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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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Long-term Debt (Details)	12 Months Ended
Long-term Debt (Details)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Mortgages Agreements aircraft $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Encumbered Aircraft Released \| aircraft	1
Encumbered Aircraft Remaining \| aircraft	4
Repayments of Convertible Debt	$ 0	$ 68,000,000	$ 0
Letters of Credit Outstanding Amount	167,000,000
Net book value of assets pledged as collateral for the Company's secured borrowings, primarily aircraft and engines	1,800,000,000
Net book value of additional assets pledged as collateral in case obligations related to fuel derivatives exceed certain thresholds	2,800,000,000
Long-term Debt, by Maturity [Abstract]
2017	335,000,000
2018	586,000,000
2019	817,000,000
2020	169,000,000
2021	473,000,000
Thereafter	1,200,000,000
AirTran Airways \| Interest rate derivatives
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notional amount	$ 124,000,000
AirTran Airways \| Maximum \| Interest rate derivatives
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	6.435%
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 - 2.54%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages	4
Face amount of debt	$ 112,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	2.54%
Number of identical floating rate financing agreements entered into concurrently with French banking partnerships \| Agreements	4
Term	13 years
French Credit Agreements due 2018 - 2.54% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	(45.00%)
Fixed-rate 737 Aircraft Notes payable through 2018 - 7.03%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	7.03%
Fixed-rate 737 Aircraft Notes payable through 2018 - 7.03% \| AirTran Airways
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| aircraft	1
Weighted average interest rate	7.03%
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 - 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 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
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%
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%
737 Aircraft Notes payable through 2020 \| AirTran Airways
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages	17
Weighted average interest rate	4.81%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2018 to 2021 - 7.94%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt	$ 20,000,000
Aircraft Equity Buyouts \| aircraft	4
Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2022 - 2.75%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt	$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	2.75%
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%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.67%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of mortgages on secured aircraft \| Mortgages	7
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	2.67%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.67% \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	1.10%
Term Loan Agreement Due 2026 - 2.67% \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt	$ 215,000,000
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%
Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2027 - 3.45%
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face amount of debt	$ 300,000,000
Interest rate stated in the debt agreement (in hundredths)	3.45%
Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2027 - 3.45% \| Treasury Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Spread on variable rate	20.00%
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%
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	169.8265
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]
Aircraft Collateral Pledged for Secured Borrowings \| aircraft	77
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]
Aircraft Collateral Pledged for Secured Borrowings \| aircraft	7
Maximum additional number of assets pledged as collateral in case obligations related to fuel derivatives exceed certain thresholds \| aircraft	37