ACQUISITION AND RELATED MATTERS [Detail] (USD $)	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquiree		AirTran Holdings, Inc.
Business Acquisition Effective Date Of Acquisition		May 2, 2011		May 2, 2011
Business Acquisition Period Results Included In Combined Entity		beginning on May 2, 2011, through June 30, 2011
Stock Consideration Paid Per Share Of Acquirees Stock	0.321	0.321		0.321
Cash Consideration Paid Per Share Of Acquirees Stock	$ 3.75	$ 3.75		$ 3.75
Business Acquisition Average Acquirer Stock Price Used To Determine Value				11.90
Business Acquisition Acquiree Common Stock Value Assigned Per Share	7.57	7.57		7.57
Business Acquisition Acquiree Common Stock Value Assigned Total	1.0	1.0		1.0
Common stock issued to acquire business				44
Business Acquisition Number Of Shares Issued As Percentage Of Acquirer Common Shares Outstanding	5.60%	5.60%		5.60%
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Cash Paid	518	518		518
Business Acquisition, Cost of Acquired Entity, Purchase Price	3.2	3.2		3.2
Cash Paid To Redeem Share Based Performance Awards		7
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued		7
Payments of Convertible Debt		81	0	81	0
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Status		Certain estimated values are not yet finalized
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation, Goodwill Amount	971	971		971
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Federal loss carryforwards expiration date		between 2017 and 2029
Business Acquisition, Purchase Price Allocation [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	477	477		477
Restricted cash	6	6		6
Other current assets	237	237		237
Operating property and equipment	1,151	1,151		1,151
Goodwill	971	971		971
Deferred income taxes	150	150		150
Other identified intangibles	132	132		132
Other noncurrent assets	45	45		45
Long-term debt and capital leases, including current portion	(1,121)	(1,121)		(1,121)
Air traffic liability	(353)	(353)		(353)
Other liabilities assumed	(654)	(654)		(654)
Net assets acquired	1,041	1,041		1,041
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	132	132		132
Weighted average useful life	10
Accumulated amortization	5	5		5
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	132	132		132
Weighted average useful life	10
Accumulated amortization	5	5		5
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Total operating revenues		4,402	3,868	8,171	7,105
Net income (loss)		160	109	163	109
Net income per share, basic		$ 0.20	$ 0.14	$ 0.21	$ 0.14
Net income per share, diluted		$ 0.20	$ 0.14	$ 0.21	$ 0.14
Revenues		4,136	3,168	7,238	5,798
Acquisition and integration		58	0	75	0
Net income (loss)		161	112	166	123
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Federal net operating loss carryforwards	542	542		542
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	190	190		190
Customer Relationships [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	46	46		46
Weighted average useful life	4
Accumulated amortization	3	3		3
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	46	46		46
Weighted average useful life	4
Accumulated amortization	3	3		3
Trademarks [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	36	36		36
Weighted average useful life	3
Accumulated amortization	2	2		2
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	36	36		36
Weighted average useful life	3
Accumulated amortization	2	2		2
Domestic Slots [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	43	43		43
Weighted average useful life	24
Accumulated amortization
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	43	43		43
Weighted average useful life	24
Accumulated amortization
Internally developed software [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	2	2		2
Weighted average useful life	2
Accumulated amortization
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	2	2		2
Weighted average useful life	2
Accumulated amortization
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	5	5		5
Weighted average useful life	2
Accumulated amortization
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	5	5		5
Weighted average useful life	2
Accumulated amortization
Lease agreements, asset [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	2	2		2
Weighted average useful life	9
Accumulated amortization	0	0		0
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	2	2		2
Weighted average useful life	9
Accumulated amortization	0	0		0
Lease Agreements Total [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted average useful life	10
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense [Line Items]
Future Amortization Expense, Remainder of Fiscal Year	(26)
2012 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2013 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2014 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2015 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2016 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2017 and thereafter Amortization income (expense)	(155)
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Weighted average useful life	10
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense [Line Items]
Future Amortization Expense, Remainder of Fiscal Year	(26)
2012 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2013 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2014 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2015 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2016 Amortization income (expense)	(39)
2017 and thereafter Amortization income (expense)	(155)
Leases agreements, liability [Member]
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	(376)	(376)		(376)
Weighted average useful life	10
Accumulated amortization	6	6		6
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of asset/(liability)	(376)	(376)		(376)
Weighted average useful life	10
Accumulated amortization	6	6		6
Acquired Finite Lived Intangible Assets Total [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense [Line Items]
Future Amortization Expense, Remainder of Fiscal Year	26
2012 Amortization income (expense)	22
2013 Amortization income (expense)	16
2014 Amortization income (expense)	12
2015 Amortization income (expense)	10
2016 Amortization income (expense)	7
2017 and thereafter Amortization income (expense)	39
Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense [Line Items]
Future Amortization Expense, Remainder of Fiscal Year	26
2012 Amortization income (expense)	22
2013 Amortization income (expense)	16
2014 Amortization income (expense)	12
2015 Amortization income (expense)	10
2016 Amortization income (expense)	7
2017 and thereafter Amortization income (expense)	39
AirTran Airways [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Revenues		540		540
Acquisition and integration		14
Net income (loss)		$ (27)		$ (27)