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SPECIAL ITEMS SPECIAL ITEMS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |
Special items—merger-related costs and other | $ 118 | $ 117 |
Special items—other |  |  | $ 32
Special tax expense (benefit) | (280) | 17 | (26)
Nondeductible expenses | 5 | 20 | 4
Pension Plan [Member] |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |
Settlement expense (special item) | 0 | 0 | $ 14
Virgin America Inc. [Member] |  |  |
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items] |  |  |
Special items—merger-related costs and other | $ 118 | 117 |
Nondeductible expenses |  | $ 39 |

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- Definition Special items—other + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This element represents acquisition-related costs incurred to effect a business combination which costs have been expensed during the period. Such costs include finder's fees; advisory, legal, accounting, valuation, and other professional or consulting fees; general administrative costs, including the costs of maintaining an internal acquisitions department; and may include costs of registering and issuing debt and equity securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 23 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73531572&loc=d3e1043-128460 + Details
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- Definition Amount of net gain (loss) recognized in net periodic benefit cost as a result of an irrevocable action that relieves the employer (or the plan) of primary responsibility for a benefit obligation and eliminates significant risks related to the obligation and the assets used to effect the settlement. Examples of transactions that constitute a settlement include, but are not limited to, lump-sum cash payments to plan participants in exchange for their rights to receive specified benefits and purchasing nonparticipating annuity contracts to cover vested benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 30 -Section 15 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7577095&loc=d3e8001-114927 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h)(7) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Amount of the difference between reported income tax expense (benefit) and expected income tax expense (benefit) computed by applying the domestic federal statutory income tax rates to pretax income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to nondeductible expenses. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32698-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=d3e32687-109319 + Details
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