FINANCIAL DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended								3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended																																		9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended																	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended					0 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 2011 [Member] FuelGallons	Sep. 30, 2011 2012 [Member] FuelGallons	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 [Member] FuelGallons	Sep. 30, 2011 2014 [Member] FuelGallons	Sep. 30, 2011 2015 [Member] FuelGallons	Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Fuel and oil [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Fuel and oil [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Fuel and oil [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Fuel and oil [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other assets [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other assets [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other assets [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other assets [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]		Dec. 31, 2010 Fuel derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Interest expense [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Interest expense [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Interest expense [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Interest expense [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other Current Assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other assets [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other assets [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Accrued liabilities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Interest rate derivative contracts [Member] Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other deferred liabilities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Derivatives Not in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other comprehensive income [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Derivatives in Cash Flow Hedging Relationships [Member] Other (gains) losses, net [Member]		Sep. 30, 2010 Other comprehensive income [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty A [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty B [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty C [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty D [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty E [Member]		Sep. 30, 2011 Counterparty Other [Member]
Percent Of Estimated Fuel Consumption Covered By Fuel Derivative Instruments [Line Items]
Percent of Fuel Consumption Hedged (in hundredths)	39.00%		39.00%
Volume of Fuel Hedging [Line Items]
Fuel Hedged						177,000,000	1,341,000,000	969,000,000	777,000,000	357,000,000
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value	$ 862		$ 862		$ 1,413																																$ 0	[1]	$ 151	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 547	[1]	$ 71	[1]	$ 122	[1]	$ 361	[1]	$ 71	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 164	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 212	[1]	$ 257	[1]	$ 40	[1]	$ 109	[1]	$ 33	[1]																									$ 1	$ 73	$ 63	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0		$ 0	$ 0	$ 496	$ 964	$ 366	$ 449
Derivative Liability, Fair Value	1,597		1,597		1,202																																0	[1]	16	[1]	0	[1]	88	[1]	138	[1]	18	[1]	157	[1]	9	[1]	0	[1]	284	[1]	0	[1]	304	[1]	525	[1]	222	[1]	635	[1]	257	[1]																									6	0	0	0	0	0	136	4		437	135	1,160	1,067
Cash collateral deposits provided to counterparty - noncurrent	246		246		125
Cash collateral deposits provided to counterparty - current	212		212		0
Cash collateral deposits held from counterparty - noncurrent	0		0		60
Cash collateral deposits held from counterparty - current	0		0		0
Due to third parties for settled fuel contracts	10	0	10	0
Receivable from third parties for settled fuel contracts	0		0		1
Net unrealized (gains) losses from fuel hedges, net of tax	469		469		250
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of (Gain) Loss Recognized in AOCI on Derivatives (effective portion)											417	[2]	(122)	[2]	66	[2]													297	[2]																																							34	[2]	34	[2]	30	[1]	12	[2]																																		78	[3]	226	[3]	447	(110)	331					127	[4]	26	[4]	100
Amount of (Gain) Loss Reclassified from AOCI into Income (effective portion)																	45	[2],[3]	77	[2],[3]	78	[2],[3]	226	[2],[3]																																																					0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]	0	[3]																						45	[3]	77	[3]								85	[4]	(24)	[4]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) Recognized in Income, Net	393	(17)	274	171																					85	[4]	(24)	[4]	127	[4]	26	[4]	284	(26)	129	13																																																	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]	0	[4]
Premiums paid for fuel derivative contracts during the period	36	37	93	98
Current Unrealized Net Gains (Losses) in OCI	(228)		(228)
Cumulative ineffectiveness recognized for unsettled hedges	(198)
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Underlying Risk	interest rate
Derivative, Hedge Designation	cash flow
Derivative, Description of Hedged Item	AirTran has also entered into a number of interest rate swap agreements, which convert a portion of AirTran’s floating-rate debt to a fixed-rate basis for the remaining life of the debt, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense and cash flows. Under these agreements, which expire between 2016 and 2020, the Company pays fixed rates between 4.34 percent and 6.435 percent and receives either three-month or six-month USD London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) on the notional values.
Derivative, Notional Amount	451		451
Derivative, Type of Interest Rate Paid on Swap	the Company pays fixed rates between 4.34 percent and 6.435 percent
Derivative, Description of Variable Rate Basis	three-month or six-month USD London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) on the notional values
Schedule Of Fair Values Of Fuel Derivatives Amounts Posted As Collateral And Collateral Posting Thresholds [Line Items]
Fair Value of fuel derivatives	(657)		(657)																																																																																																																											(256)		(228)		(95)		(50)		(23)		(5)	[5]
Cash collateral held from (by) CP	(458)		(458)																																																																																																																											(205)		(220)		(33)		0		0		0	[5]
Non-cash collateral pledged to CP																																																																																																																														0		0		0		0		0		0	[5]
Investment grade credit rating [Abstract]
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which cash is provided to CP																																																																																																																														0 to (300) or >(700)		0 to (125) or >(625)		>(50)		>(75)		>(50)
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which cash is received from CP																																																																																																																														>40		>150		>200	[6]	>125	[6]	>250
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which non-cash collateral is pledged to CP																																																																																																																														(300) to  (700)	[7]	(125) to  (625)	[7]	N/A		N/A		N/A
Non-investment grade credit rating [Abstract]
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which cash is provided to CP																																																																																																																														0 to (300) or >(700)		0 to (125) or >(625)			[8]		[8]		[8]
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which cash is received from CP																																																																																																																															[8]		[8]		[8]		[8]		[8]
Fair value of fuel derivative level at which non-cash collateral is pledged to CP																																																																																																																														(300) to  (700)		(125) to  (625)		N/A		N/A		N/A
Maximum Sum Of Derivatives Of Counterparty To Be Included In Other	15		15
Cash collateral deposits provided to counterparty under bilateral collateral provisions, Acquirer - current	64		64
Cash collateral deposits provided to counterparty under bilateral collateral provisions, Acquiree - current	$ 34		$ 34

[1] * Represents the position of each trade before consideration of offsetting positions with each counterparty and does not include the impact of cash collateral deposits provided to or received from counterparties. See discussion of credit risk and collateral following in this Note.

[2] Net of tax

[3] Amounts related to fuel derivative contracts and interest rate derivatives are included in Fuel and oil and Interest expense, respectively.

[4] Amounts are included in Other (gains) losses, net.

[5] (a) Individual counterparties with fair value of fuel derivatives <$15 million.

[6] (c) Thresholds may vary based on changes in credit ratings within investment grade.

[7] (d) The Company has the option of providing cash or pledging aircraft as collateral. No aircraft were pledged as collateral as of September 30, 2011.

[8] (b) Cash collateral is provided at 100 percent of fair value of fuel derivative contracts.