrument, redemption, consecutive trading day period \| TradingDay	30
Debt instrument, conversion period beginning month and year	2025-01
Debt conversion, original debt, principal amount converted	$ 1,000
Debt instrument, conversion price per share \| $ / shares	$ 8.40		$ 8.40
Debt instrument, effective interest rate			4.30%
Debt instrument, remaining amortization period of discount			3 years
2025 Notes \| Common Stock
Line Of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt conversion, converted instruments, shares issued \| shares	119.1