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Investments and Fair Value Measurements - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | [1] | Dec. 31, 2016 | [1] | Jan. 31, 2019 | Nov. 29, 2018
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Investment in equity securities | $ 2,552.0 | $ 3,241.0 | $ 2,768.0 |  |
Investments in securities accounted for under the equity method | $ 144.0 |  |  |  |
EETC |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 2019 |  |  |  |
Asset-backed Securities | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 1 year |  |  |  |
Asset-backed Securities | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 16 years |  |  |  |
Corporate Debt | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 1 year |  |  |  |
Corporate Debt | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 3 years |  |  |  |
CDARS | Maximum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 1 year |  |  |  |
U.S. Government and Other Securities | Minimum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Available-for-sale securities remaining maturities | 1 year |  |  |  |
Azul |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Investment in equity securities | $ 138.0 |  |  |  |
Equity stake | 2.00% |  |  |  |
Azul | Preferred Stock |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Equity stake | 8.00% |  |  |  |
Republic |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership stake | 19.00% |  |  |  |
ManaAir | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership stake |  |  |  | 49.90% |
ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. | ManaAir | Subsequent Event |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership stake |  |  |  | 100.00% |
Champlain |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Ownership stake | 40.00% |  |  |  |
Fulcrum |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Equity Securities Without Readily Determinable Fair Value, Ownership Interest | 0.09 |  |  |  |
Carrying value of other investment | $ 48.0 |  |  |  |
Synergy |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Loan amount |  |  |  |  | $ 456.0
Number of shares that may be put to United (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 516,000,000
Number of ADRs that may be put to United (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 64,500,000
Percentage of installment that may be paid in shares (up to) |  |  |  |  | 25.00%
Annual interest rate |  |  |  |  | 3.00%
Number of shares that may be purchased at United's option (up to) (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 77,400,000.0
Shares subject to increase in value agreement (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 438,600,000.0
Kingsland |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares that may be put to United (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 144,800,000.0
Number of ADRs that may be put to United (in shares) |  |  |  |  | 18,100,000
Market price of common stock at fifth anniversary (in dollars per share) |  |  |  |  | $ 12
Aggregate maximum possible combined put payment and guarantee amount |  |  |  |  | $ 217.2
[1] | Amounts adjusted due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). See Note 1 to the financial statements contained in Part II, Item 8 of this report for additional information.

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