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Special Charges - Narrative (Details) | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
May 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Contract | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value adjustments related to aircraft purchased off lease, write-off of unexercised aircraft purchase options and other impairments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 66,000,000 |  |  |
Fair value adjustments related to aircraft purchased off lease, write-off of unexercised aircraft purchase options and other impairments, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 51,000,000 |  |  |
Termination of an engine maintenance service agreement |  | $ 64,000,000 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  | 64,000,000 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
Termination of an engine maintenance service agreement, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 50,000,000 |  |  |
Severance and benefit costs |  | 7,000,000 | 9,000,000 | 11,000,000 | 14,000,000 | $ 15,000,000 | $ 23,000,000 | $ 41,000,000 | $ 37,000,000 | 41,000,000 | 116,000,000 | 37,000,000 |
Gain on change in market value of equity investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 28,000,000 |  |  |
Gain on change in market value of equity investments, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 22,000,000 |  |  |
Losses due to the change in fair value of derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 33,000,000 |  |  |
Losses due to the change in fair value of derivatives, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |  |
Impairment of assets |  | 232,000,000 | $ 11,000,000 | $ 111,000,000 | $ 23,000,000 | $ 10,000,000 | 15,000,000 | $ 0 | 0 | 377,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 412,000,000 |
Cleveland airport lease restructuring |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 74,000,000 |
Cleveland airport lease restructuring, net of taxes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 47,000,000 |
Labor agreement costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 171,000,000 |
Curtailment gain recognition of prior service credit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 107,000,000 |
Postretirement Medical Plan | Flight Attendant Postretirement Medical Plan |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Curtailment gain recognition of prior service credit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 47,000,000 |
Curtailment gain recognition of prior service credit, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 30,000,000 |
Newark Liberty International Airport |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 412,000,000 |  |
Impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets, net of tax benefits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 264,000,000 |  |
Voluntary Early Out Program |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Severance and benefit costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 37,000,000 |
Severance and benefits costs, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,000,000 |
Obsolete Spare Parts Inventory |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Impairment of assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |
Impairment of assets, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 6,000,000 |  |
Maintenance Service Agreement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 10,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Management Reorganization Initiative |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Severance and benefit costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 33,000,000 |  |
Severance and benefits costs, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 21,000,000 |  |
International Brotherhood of Teamsters |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Severance and benefit costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 22,000,000 | 83,000,000 |  |
Severance and benefits costs, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 17,000,000 | $ 53,000,000 |  |
International Brotherhood of Teamsters | Maximum | Voluntary Early Out Program |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Severance payment per participant |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 100,000 |  |  |  | $ 100,000
Int'l Association of Machinists |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of new contracts extended | Contract |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 |  |
Service contract extended year |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2021 |  |
Labor agreement costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 171,000,000 |
Labor agreement costs, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 110,000,000 |
Curtailment gain recognition of prior service credit |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 60,000,000 |
Curtailment gain recognition of prior service credit, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 38,000,000 |
Management |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Severance and benefit costs |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 19,000,000 |  |  |
Severance and benefits costs, net of tax |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 15,000,000 |  |  |
Hong Kong Routes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge |  | 206,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge, net of tax |  | $ 160,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Brazil Routes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Special Charges [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge | $ 105,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets impairment charge, net of tax | $ 82,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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