XML 66 R52.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.2

Special Charges (Credit) - Components of Special Charges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2019
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract] |  |  |  |
CARES Act grant | $ (1,494) | $ 0 | $ (3,083) | $ 0
Severance and benefit costs | 350 | 2 | 413 | 14
Impairment of assets | 38 | 0 | 168 | 69
(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges | 25 | 25 | 35 | 33
Total operating special charges (credit) | (1,081) | 27 | (2,467) | 116
Nonoperating special termination benefits and settlement losses | 415 | 0 | 646 | 0
Nonoperating unrealized (gains) losses on investments |  | (21) | 295 | (72)
Nonoperating credit loss on BRW Term Loan and related guarantee | 0 | 0 | 697 | 0
Total nonoperating special charges and unrealized (gains) losses on investments | 400 | (21) | 1,638 | (72)
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credit) and unrealized (gains) losses on investments | (681) | 6 | (829) | 44
Income tax expense (benefit), net of valuation allowance | 148 | (2) | 375 | (10)
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credit) and unrealized (gains) losses on investments, net of income taxes | $ (533) | $ 4 | $ (454) | $ 34

X
- Definition Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due To Settlement, Restructuring And Special And Contractual Termination Benefits + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_DefinedBenefitPlanNetPeriodicBenefitCostCreditGainLossDueToSettlementRestructuringAndSpecialAndContractualTerminationBenefits
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gain (Loss) On Financial Instruments, Non-Operating + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_GainLossOnFinancialInstrumentsNonOperating
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale of other assets and other miscellaneous charges. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherAssetsAndOtherMiscellaneousCharges
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Income tax expense (benefit) special charges. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitSpecialCharges
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Special Charges And Losses On Financial Instruments, Nonoperating, Before Tax + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_SpecialChargesAndLossesOnFinancialInstrumentsNonOperatingBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Special Charges And Losses On Financial Instruments, Operating And Nonoperating, Before Tax + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_SpecialChargesAndLossesOnFinancialInstrumentsOperatingAndNonoperatingBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Total special items in the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ual_SpecialItemsNetOfIncomeTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix: | ual_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109226348&loc=d3e2420-110228 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherIncomeAndExpensesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Period expense related to postemployment benefits. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PostemploymentBenefitsPeriodExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of credit loss expense (reversal of expense) for financing receivable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121599337&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(11)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLossesExpensed
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of restructuring charges, remediation cost, and asset impairment loss. + 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 210.5-03.3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain recognized in the income statement for an event or transaction that is unusual in nature or infrequent in occurrence, or both. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114868883&loc=SL114871943-224233 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnusualOrInfrequentItemGainGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration