XML 114 R75.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Leases and Capacity Purchase Agreements - Narrative (Details) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Aircraft aircraft | Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Additional leases that have not yet commenced | $ |  | $ 500 |  |
United Airlines, Inc. | Bombardier CRJ-550 |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of aircraft operated under CPA |  | 54 |  |
Term of CPA |  | 10 years |  |
United Airlines, Inc. | Embraer E175 LL |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of aircraft operated under CPA |  | 20 |  |
United Airlines, Inc. | Embraer E175 |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of aircraft operated under CPA |  | 42 |  |
Term of CPA |  | 5 years |  |
United Airlines, Inc. | Cash Collateralized Letters of Credit |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of regional aircraft | Aircraft |  | 581 |  |
Mainline Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of aircraft subject to operating leases |  | 114 |  |
Number of aircraft subject to finance leases |  | 28 |  |
Regional Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of aircraft subject to operating leases |  | 325 |  |
Number of aircraft subject to finance leases |  | 17 |  |
Regional Aircraft | United Airlines, Inc. | Capacity Purchase Agreements |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Expenses | $ |  | $ 1,000 | $ 979 | $ 907
Accounts payable | $ |  | $ 69 | $ 53 |
Minimum | Mainline Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial term of operating leases |  | 1 month |  |
Minimum | Non-Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial term of operating leases |  | 1 month |  |
Maximum |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Lease terms of additional leases that have not yet commenced (up to) |  | 13 years |  |
Maximum | Mainline Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial term of operating leases |  | 10 years |  |
Maximum | Non-Aircraft |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Initial term of operating leases |  | 34 years |  |
Forecast | Capacity Purchase Agreements |  |  |  |
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Scheduled block hours increase (decrease) percentage | 10.00% |  |  |
Change in cash obligation | $ | $ 202 |  |  |

X
- Definition Airline, Capacity Purchase Agreement, Term + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_AirlineCapacityPurchaseAgreementTerm
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Increase (Decrease) in Cash Obligation + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_IncreaseDecreaseInCashObligation
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Lessee, Operating And Finance Lease, Not Yet Commenced, Amount + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_LesseeOperatingAndFinanceLeaseNotYetCommencedAmount
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Lessee, Operating And Finance Lease, Not Yet Commenced, Term Of Contract + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_LesseeOperatingAndFinanceLeaseNotYetCommencedTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Lessee, Operating And Finance Leases, Term Of Contract + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_LesseeOperatingAndFinanceLeasesTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number Of Aircraft Operated Under Capacity Purchase Agreement + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_NumberOfAircraftOperatedUnderCapacityPurchaseAgreement
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number Of Aircraft Subject To Finance Leases + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_NumberOfAircraftSubjectToFinanceLeases
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number Of Aircraft Subject To Operating Leases + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_NumberOfAircraftSubjectToOperatingLeases
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Scheduled Block Hours Increase (Decrease) Percentage + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_ScheduledBlockHoursIncreaseDecreasePercentage
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount for accounts payable to related parties. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer). + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 850 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864 Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountsPayableRelatedPartiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Costs of sales and operating expenses for the period incurred from transactions with related parties. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CostsAndExpensesRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Definition Number of aircraft operated by the carrier. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfAircraftOperated
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=ual_UnitedAirLinesIncMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_AircraftTypeAxis=ual_BombardierCRJ550Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_AircraftTypeAxis=ual_EmbraerE175LLMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_AircraftTypeAxis=ual_EmbraerE175Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CollateralizedDebtObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_MainlineMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_RegionalCarrierMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=ual_CapacityPurchaseAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ual_NonAircraftMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |