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Long-term Debt (Details)					1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Long-term Debt (Details)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($) Mortgages	Apr. 29, 2009 USD ($) Mortgages	May 06, 2008 USD ($) Mortgages	Feb. 28, 1997 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2009 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2004 USD ($) Mortgages Agreements	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Mortgages aircraft shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) aircraft	Nov. 05, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 06, 2014 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2009 USD ($) Mortgages	Oct. 03, 2007 USD ($) Mortgages	Dec. 31, 2006 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2005 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encumbered Aircraft Released \| aircraft							1
Encumbered Aircraft Remaining \| aircraft							4
Repayments of Convertible Debt							$ 68,000,000	$ 0	$ 0
Letters of Credit Outstanding Amount							179,000,000
Net book value of assets pledged as collateral for the Company's secured borrowings, primarily aircraft and engines							2,800,000,000
Net book value of additional assets pledged as collateral in case obligations related to fuel derivatives exceed certain thresholds							2,700,000,000.0
Long-term Debt, by Maturity [Abstract]
2017							555,000,000
2018							323,000,000
2019							573,000,000
2020							797,000,000
2021							148,000,000
Thereafter							926,000,000
AirTran Airways \| Interest rate derivatives
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notional amount							$ 166,000,000
AirTran Airways \| Maximum \| Interest rate derivatives
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)							6.435%
737 Aircraft Notes payable through 2020 \| AirTran Airways
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages							18
Weighted average interest rate							2.40%
Fixed-rate 737 Aircraft Notes payable through 2018 - 7.03% \| AirTran Airways
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| aircraft							2
Weighted average interest rate							7.03%
5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion ratio \| shares					54.5143
Conversion price \| $ / shares					$ 615.16
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Shares Issued \| shares							6,000,000
Repayments of Convertible Debt							$ 68,000,000
5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2016 \| AirTran Airways
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt					$ 115,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)					5.25%
Conversion ratio \| shares					168.6576
Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2026 - 3.00%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt										$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)										3.00%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.36%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages	7
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	2.36%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.36% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	1.10%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.36% \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt	$ 215,000,000
Term Loan Agreement Due 2018 to 2021 - 7.94%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt											$ 20,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)											7.94%
Aircraft Equity Buyouts \| aircraft											4
2.65% Notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt												$ 500,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)												2.65%
2.75% Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt													$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)													2.75%
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2019 - 4.84%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages														5
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)														4.84%
Debt Instrument, Prepayment Amount														$ 24,000,000
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2019 - 4.84% \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt														$ 124,000,000
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2019 - 6.315%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages		14
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)		6.315%
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2019 - 6.315% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate		3.30%
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2019 - 6.315% \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt		$ 332,000,000
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2020 - 5.223%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages			21
Face amount of debt			$ 600,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)			5.223%
Term Loan Agreement payable through 2020 - 5.223% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate			0.95%
Pass Through Certificates due 2022 - 6.24%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages															16
Face amount of debt															$ 500,000,000
Pass Through Certificates due 2022 - 6.24% \| Interest rate derivatives \| Cash Flow Hedging
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notional amount															20,000,000
Pass Through Certificates Series A
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt															$ 412,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)															6.15%
Pass Through Certificates Series B
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt															$ 88,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)															6.65%
5.75% Notes due 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt																$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)																5.75%
5.125% Notes due 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt																	$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)																	5.125%
French Credit Agreements due 2018 - 2.23%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages						4
Face amount of debt						$ 112,000,000
Number of identical floating rate financing agreements entered into concurrently with French banking partnerships \| Agreements						4
Term						13 years
French Credit Agreements due 2018 - 2.23% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate						(0.45%)
7.375% Debentures due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt				$ 100,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)				7.375%
7.375% Debentures due 2027 \| Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate				20.00%
Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate \| Pass Through Certificates due 2022 - 6.24%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)							6.24%
B-737-700
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum additional number of assets pledged as collateral in case obligations related to fuel derivatives exceed certain thresholds \| aircraft							82
B-737-800
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum additional number of assets pledged as collateral in case obligations related to fuel derivatives exceed certain thresholds \| aircraft							30