JetBlue Airways (JBLU) 10-K 18 Feb 20 2019 FY Annual report Financial data

Cover Page

Cover Page - USD ($) $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Jan. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cover page.
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	000-49728
Entity Registrant Name	JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	87-0617894
Entity Address, Address Line One	27-01 Queens Plaza North
Entity Address, City or Town	Long Island City
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	11101
City Area Code	718
Local Phone Number	286-7900
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, $0.01 par value
Trading Symbol	JBLU
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 5.4
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		282,201,849
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Designated portions of the Registrant's Proxy Statement for its 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is to be filed subsequent to the date hereof, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, or the Report, to the extent described therein.
Entity Central Index Key	0001158463
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false

Consolidated Balance Sheets

Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 959	$ 474
Investment securities	369	413
Receivables, less allowance (2019 - $1; 2018-$1)	231	211
Inventories, less allowance (2019 - $22; 2018-$18)	81	78
Prepaid expenses and other	146	212
Total current assets	1,786	1,388
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT
Flight equipment	10,332	9,525
Predelivery deposits for flight equipment	433	293
Flight equipment, gross plus deposits	10,765	9,818
Less accumulated depreciation	2,768	2,448
Flight equipment net	7,997	7,370
Other property and equipment	1,145	1,074
Less accumulated depreciation	528	461
Property plant and equipment other net	617	613
Total property and equipment, net	8,614	7,983
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	912	1,056
OTHER ASSETS
Investment securities	3	3
Restricted cash	59	59
Other	544	470
Total other assets	606	532
TOTAL ASSETS	11,918	10,959
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	401	437
Air traffic liability	1,119	1,035
Accrued salaries, wages and benefits	376	313
Other accrued liabilities	295	298
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	128	133
Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations	344	309
Total current liabilities	2,663	2,525
LONG-TERM DEBT AND FINANCE LEASE OBLIGATIONS	1,990	1,361
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	690	798
DEFERRED TAXES AND OTHER LIABILITIES
Deferred income taxes	1,251	1,112
Frequent Flier Liability, Noncurrent	481	447
Other	44	31
Total deferred taxes and other liabilities	1,776	1,590
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Notes 11 & 12)
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Preferred stock, $0.01 par value; 25 shares authorized, none issued	0	0
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 900 shares authorized, 427 and 422 shares issued and 282 and 306 shares outstanding at 2019 and 2018, respectively	4	4
Treasury stock, at cost; 145 and 116 shares at 2019 and 2018, respectively	(1,782)	(1,272)
Additional paid-in capital	2,253	2,203
Retained earnings	4,322	3,753
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	2	(3)
Total stockholders’ equity	4,799	4,685
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$ 11,918	$ 10,959

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Pa

Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for receivables	$ 1
Allowance for inventories	$ 22
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	25,000,000	25,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Issued	0	0
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	900,000,000	900,000,000
Common stock shares issued	427,000,000	422,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	282,000,000	306,000,000
Treasury stock, shares	144,600,000	116,000,000

Consolidated Statements of Oper

Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,086	$ 8,094	$ 7,658	$ 7,012
OPERATING EXPENSES
Aircraft fuel and related taxes		1,847	1,899	1,363
Salaries, wages and benefits		2,320	2,044	1,887
Landing fees and other rents		474	462	438
Depreciation and amortization		525	469	424
Aircraft rent		99	104	102
Sales and marketing		290	294	271
Maintenance, materials and repairs		619	625	622
Other operating expenses		1,106	1,060	932
Special Items		14	435	0
Total operating expenses		7,294	7,392	6,039
OPERATING INCOME	247	800	266	973
OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)
Interest expense		(79)	(70)	(71)
Capitalized interest		14	10	10
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Previously Unissued Stock by Subsidiary or Equity Investee, Nonoperating Income	15	15	0	0
Interest income and other		18	13	6
Total other income (expense)		(32)	(47)	(55)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES		768	219	918
Income tax expense (benefit)		199	30	(222)
NET INCOME	$ 187	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
Basic	$ 0.63	$ 1.92	$ 0.60	$ 3.47
Diluted	$ 0.63	$ 1.91	$ 0.60	$ 3.45
Passenger [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		$ 7,786	$ 7,381	$ 6,761
Product and Service, Other [Member]
Revenues [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax		$ 308	$ 277	$ 251

Consolidated Statement of Compr

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Net income	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
Changes in fair value of derivative instruments, net of reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit (expense) of $(1), $2, and $8 in 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively	5	(3)	(13)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	5	(3)	(13)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	$ 574	$ 186	$ 1,127

Consolidated Statement of Com_2

Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Parantheticals) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent, Parenthetical Disclosures [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Tax	$ 1	$ (2)	$ (8)

Consolidated Statements of Cash

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Deferred income taxes	139	90	(309)
Depreciation	474	423	383
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use	0	319	0
Amortization	51	46	41
Stock-based compensation	31	28	29
Changes in certain operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in receivables	(3)	46	(52)
(Increase) decrease in inventories, prepaid and other	188	(178)	21
Increase in air traffic liability	118	131	101
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(91)	103	47
Other, net	(27)	3	(22)
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,449	1,200	1,379
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(932)	(908)	(1,074)
Predelivery deposits for flight equipment	(224)	(206)	(128)
Purchase of held-to-maturity investments	(374)	(429)	(207)
Proceeds from the maturities of held-to-maturity investments	534	505	244
Purchase of available-for-sale securities	(1,000)	(979)	(245)
Proceeds from the sale of available-for-sale securities	880	875	444
Other, net	(13)	(15)	(13)
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,129)	(1,157)	(979)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	51	48	48
Issuance of long-term debt	981	687	0
Repayment of long-term debt and finance lease obligations	(323)	(222)	(194)
Acquisition of treasury stock	(542)	(382)	(390)
Other, net	(2)	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	165	131	(536)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Excluding Exchange Rate Effect	485	174	(136)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	1,018	533	359
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	959	474	303
Restricted cash	59	59	56
Supplemental Cash Flow Information [Abstract]
Interest Paid, Excluding Capitalized Interest, Operating Activities	62	59	60
Income Taxes Paid, Net	(52)	11	139
Right-of-Use Asset Obtained in Exchange for Operating Lease Liability	$ 7	$ 20	$ 51

Consolidated Statements of Shar

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ (3,933)	$ (4)	$ 500	$ (2,050)	$ (2,366)	$ (13)
Beginning Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2016		414	77
Cumulative Effect on Retained Earnings, Net of Tax	58				58
Net income (1)	1,140				1,140
Other comprehensive income	(13)					(13)
Vesting of restricted stock units	(10)	$ 0	$ (10)
Vesting of restricted stock units, Shares		1	1
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Stock Options Exercised	4	$ 0	$ 0	4	0	0
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period		0	0
Stock compensation expense total	29			29
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	44	$ 0		44
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans		3
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value	380		$ (380)	0
Shares repurchased			19
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	4,805	$ 4	$ (890)	2,127	3,564	0
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2017		418	97
Net income (1)	189				189
Other comprehensive income	(3)					(3)
Vesting of restricted stock units	(7)	$ 0	$ (7)
Vesting of restricted stock units, Shares		1	0
Stock compensation expense total	28			28
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	48	$ 0		48
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans		3
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value	375		$ (375)	0
Shares repurchased			19
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	4,685	$ 4	$ (1,272)	2,203	3,753	(3)
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2018		422	116
Net income (1)	569				569
Other comprehensive income	5					5
Vesting of restricted stock units	(6)	$ 0	$ (6)
Vesting of restricted stock units, Shares		2	0
Stock compensation expense total	31			31
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	51	$ 0		51
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans		3
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value	536		$ (504)	(32)
Shares repurchased			29
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 4,799	$ 4	$ (1,782)	$ 2,253	$ 4,322	$ 2
Ending Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2019		427	145

Summary of Significant Accounti

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation JetBlue provides air transportation services across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, and include the accounts of JetBlue and our subsidiaries. All majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated with all intercompany transactions and balances being eliminated. Use of Estimates The preparation of our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in conformity with GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Fair Value The Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification ® , or Codification, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires enhanced disclosures about fair value measurements. This topic clarifies that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The topic also requires disclosure about how fair value is determined for assets and liabilities and establishes a hierarchy for which these assets and liabilities must be grouped, based on significant levels of inputs. Refer to Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements for more information. Cash and Cash Equivalents Our cash and cash equivalents include short-term, highly liquid investments which are readily convertible into cash. These investments include money market securities, commercial paper, and time deposits with maturities of three months or less when purchased. Restricted Cash Restricted cash primarily consists of security deposits, funds held in escrow for estimated workers’ compensation obligations, and performance bonds for aircraft and facility leases. Accounts and Other Receivables Accounts and other receivables are carried at cost. They primarily consist of amounts due from credit card companies associated with sales of tickets for future travel. We estimate an allowance for doubtful accounts based on known troubled accounts, if any, and historical experience of losses incurred. Investment Securities Investment securities consist of available-for-sale investment securities and held-to-maturity investment securities. When sold, we use a specific identification method to determine the cost of the securities. Available-for-sale investment securities Our available-for-sale investment securities include highly liquid investments such as time deposits, U.S. Treasury bills with maturities between three and twelve months, commercial paper, and convertible debt securities which are stated at fair value. Held-to-maturity investment securities Our held-to-maturity investments consist of investment-grade interest bearing instruments, such as corporate bonds and U.S. Treasury notes, which are stated at amortized cost. We do not intend to sell these investment securities and the contractual maturities are not greater than 24 months. Those with maturities less than twelve months are included in short-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. Those with remaining maturities in excess of twelve months are included in long-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. We did not record any material gains or losses on these securities during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 or 2017 . The estimated fair value of these investments approximated their carrying value as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 . The carrying values of investment securities consisted of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Available-for-sale securities Time deposits $ 325 $ 190 U.S. Treasury — 39 Commercial paper 20 — Debt securities 6 7 Total available-for-sale securities 351 236 Held-to-maturity securities U.S. Treasury — 180 Corporate bonds 21 — Total held-to-maturity securities 21 180 Total investment securities $ 372 $ 416 Equity Method Investments Investments in which we can exercise significant influence are accounted for using the equity method in accordance with Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures of the Codification. The carrying amount of our equity method investments, which is recorded within other assets on our consolidated balance sheets, was $38 million and $11 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In September 2019, we recognized a gain of $15 million on one of our equity method investments related to its fair value measurement upon the closing of a subsequent financing round. Derivative Instruments Our derivative instruments include fuel hedge contracts, such as jet fuel call options and call option spreads, which are stated at fair value, net of any collateral postings. Derivative instruments are included in other current assets and other current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for more information. Inventories Inventories consist of expendable aircraft spare parts and supplies that are stated at average cost, as well as aircraft fuel that is accounted for on a first-in, first-out basis. These items are expensed when used or consumed. An allowance for obsolescence on aircraft spare parts is provided over the remaining useful life of the related aircraft fleet. Property and Equipment We record our property and equipment at cost and depreciate these assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values. We capitalize additions, modifications enhancing the operating performance of our assets, and the interest related to predelivery deposits used to acquire new aircraft and the construction of our facilities. Estimated useful lives and residual values for our property and equipment are as follows: Property and Equipment Type Estimated Useful Life Residual Value Aircraft 25 years 20 % Inflight entertainment systems 5-10 years 0 % Aircraft parts Fleet life 10 % Flight equipment leasehold improvements Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Ground property and equipment 2-10 years 0 % Leasehold improvements—other Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Buildings on leased land Lease term 0 % Property under finance leases is initially recorded at an amount equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments which is computed on the basis of our incremental borrowing rate or, when known, the interest rate implicit in the lease. Amortization of property under finance leases is on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life to their estimated residual values and is included in depreciation and amortization expense. We record impairment losses on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate the assets may be impaired and the undiscounted future cash flows estimated to be generated by the assets are less than the assets’ net book value. If impairment occurs, the loss is measured by comparing the fair value of the asset to its carrying amount. Software We capitalize certain costs related to the acquisition and development of computer software. We amortize these costs using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software, which is generally five years. The net book value of computer software, which is included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets, was $102 million and $96 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Amortization expense related to computer software was $52 million , $46 million and $41 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. As of December 31, 2019 , amortization expense related to computer software is expected to be approximately $35 million in 2020 , $26 million in 2021 , $22 million in 2022 , $15 million in 2023 , and $4 million in 2024 . Intangible Assets Our intangible assets consist primarily of acquired take-off and landing slots, or Slots, at certain domestic airports. Slots are the rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a specific time period of the day and are a means by which airport capacity and congestion can be managed. We account for Slots at High Density Airports, including Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., LaGuardia Airport, and JFK Airport, both in New York City, as indefinite life intangible assets which result in no amortization expense. We evaluate our intangible assets for impairment at least annually or when events and circumstances indicate they may be impaired. Indicators include operating or cash flow losses as well as various market factors to determine if events and circumstances could reasonably have affected the fair value. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , our intangible assets for Slots at High Density Airports with indefinite lives were $139 million . Passenger Revenue Ticket sales and the fees collected for related ancillary services are initially deferred in air traffic liability. Air traffic liability represents tickets sold but not yet flown, credits which can be used for future travel, and a portion of the liability related to our TrueBlue ® loyalty program. We allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation identified in a passenger ticket on a relative standalone basis. Passenger revenue, including certain ancillary fees directly related to passenger tickets, is recognized when the transportation is provided. Taxes that we are required to collect from our customers, including foreign and U.S. federal transportation taxes, security taxes, and airport facility charges, are excluded from passenger revenue. Those taxes and fees are recorded as a liability upon collection and are relieved from the liability upon remittance to the applicable governmental agency. The majority of the tickets sold are non-refundable. Non-refundable fares may be canceled prior to the scheduled departure date for a credit for future travel. Refundable fares may be canceled at any time prior to the scheduled departure date. Failure to cancel a refundable fare prior to departure will result in the cancellation of the original ticket and an issuance of a credit for future travel. Passenger credits can be used for future travel up to a year from the date of issuance. Passenger breakage revenue from unused tickets and passenger credits will be recognized in proportion to flown revenue based on estimates of expected expiration when the likelihood of the customer exercising his or her remaining rights becomes remote. Breakage revenue consists of non-refundable tickets that remain unused past the departure date, have continued validity, and are expected to ultimately expire unused, as well as passenger credits that are not expected to be redeemed prior to expiration. JetBlue uses estimates based on historical experience of expired tickets and credits and considers other factors that could impact future expiration patterns of tickets and credits. Tickets which do not have continued validity past the departure date are recognized as revenue after the scheduled departure date has lapsed. Passenger ticket costs primarily include credit card fees, commissions paid, and global distribution systems booking fees. Costs are allocated entirely to the purchased travel services and are capitalized until recognized when travel services are provided to the customer. Loyalty Program Customers may earn points under our customer loyalty program, TrueBlue ® , based on the fare paid and fare product purchased for a flight. Customers can also earn points through business partners such as credit card companies, hotels, car rental companies, and our participating airline partners. Points Earned From a Ticket Purchase. When a TrueBlue ® member travels, we recognize a portion of the fare as revenue and defer in air traffic liabilities the portion that represents the value of the points net of spoilage, or breakage. We allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone basis. We determine the standalone selling price of TrueBlue ® points issued using the redemption value approach. To maximize the use of observable inputs, we utilize the actual ticket value of the tickets purchased with TrueBlue ® points. The liability is relieved and passenger revenue is recognized when the points are redeemed and the free travel is provided. Points Sold to TrueBlue ® Partners . Our most significant contract to sell TrueBlue ® points is with our co-branded credit card partner. Co-branded credit card partnerships have the following identified performance obligations: air transportation; use of the JetBlue brand name and access to our frequent flyer customer lists; advertising; and other airline benefits. In determining the estimated selling price, JetBlue considered multiple inputs, methods and assumptions, including: discounted cash flows; estimated redemption value, net of fulfillment discount; points expected to be awarded and redeemed; estimated annual spending by cardholders; estimated annual royalty for use of JetBlue's frequent flyer customer lists; and estimated utilization of other airline benefits. Payments are typically due monthly based on the volume of points sold during the period, and the terms of our marketing contracts are generally from one to seven years. The overall consideration received is allocated to each performance obligation based on their standalone relative selling prices. The air transportation element is deferred and recognized as passenger revenue when the points are utilized. The other elements are recognized as other revenue when the performance obligation related to those services are satisfied, which is generally the same period as when consideration is received from the participating company. Amounts allocated to the air transportation element which are initially deferred include a portion that are expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as a component of Air traffic liability), and a portion that are not expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as Air traffic liability - loyalty non-current). We periodically update this analysis and adjust the split between current and non-current liabilities as appropriate. Points earned by TrueBlue® members never expire. TrueBlue ® members can pool points between small groups of people, branded as Points Pooling™. Breakage is estimated using historical redemption patterns to determine a breakage rate. Breakage rates used to estimate breakage revenue are evaluated annually. Changes to breakage estimates impact revenue recognition prospectively. Airframe and Engine Maintenance and Repair Regular airframe maintenance for owned and leased flight equipment is charged to expense as incurred unless covered by a third-party long-term flight hour service agreement. We have separate service agreements in place covering scheduled and unscheduled repairs of certain airframe line replacement unit components as well as the engines in our fleet. Certain of these agreements, whose original terms generally range from 10 to 15 years, require monthly payments at rates based either on the number of cycles each aircraft was operated during each month or the number of flight hours each engine was operated during each month, subject to annual escalations. These power by the hour agreements transfer certain risks, including cost risks, to the third-party service providers. They generally fix the amount we pay per flight hour or number of cycles in exchange for maintenance and repairs under a predefined maintenance program, which are representative of the time and materials that would be consumed. These costs are expensed as the related flight hours or cycles are incurred. Advertising Costs Advertising costs, which are included in sales and marketing, are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $66 million in 2019 , $72 million in 2018 and $66 million in 2017 . Share-Based Compensation We record compensation expense for share-based awards based on the grant date fair value of those awards. Share-based compensation expense includes an estimate for pre-vesting forfeitures and is recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis. Income Taxes We account for income taxes utilizing the liability method. Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax and financial statement reporting bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is provided unless realizability is judged by us to be more likely than not. Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. Recently Issued Accounting Standards New accounting rules and disclosure requirements can impact our financial results and the comparability of our financial statements. The authoritative literature which has recently been issued and that we believe will impact our consolidated financial statements is described below. There are also several new proposals under development. If and when enacted, these proposals may have a significant impact on our financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments . The update requires the use of an "expected loss" model on certain types of financial instruments and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to calculate credit loss estimates. For trade receivables, loans, and held-to-maturity debt securities, entities will be required to estimate lifetime expected credit losses. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to recognize an allowance for credit losses rather than a reduction to the carrying value of the asset. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020 and we are required to adopt its provisions using a modified retrospective transition approach by recording a cumulative effect adjustment in retained earnings as of the beginning of the year of adoption. We have substantially completed our assessment of the new standard and do not expect its adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement . The update eliminates, adds, and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020. We have substantially completed our assessment of the new standard and do not expect its adoption to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statement disclosures. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes . The update eliminates, clarifies, and modifies certain guidance related to the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are still evaluating the full impact of adopting the amendments on our consolidated financial statements. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, which requires lessees to recognize leases on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. Topic 842 was subsequently amended by ASU 2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842 ; ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases ; ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements ; ASU 2018-20, Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors ; and ASU 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements . Under the new standard, a lessee will recognize liabilities on the balance sheet, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, and right-of-use (ROU) assets representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months or less at the commencement date, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. The new standard also eliminates the build-to-suit lease accounting guidance which results in the derecognition of build-to-suit assets and liabilities that remained on the balance sheet after the end of the construction period. We adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-02 as of January 1, 2019, utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition for all leases existing at or commencing after the date of initial application. We recorded a $58 million cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2017, the beginning of the retrospective reporting period, for the impact of the new accounting standard. The adjustments to retained earnings were driven principally by the derecognition of our existing assets constructed for others and construction obligation related to our Terminal 5 (T5) build-to-suit project at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. We elected to use the package of transition provisions available for expired or existing contracts, which allowed us to carryforward our historical assessment of whether contracts are or contain leases, lease classification, and initial direct costs. Refer to Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements for more information. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other— Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract . The update provides guidance for determining if a cloud computing arrangement is within the scope of internal-use software guidance, and would require capitalization of certain implementation costs. ASU 2018-15 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the requirements of ASU 2018-15 on April 1, 2019 using the prospective transition method. The adoption of ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borr

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings, and Capital Lease Obligations	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings and Capital Lease Obligations	Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings and Finance Lease Obligations Long-term debt and finance lease obligations and the related weighted average interest rate at December 31, 2019 and 2018 consisted of the following (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Secured Debt Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028 (1) $ 201 4.3 % $ 247 4.9 % Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 (2) 134 4.5 % 152 4.5 % Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes: (3) Series AA, due through 2032 589 2.8 % — — % Series A, due through 2028 183 3.0 % — — % Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028 (4) 1,113 4.2 % 1,131 4.7 % Fixed rate specialty bonds, due through 2036 (5) 43 4.9 % 43 4.9 % Finance Leases (6) 89 4.8 % 107 4.7 % Total debt and finance lease obligations 2,352 1,680 Less: Current maturities (344 ) (309 ) Less: Debt acquisition cost (18 ) (10 ) Long-term debt and finance lease obligations $ 1,990 $ 1,361 (1) Interest rates adjust quarterly or semi-annually based on LIBOR, plus a margin . In 2018, we issued $120 million in floating rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are secured by six Airbus A320 aircraft and one Airbus A321 aircraft. (2) In March 2014, we completed a private placement of $226 million in pass-through certificates, Series 2013-1. The certificates were issued by a pass-through trust and are not obligations of JetBlue. The proceeds from the issuance of the pass-through certificates were used to purchase equipment notes issued by JetBlue and secured by 14 of our aircraft. Principal and interest are payable semi-annually . (3) In November 2019, we completed a public placement of equipment notes in an aggregate principal amount of $772 million secured by 25 Airbus A321 aircraft. The equipment notes were issued in two series: (i) Series AA, bearing interest at the rate of 2.75% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $589 million , and (ii) Series A, bearing interest at the rate of 2.95% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $183 million . Principal and interest are payable semi-annually. (4) In 2019, we issued $219 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2027, which are secured by 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and two Airbus A321 aircraft. In 2018, we issued $567 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are secured by 14 Airbus A320 aircraft and 10 Airbus A321 aircraft. (5) In November 2005, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, or GOAA, issued special purpose airport facilities revenue bonds to JetBlue as reimbursement for certain airport facility construction and other costs. In April 2013, GOAA issued $42 million in special purpose airport facility revenue bonds to refund the bonds issued in 2005. The proceeds from the refunded bonds were loaned to us and we recorded the issuance of $43 million , net of $1 million premium, as long-term debt on our consolidated balance sheets. (6) As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , four finance leased Airbus A320 aircraft and two finance leased Airbus A321 aircraft were included in property and equipment at a cost of $250 million and $253 million , respectively, with accumulated amortization of $80 million and $72 million , respectively. The future minimum lease payments under these non-cancelable leases are $35 million in 2020 , $39 million in 2021 , $9 million in 2022 , $9 million in 2023 , $5 million in 2024 and no payments in the years thereafter. Included in the future minimum lease payments is $8 million representing interest, resulting in a present value of finance leases of $89 million with a current portion of $31 million and a long-term portion of $58 million . As of December 31, 2019 , we believe we were in material compliance with all of our covenants in relation to our debt and lease agreements. Maturities of our debt and finance leases, net of debt acquisition costs, for the next five years are as follows (in millions): Maturities 2020 $ 341 2021 340 2022 319 2023 298 2024 169 Thereafter 867 Aircraft, engines, and other equipment and facilities having a net book value of $4.3 billion at December 31, 2019 were pledged as security under various financing arrangements. Cash payments for interest related to debt and finance lease obligations, net of capitalized interest, aggregated $62 million , $59 million and $60 million in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our long-term debt, net of debt acquisition costs, at December 31, 2019 and 2018 were as follows (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Carrying Value Estimated Fair Value Carrying Value Estimated Fair Value Public Debt Fixed rate special facility bonds, due through 2036 $ 42 $ 46 $ 42 $ 44 Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes: Series AA, due through 2032 581 586 — — Series A, due through 2028 181 186 — — Non-Public Debt Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 133 141 151 153 Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028 201 207 245 245 Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028 1,107 1,201 1,125 1,135 Total (1) $ 2,245 $ 2,367 $ 1,563 $ 1,577 (1) Total excludes finance lease obligations of $89 million and $107 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. The estimated fair values of our publicly held long-term debt are classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. The fair values of our enhanced equipment notes and our special facility bonds were based on quoted market prices in markets with low trading volumes. The fair value of our non-public debt was estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on our borrowing rates for instruments with similar terms and therefore classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. The fair values of our other financial instruments approximate their carrying values. Refer to Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements for an explanation of the fair value hierarchy structure. We have financed certain aircraft with Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificates, or EETCs. One of the benefits of this structure is being able to finance several aircraft at one time, rather than individually. The structure of EETC financing is that we create pass-through trusts in order to issue pass-through certificates. The proceeds from the issuance of these certificates are then used to purchase equipment notes which are issued by us and are secured by our aircraft. These trusts meet the definition of a variable interest entity, or VIE, as defined in the Consolidations topic of the Codification, and must be considered for consolidation in our financial statements. Our assessment of our EETCs considers both quantitative and qualitative factors including the purpose for which these trusts were established and the nature of the risks in each. The main purpose of the trust structure is to enhance the credit worthiness of our debt obligation through certain bankruptcy protection provisions and liquidity facilities, and also to lower our total borrowing cost. We concluded that we are not the primary beneficiary in these trusts because our involvement in them is limited to principal and interest payments on the related notes, the trusts were not set up to pass along variability created by credit risk to us and the likelihood of our defaulting on the notes. Therefore, we have not consolidated these trusts in our financial statements. Short-term Borrowings Citibank Line of Credit In August 2019, we amended and restated our revolving Credit and Guaranty Agreement with Citibank, N.A. as the administrative agent. The amendment increased our borrowing capacity by $125 million to $550 million and extended the term of the facility through August 2023 . Borrowings under the Credit and Guaranty Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR, plus a margin . The Credit and Guaranty Agreement is secured by Slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Reagan National Airport, as well as certain other assets. Slots are rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a specific time period during the day and a means by which airport capacity and congestion can be managed. The Credit and Guaranty Agreement includes covenants that require us to maintain certain minimum balances in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and unused commitments available under revolving credit facilities. In addition, the covenants restrict our ability to, among other things, dispose of certain collateral, or merge, consolidate, or sell assets. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we did not have a balance outstanding or borrowings under this line of credit. Morgan Stanley Line of Credit We have a revolving line of credit with Morgan Stanley for up to approximately $200 million . This line of credit is secured by a portion of our investment securities held by Morgan Stanley and the amount available to us under this line of credit may vary accordingly. This line of credit bears interest at a floating rate based upon LIBOR, plus a margin . As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we did not have a balance outstanding or borrowings under this line of credit.

Revenue Recognition (Notes)

Revenue Recognition (Notes)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Text Block]	Revenue Recognition The Company categorizes the revenue received from contracts with its customers by revenue source as we believe it best depicts the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flow. The following table provides the revenue recognized by revenue source for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Passenger revenue Passenger travel $ 7,395 $ 7,061 $ 6,508 Loyalty revenue - air transportation 391 320 253 Other revenue Loyalty revenue 201 168 140 Other revenue 107 109 111 Total revenue $ 8,094 $ 7,658 $ 7,012 For 2019 , TrueBlue ® points earned from ticket purchases are presented as a reduction to Passenger travel within passenger revenue. Amounts presented in Loyalty revenue - air transportation represent the revenue recognized when TrueBlue points have been redeemed and the travel has occurred. The corresponding amounts for 2018 and 2017 have been reclassified to be comparable with the current year presentation. These reclassifications do not impact total passenger revenue. Contract Liabilities Our contract liabilities primarily consist of ticket sales for which transportation has not yet been provided, unused credits available to customers, and outstanding loyalty points available for redemption (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Air traffic liability - passenger travel $ 929 $ 892 Air traffic liability - loyalty program (air transportation) 661 580 Deferred revenue 10 10 Total $ 1,600 $ 1,482 During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we recognized passenger revenue of $878 million and $823 million respectively, that was included in passenger travel liability at the beginning of the respective periods. The Company elected the practical expedient that allows entities to not disclose the amount of the remaining transaction price and its expected timing of recognition for passenger tickets if the contract has an original expected duration of one year or less or if certain other conditions are met. We elected to apply this practical expedient to our contract liabilities relating to passenger travel and ancillary services as our tickets or any related passenger credits expire one year from the date of issuance. TrueBlue ® points are combined in one homogeneous pool and are not separately identifiable. As such, the revenue is comprised of the points that were part of the air traffic liability balance at the beginning of the period as well as points that were issued during the period. The table below presents the activity of the current and non-current air traffic liability for our loyalty program, and includes points earned and sold to participating companies (in millions): Balance at December 31, 2017 $ 502 TrueBlue ® points redeemed (320 ) TrueBlue ® points earned and sold 398 Balance at December 31, 2018 580 TrueBlue ® points redeemed (391 ) TrueBlue ® points earned and sold 472 Balance at December 31, 2019 $ 661 The timing of our TrueBlue ® point redemptions can vary; however, the majority of our points are redeemed within approximately three years of the date of issuance.

Leases

Leases	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Operating Leases	Leases As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, we adopted ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, as of January 1, 2019. The new standard requires leases with durations greater than twelve months to be recognized on the balance sheet. Our 2018 and 2017 financial statements have been recast to reflect the retrospective application of the new standard. Operating lease assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the estimated present value of lease payments over the lease term. When available, we use the rate implicit in the lease to discount lease payments to present value. For leases that do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate, we estimate our incremental borrowing rate to discount the lease payments based on information available at lease commencement. Leases with a term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. Our lease agreements do not contain any residual value guarantees. For facility leases, we account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. The table below presents the lease-related assets and liabilities recorded on our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 2018 Assets Classification on Balance Sheet Operating lease assets Operating lease assets $ 912 $ 1,056 Finance lease assets Property and equipment, net 171 181 Total lease assets $ 1,083 $ 1,237 Liabilities Classification on Balance Sheet Current: Operating lease liabilities Current operating lease liabilities $ 128 $ 133 Finance lease liabilities Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations 31 18 Long-term: Operating lease liabilities Long-term operating lease liabilities 690 798 Finance lease liabilities Long-term debt and finance lease obligations 58 89 Total lease liabilities $ 907 $ 1,038 As of December 31, 2019 2018 Weighted average remaining lease term (in years) Operating leases 11 11 Finance leases 3 4 Weighted average discount rate Operating leases 5.95 % 5.95 % Finance leases 4.75 % 4.73 % Flight Equipment Leases We operated a fleet of 259 aircraft as of December 31, 2019 . Of our fleet, 41 aircraft were under operating leases and six aircraft were under finance leases. Our aircraft leases generally have long durations with remaining terms of one month to six years . The majority of aircraft operating leases can be renewed at rates based on fair market value at the end of the lease term for one or two years. None of our aircraft operating leases have variable rent payments. We have purchase options for 41 of our aircraft leases at the end of their lease terms. These purchase options are at fair market value and have a one-time option during the term at fixed amounts that were expected to approximate the fair market value at lease inception. Facility Leases Our facility leases are primarily for space at the airports we serve. These leases are classified as operating leases and reflect our use of passenger terminal service facilities consisting of ticket counters, gate space, operations support area, and baggage service offices. We generally lease space directly or indirectly from the local airport authority on varying terms dependent on prevailing practices at each airport. The remaining terms of our airport leases vary from eight months to 15 years . Our leases at certain airports contain provisions for periodic adjustments of rental rates based on the operating costs of the airports or the frequency of use of the facilities. Because of the variable nature of the rates, these leases are not recorded as operating lease assets and operating lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. We also have leases for our corporate offices, training center, and various hangars and airport support facilities at our focus cities. Other Ground and Property Equipment We lease certain IT assets, ground support equipment, and various other pieces of equipment. The lease terms of our ground support equipment are less than 12 months, while the amount of other equipment we have is not significant. Lease Costs The table below presents certain information related to our lease costs during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Operating lease cost $ 180 $ 185 $ 180 Short-term lease cost 2 2 2 Finance lease cost: Amortization of assets 9 10 10 Interest on lease liabilities 3 3 4 Variable lease cost 391 379 358 Sublease income (19 ) (15 ) (14 ) Total net lease cost $ 566 $ 564 $ 540 Other Information The table below presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities Operating cash flows for operating leases $ 136 $ 151 $ 150 Operating cash flows for finance leases 5 5 6 Financing cash flows for finance leases 17 17 16 Lease Commitments The table below presents scheduled future minimum lease payments for operating and finance leases recorded on our consolidated balance sheets, as of December 31, 2019 (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 Operating Leases Finance Leases 2020 $ 128 $ 35 2021 122 39 2022 114 9 2023 104 9 2024 95 5 Thereafter 565 — Total minimum lease payments 1,128 97 Less: amount of lease payment representing interest (310 ) (8 ) Present value of future minimum lease payment 818 89 Less: current obligations under leases (128 ) (31 ) Long-term lease obligations $ 690 $ 58 We did not have any lease commitments that have not yet commenced as of December 31, 2019 .

JFK Terminal 5

JFK Terminal 5	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
JFK Terminal Five [Abstract]
JFK Terminal 5	JFK Terminal 5 We operate out of T5 at JFK and our occupancy is governed by various lease agreements with the PANYNJ. Under the terms of the facility lease agreement, we were responsible for the construction of the 635,000 square foot 26 -gate terminal, a parking garage, roadways, and an AirTrain Connector, all of which are owned by the PANYNJ and collectively referred to as the T5 Project. In 2014, we completed construction of an international arrivals facility and additional gates, T5i. T5i includes six international arrival gates comprised of three new gates and three converted gates from T5, as well as an international arrivals hall with full U.S. Customs and Border Protection services. We executed an extension to the original T5 lease in 2013. The lease, as amended, now incorporates a total of approximately 19 acres of space for our T5 facilities and ends on the 28th anniversary of the date of beneficial occupancy of T5i. We have the option to terminate the agreement in 2033 , five years prior to the end of the original scheduled lease term of October 2038. We are responsible for various payments under the leases, including ground and facility rents which are reflected in the future minimum lease payments table in Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements. The facility rents are based upon the number of passengers enplaned out of the terminal, subject to annual minimums. We were previously considered the owner of the T5 Project for financial reporting purposes and were required to reflect an asset for costs incurred on our consolidated balance sheets since construction commenced in 2005. The total costs incurred for elements of the T5 Project were $637 million , of which $561 million was classified as Assets Constructed for Others and the remaining $76 million was classified as leasehold improvements on our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2018. The PANYNJ has reimbursed us for the amounts included in Assets Constructed for Others. These reimbursements and related interest were reflected as Construction Obligation on our consolidated balance sheets. When the facility rents were paid, they were treated as a debt service on the Construction Obligation, with the portion not relating to interest reducing the principal balance. The balance classified as Construction Obligation was $424 million as of December 31, 2018. The T5 Project was derecognized from our consolidated balance sheets upon the adoption of ASC 842, Leases, on January 1, 2019. Following the derecognition of these assets and liabilities, we recognized a ROU asset and lease liability representing the fixed component of the lease payments. Our construction of T5i is accounted for at cost with no financing obligation. Total expenditures relating to T5i were approximately $207 million , all of which were incurred prior to 2016 and are classified as leasehold improvements in our consolidated balance sheets.

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders' Equity	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Stockholders' Equity Note [Abstract]
Stockholders' Equity	Stockholders’ Equity On September 10, 2015 , our Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program of up to $250 million worth of JetBlue common stock over a three year period beginning in January 2016 . On December 7, 2016 , the Board approved certain changes to our share repurchase program, or the 2016 Authorization, to increase the aggregate authorization to $500 million worth of common stock, and to extend the term of the program through December 2019 . The 2016 Authorization was completed in 2017 . On December 8, 2017 , the Board of Directors approved a two year share repurchase program, or the 2017 Authorization, of up to $750 million worth of common stock beginning on January 1, 2018 . The 2017 Authorization was completed in 2019 . On September 19, 2019 , the Board of Directors approved a share repurchase program, or the 2019 Authorization, of up to $800 million worth of common stock beginning on October 1, 2019 and ending no later than December 31, 2021 . Our share repurchase programs include authorization for repurchases in open market transactions pursuant to Rules 10b-18 and/or 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act, and/or one or more privately-negotiated accelerated stock repurchase transactions. In 2017, we entered into three separate ASR agreements for a sum of $380 million . A total of 18.7 million shares were repurchased under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share of $20.36 . In 2018, we entered into three separate ASR agreements for a sum of $375 million . A total of 19.1 million shares were repurchased under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share of $19.60 . In 2019, we entered into four separate ASR agreements for a sum of $535 million . A total of 28.1 million shares were repurchased under these ASR agreements with an average price paid per share of $19.02 . The total shares purchased by JetBlue under each of the ASRs in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 were based on the volume weighted average prices of JetBlue's common stock during the terms of the respective agreements. As of December 31, 2019 , we had a total of 18.3 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. These shares are primarily related to our equity incentive plans. Refer to Note 8 to our consolidated financial statements for further details on our share-based compensation. As of December 31, 2019 , we had a total of 144.6 million shares of treasury stock.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings Per Share	Earnings Per Share The following table shows how we computed basic and diluted earnings per common share for the years ended December 31 (dollars and share data in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Net income (1) $ 569 $ 189 $ 1,140 Weighted average basic shares 296.6 312.9 328.7 Effect of dilutive securities 1.8 1.6 1.7 Weighted average diluted shares 298.4 314.5 330.4 Earnings per common share Basic $ 1.92 $ 0.60 $ 3.47 Diluted $ 1.91 $ 0.60 $ 3.45 (1) As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, we adopted ASC 842, Leases , as of January 1, 2019. The adoption of this standard increased previously reported net income by approximately $1 million for 2018, and $15 million or $0.04 per diluted share for 2017. It did not have a material impact on our earnings per diluted share in 2018. As discussed in Note 6 to our consolidated financial statements, JetBlue entered into various ASR agreements in 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 and purchased approximately 28.1 million , 19.1 million , and 18.7 million shares, respectively, for $535 million , $375 million , and $380 million , respectively. The number of shares repurchased are based on the volume weighted average prices of JetBlue's common stock during the term of the ASR agreements.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Share-Based Compensation	Share-Based Compensation We have various equity incentive plans under which we have granted stock awards to our eligible crewmembers and members of our Board of Directors. These include the JetBlue Airways Corporation Restated and Amended 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, or 2002 Plan, which was replaced by the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan, or 2011 Plan. We additionally have a Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan, or CSPP, that is available to all eligible crewmembers. Both the 2011 Plan and CSPP were amended in 2015 by shareholders at our annual meeting. Unrecognized stock-based compensation expense, which was approximately $25.3 million as of December 31, 2019 , related to a total of 2.5 million unvested restricted stock units, or RSUs, performance stock units, or PSUs, and deferred stock units, or DSUs, under our 2011 Plan. We expect to recognize this stock-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of approximately two years . The total stock-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 was $31 million , $28 million , and $29 million , respectively. 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 26, 2011, our shareholders approved the JetBlue Airways Corporation 2011 Incentive Compensation Plan. Upon inception, the 2011 Plan had 15.0 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. The 2011 Plan, by its terms, will terminate no later than May 2021. RSUs vest in annual installments over three years which can be accelerated upon the occurrence of a change in control. Under this plan, we grant RSUs to certain crewmembers. Our policy is to grant RSUs based on the market price of the underlying common stock on the date of grant. Under this plan, we grant DSUs to members of our Board of Directors, and PSUs to certain members of our executive leadership team. The 2011 Plan was amended and restated effective January 1, 2014, to include the definition of retirement eligibility. Once a crewmember meets the definition, they will continue to vest their shares as if they remained employed by JetBlue, regardless of their actual employment status with the Company. In accordance with the Compensation-Stock Compensation topic of the Codification, the grant’s explicit service condition is non-substantive and the grant has effectively vested at the time retirement eligibility is met. At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our shareholders approved amendments to the 2011 Plan increasing the number of shares of Company common stock that remain available for issuance under the plan by 7.5 million . Restricted Stock Units The following is a summary of RSU activity under the 2011 Plan for the year ended December 31, 2019 (in millions except per share data): Shares Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Nonvested at beginning of year 1.7 $ 20.59 Granted 1.3 17.27 Vested (0.9 ) 20.29 Forfeited (0.1 ) 18.99 Nonvested at end of year 2.0 18.59 The total intrinsic value, determined as of the date of vesting, for all RSUs that vested during the year ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 was $15 million , $16 million and $20 million , respectively. The weighted average grant-date fair value of share awards during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 and 2017 was $17.27 , $20.62 , and $19.76 , respectively. The vesting period for DSUs under the 2011 Plan is either one or three years of service. Once vested, shares are issued six months and one day following a Director’s departure from our Board of Directors. During the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , we granted a nominal amount of DSUs, almost all of which remain outstanding at December 31, 2019 . In 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , we granted a nominal amount of PSUs to members of our executive leadership team, payment of which are based upon achievements of certain performance criteria. Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan In May 2011, our shareholders approved the 2011 Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan, or the CSPP. At inception, the CSPP had 8 million shares of our common stock reserved for issuance. The CSPP, by its terms, will terminate no later than the last business day of April 2021. At our Annual Shareholders Meeting held on May 21, 2015, our shareholders approved amendments to the CSPP increasing the number of shares of Company common stock that remain available for issuance under the plan by 15 million . The CSPP has a series of six month offering periods, with a new offering period beginning on the first business day of May and November each year. Crewmembers can enroll in CSPP nearly year-round, with the exception of specific blackout dates. Crewmembers may contribute up to 10% of their pay towards the purchase of common stock via payroll deductions. Purchase dates occur on the last business day of April and October each year. The purchase price is the stock price on the purchase date, less a 15% discount. The compensation cost relating to the discount is recognized over the offering period. The total expense recognized relating to the CSPP for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 was approximately $9 million , $9 million and $8 million , respectively. Under this plan, crewmembers purchased 3.2 million , 3.2 million , and 2.5 million new shares for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively, at weighted average prices of $16.06 , $15.21 , and $17.46 per share, respectively. Under the CSPP, should we be acquired by merger or sale of substantially all of our assets or sale of more than 50% of our outstanding voting securities, all outstanding purchase rights will automatically be exercised immediately prior to the effective date of the acquisition at a price equal to 85% of the fair market value per share immediately prior to the acquisition. Taxation The Compensation-Stock Compensation topic of the Codification requires deferred taxes be recognized on temporary differences that arise with respect to stock-based compensation attributable to nonqualified stock options and awards. However, no tax benefit is recognized for stock-based compensation attributable to incentive stock options, or ISO, or CSPP shares until there is a disqualifying disposition, if any, for income tax purposes. A portion of our historical stock-based compensation was attributable to CSPP shares; therefore, our effective tax rate was subject to fluctuation.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	Income Taxes Our income tax expense (benefit) consisted of the following for the years ended December 31 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Deferred: Federal $ 119 $ 82 $ (356 ) State 20 7 24 Foreign — 1 23 Deferred income tax expense (benefit) 139 90 (309 ) Current: Federal 36 (61 ) 94 State 19 (5 ) 18 Foreign 5 6 (25 ) Current income tax expense (benefit) 60 (60 ) 87 Total income tax expense (benefit) $ 199 $ 30 $ (222 ) The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or The Act, was enacted on December 22, 2017. The Act made significant changes to the federal tax code, including a reduction in the federal corporate statutory tax rate from 35% to 21% . At December 31, 2017, the Company was able to make a reasonable estimate of the tax effects of enactment of The Act as written, on the existing deferred tax balances. As a result of these estimates, the Company recognized a provisional benefit in the amount of $551 million . During 2018, the Company continued to refine the calculations as we gained a more thorough understanding of The Act, including those related to the deductibility of purchased assets, state tax treatment, deferred revenue, as well as changes in interpretations of The Act and additional regulatory guidance that was issued. The calculations of measurement period adjustments of $28 million were completed by December 22, 2018. As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, we adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification as of January 1, 2019 utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition, which recast amounts previously reported for 2018 and 2017. This adoption also increased our previously reported benefit from the enactment of The Act from $551 million to $564 million for 2017. The effective tax rate on income before income taxes differed from the federal income tax statutory rate for the years ended December 31 for the following reasons (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Income tax expense at statutory rate $ 161 $ 45 $ 322 State income tax, net of federal benefit 31 8 28 Adjustment of net deferred tax liability from enacted tax rate change — (28 ) (564 ) Nondeductible expenses 8 5 3 Foreign rate differential (3 ) (2 ) (7 ) Other, net 2 2 (4 ) Total income tax expense (benefit) $ 199 $ 30 $ (222 ) The components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 are as follows (in millions): 2019 2018 Deferred tax assets: Deferred revenue/gains $ 127 $ 106 Employee benefits 47 35 Foreign tax credit 42 32 Net operating loss carryforward 31 28 Operating lease liabilities 212 241 Rent expense 17 20 Total deferred tax assets 476 462 Valuation allowance (31 ) (21 ) Deferred tax assets, net 445 441 Deferred tax liabilities: Accelerated depreciation (1,423 ) (1,270 ) Operating lease assets (236 ) (266 ) Other (37 ) (17 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (1,696 ) (1,553 ) Net deferred tax liability $ (1,251 ) $ (1,112 ) We have a U.S. foreign tax credit carryforward of $3 million which expires in 2028 . In evaluating the realizability of the deferred tax assets, we assess whether it is more likely than not that some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets, will be realized. We consider, among other things, the generation of future taxable income (including reversals of deferred tax liabilities) during the periods in which the related temporary differences will become deductible. At December 31, 2019 , we provided a $31 million valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to an amount that we consider is more likely than not to be realized. The $10 million net change in our valuation allowance during 2019 relates to foreign NOL carryforwards. A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Unrecognized tax benefits at January 1, $ 33 $ 31 $ 26 Increases for tax positions taken during a prior period — — 2 Increases for tax positions taken during the period 6 5 6 Decreases for tax positions taken during a prior period (3 ) (3 ) (3 ) Unrecognized tax benefits December 31, $ 36 $ 33 $ 31 Interest and penalties accrued on unrecognized tax benefits were not significant. If recognized, $15 million of the unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2019 would impact our effective tax rate. We do not expect any significant change in the amount of the unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months. As a result of net operating losses and statute of limitations in our major tax jurisdictions, years 2004 through 2018 remain subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities.

Employee Retirement Plan

Employee Retirement Plan	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Employee Retirement Plan	Crewmember Retirement Plan We sponsor a retirement savings 401(k) defined contribution plan, or the Plan, covering all of our crewmembers where we match 100% of our crewmember contributions up to 5% of their eligible wages. The contributions vest over three years and are measured from a crewmember’s hire date. Crewmembers are immediately vested in their voluntary contributions. Another component of the Plan is a Company discretionary contribution of 5% of eligible non-management crewmember compensation, which we refer to as Retirement Plus . Retirement Plus contributions vest over three years and are measured from a crewmember’s hire date. Certain Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, licensed crewmembers receive an additional contribution of 3% of eligible compensation, which we refer to as Retirement Advantage. Effective August 1, 2018, pilots receive a non-elective Company contribution of 15% of eligible pilot compensation per the terms of the finalized collective bargaining agreement between JetBlue and the Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPA, in lieu of the above 401(k) Company matching contribution, Retirement Plus , and Retirement Advantage contributions. Refer to Note 11 to our consolidated financial statements for additional information. The Company's non-elective contribution of 15% of eligible pilot compensation vests after three years of service. Our non-management crewmembers are eligible to receive profit sharing, calculated as 10% of adjusted pre-tax income before profit sharing and special items up to a pre-tax margin of 18% with the result reduced by Retirement Plus contributions and the equivalent of Retirement Plus contributions for pilots. If JetBlue's resulting pre-tax margin exceeds 18% , non-management crewmembers will receive 20% profit sharing on amounts above an 18% pre-tax margin. Total 401(k) company match, Retirement Plus, Retirement Advantage , pilot retirement contribution, and profit sharing expensed for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 were $196 million , $172 million , and $182 million

Commitments

Commitments	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments	Commitments Flight Equipment Commitments As of December 31, 2019 , our firm aircraft orders consisted of 79 Airbus A321neo aircraft and 70 Airbus A220 aircraft, all scheduled for delivery through 2026 . Committed expenditures for these aircraft and related flight equipment, including estimated amounts for contractual price escalations and predelivery deposits, is approximately $1.1 billion in 2020 , $1.5 billion in 2021 , $1.3 billion in 2022 , $1.7 billion in 2023 , $1.6 billion in 2024 and $0.6 billion thereafter. We are scheduled to receive 14 new Airbus A321neo aircraft in 2020 . The amount of committed expenditures stated above represents the current delivery schedule set forth in our Airbus order book as of December 31, 2019 . In October 2018 and May 2019, we received notice from Airbus of anticipated delivery delays of the A321neo aircraft. Due to these delays, we only took delivery of six A321neo aircraft in 2019 with the remaining seven to be delivered beyond their contractual delivery year. The committed expenditures for these seven backlogged A321 neo aircraft are not included in the amounts above due to uncertainties in the timing of these deliveries. We expect a delivery of a maximum of 11 Airbus A321neo aircraft in 2020 as a result of the delays. In October 2019, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced a 10% tariff on new commercial aircraft and related parts imported from certain European Union member states, which include aircraft and other parts we are already contractually obligated to purchase, including those noted above. In February 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative announced an increase in the tariff to 15% which will become effective in March 2020. We are working with our business partners, including Airbus, to evaluate the potential financial and operational impact of these announcements on our future aircraft deliveries. The imposition of the tariff could substantially increase the cost of new Airbus aircraft and parts. Other Commitments We utilize several credit card processors to process our ticket sales. Our agreements with these processors do not contain covenants, but do generally allow the processor to withhold cash reserves to protect the processor from potential liability for tickets purchased, but not yet used for travel. While we currently do not have any collateral requirements related to our credit card processors, we may be required to issue collateral to our credit card processors, or other key business partners, in the future. As of December 31, 2019 , we had approximately $34 million pledged related to our workers' compensation insurance policies and other business partner agreements, which will expire according to the terms of the related policies or agreements. In April 2014, ALPA was certified by the National Mediation Board, or NMB, as the representative body for JetBlue pilots after winning a representation election. We reached a final agreement for our first collective bargaining agreement which was ratified by the pilots in July 2018. The agreement is a four-year, renewable contract, which became effective August 1, 2018 and included compensation, benefits, work rules, and other policies. In April 2018, JetBlue inflight crewmembers elected to be solely represented by the Transport Workers Union of America, or TWU. The NMB certified the TWU as the representative body for JetBlue inflight crewmembers and we are working with the TWU to reach a collective bargaining agreement. As of December 31, 2019 , approximately 47 percent of our full-time equivalent crewmembers were represented by unions. Except as noted above, our crewmembers do not have third party representation. We enter into individual employment agreements with each of our non-unionized FAA-licensed crewmembers which include dispatchers, technicians, and inspectors as well as air traffic controllers. Each employment agreement is for a term of five years and automatically renews for an additional five years unless either the crewmember or we elect not to renew it by giving at least 90 days ' notice before the end of the relevant term. Pursuant to these agreements, these crewmembers can only be terminated for cause. In the event of a downturn in our business that would require a reduction in work hours, we are obligated to pay these crewmembers a guaranteed level of income and to continue their benefits if they do not obtain other aviation employment.

Contingencies

Contingencies	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Contingencies	Contingencies We self-insure a portion of our losses from claims related to workers’ compensation, environmental issues, property damage, medical insurance for crewmembers, and general liability. Losses are accrued based on an estimate of the ultimate aggregate liability for claims incurred, using standard industry practices and our actual experience. We are a party to many routine contracts under which we indemnify third parties for various risks. These indemnities consist of the following: All of our bank loans, including our aircraft mortgages obligate us to reimburse the bank for any increased costs arising from regulatory changes, including changes in reserve requirements and bank capital requirements; these obligations are standard terms present in loans of this type. These indemnities would increase the interest rate on our debt if they were to be triggered. In all cases, we have the option to repay the loan and avoid the increased costs. These terms match the length of the related loan up to 15 years . Under both aircraft leases with foreign lessors and aircraft mortgages with foreign lenders, we have agreed to customary indemnities concerning withholding tax law changes. Under these contracts we are responsible, should withholding taxes be imposed, for paying such amount of additional rent or interest as is necessary to ensure that the lessor or lender still receives, after taxes, the rent stipulated in the lease or the interest stipulated under the loan. The term of these indemnities matches the length of the related lease or loan up to 20 years . We have various leases with respect to real property as well as various agreements among airlines relating to fuel consortia or fuel farms at airports. Under these contracts we have agreed to standard language indemnifying the lessor against environmental liabilities associated with the real property or operations described under the agreement, even if we are not the party responsible for the initial event that caused the environmental damage. In the case of fuel consortia at airports, these indemnities are generally joint and several among the participating airlines. We have purchased a standalone environmental liability insurance policy to help mitigate this exposure. Our existing aviation hull and liability policy includes some limited environmental coverage when a cleanup is part of an associated single identifiable covered loss. Under certain contracts, we indemnify specified parties against legal liability arising out of actions by other parties. The terms of these contracts range up to 25 years . Generally, we have liability insurance protecting ourselves for the obligations we have undertaken relative to these indemnities. We are unable to estimate the potential amount of future payments under the foregoing indemnities and agreements. Under a certain number of our operating lease agreements we are required to restore certain property or equipment to its original form upon expiration of the related agreement. We have recorded the estimated fair value of these retirement obligations of approximately $5 million as of December 31, 2019 . This liability may increase over time. Legal Matters Occasionally, we are involved in various claims, lawsuits, regulatory examinations, investigations, and other legal matters involving suppliers, crewmembers, customers, and governmental agencies, arising, for the most part, in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of litigation and other legal matters is always uncertain. The Company believes it has valid defenses to the legal matters currently pending against it, is defending itself vigorously, and has recorded accruals determined in accordance with GAAP, where appropriate. In making a determination regarding accruals, using available information, we evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome in legal or regulatory proceedings to which we are a party and record a loss contingency when it is probable a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. These subjective determinations are based on the status of such legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of our defenses, and consultation with legal counsel. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from our current estimates. It is possible that resolution of one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened could result in losses material to our consolidated results of operations, liquidity, or financial condition. To date, none of these types of litigation matters, most of which are typically covered by insurance, has had a material impact on our operations or financial condition. We have insured and continue to insure against most of these types of claims. A judgment on any claim not covered by, or in excess of, our insurance coverage could materially adversely affect our consolidated results of operations, liquidity, or financial condition.

Financial Derivative Instrument

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management	Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management As part of our risk management techniques, we periodically purchase over the counter energy derivative instruments and enter into fixed forward price agreements, or FFPs, to manage our exposure to the effect of changes in the price of aircraft fuel. Prices for the underlying commodities have historically been highly correlated to aircraft fuel, making derivatives of them effective at providing short-term protection against volatility in average fuel prices. We also periodically enter into jet fuel basis swaps for the differential between heating oil and jet fuel, to further limit the variability in fuel prices at various locations. We do not hold or issue any derivative financial instruments for trading purposes. Aircraft fuel derivatives We attempt to obtain cash flow hedge accounting treatment for each fuel derivative that we enter into. This treatment is provided for under the Derivatives and Hedging topic of the Codification which allows for gains and losses on the effective portion of qualifying hedges to be deferred until the underlying planned jet fuel consumption occurs, rather than recognizing the gains and losses on these instruments into earnings during each period they are outstanding. The effective portion of realized aircraft fuel hedging derivative gains and losses is recognized in aircraft fuel expense in the period the underlying fuel is consumed. Ineffectiveness occurs, in certain circumstances, when the change in the total fair value of the derivative instrument differs from the change in the value of our expected future cash outlays for the purchase of aircraft fuel. ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, eliminated the requirement for companies to separately measure and record ineffectiveness after initial qualification. If a hedge does not qualify for hedge accounting, the periodic changes in its fair value are recognized in interest income and other. When aircraft fuel is consumed and the related derivative contract settles, any gain or loss previously recorded in other comprehensive income is recognized in aircraft fuel expense. All cash flows related to our fuel hedging derivatives are classified as operating cash flows. Our current approach to fuel hedging is to enter into hedges on a discretionary basis without a specific target of hedge percentage needs. We view our hedge portfolio as a form of insurance to help mitigate the impact of price volatility and protect us against severe spikes in oil prices, when possible. The following table illustrates the approximate hedge percentages of our projected 2020 fuel usage by quarter as of December 31, 2019 , related to our outstanding fuel hedging contracts that were designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes. Jet fuel call option spread agreements Total First Quarter 2020 20 % 20 % Second Quarter 2020 19 % 19 % Third Quarter 2020 — % — % Fourth Quarter 2020 — % — % The table below reflects quantitative information related to our derivative instruments and where these amounts are recorded in our financial statements (dollar amounts in millions): As of December 31, 2019 2018 Fuel derivatives Asset fair value recorded in prepaid expenses and other (1) $ 8 $ — Longest remaining term (months) 6 6 Hedged volume (barrels, in thousands) 2,112 756 Estimated amount of existing (gains) losses expected to be reclassified into earnings in the next 12 months $ (2 ) $ 4 Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Fuel derivatives Hedge effectiveness (gains) losses recognized in aircraft fuel expense $ 5 $ 2 $ (15 ) Hedge (gains) losses on derivatives recognized in comprehensive income $ (1 ) $ 6 $ 6 Percentage of actual consumption economically hedged 6 % 4 % 10 % (1) Gross asset of each contract prior to consideration of offsetting positions with each counterparty and prior to impact of collateral paid. Any outstanding derivative instrument exposes us to credit loss in connection with our fuel contracts in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to the agreements, but we do not expect any of our counterparties will fail to meet their obligations. The amount of such credit exposure is generally the fair value of our outstanding contracts for which we are in a receivable position. To manage credit risks we select counterparties based on credit assessments, limit our overall exposure to any single counterparty, and monitor the market position with each counterparty. Some of our agreements require cash deposits from either JetBlue or our counterparty if market risk exposure exceeds a specified threshold amount. We have master netting arrangements with our counterparties allowing us the right of offset to mitigate credit risk in derivative transactions. The financial derivative instrument agreements we have with our counterparties may require us to fund all, or a portion of, outstanding loss positions related to these contracts prior to their scheduled maturities. The amount of collateral posted, if any, is periodically adjusted based on the fair value of the hedge contracts. Our policy is to offset the liabilities represented by these contracts with any cash collateral paid to the counterparties. There were no offsetting derivative instruments as of December 31, 2019 and 2018

Fair Value

Fair Value	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair Value	Fair Value Under the Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures topic of the Codification, disclosures are required about how fair value is determined for assets and liabilities and a hierarchy for which these assets and liabilities must be grouped is established, based on significant levels of inputs as follows: Level 1 quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability; or Level 3 unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, such as discounted cash flow models or valuations. The determination of where assets and liabilities fall within this hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following is a listing of our assets and liabilities required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis and where they are classified within the fair value hierarchy (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Cash equivalents $ 611 $ 30 $ — $ 641 Available-for-sale investment securities — 351 — 351 Aircraft fuel derivatives — 8 — 8 As of December 31, 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Cash equivalents $ 198 $ — $ — $ 198 Available-for-sale investment securities 39 197 — 236 Aircraft fuel derivatives — — — — The carrying values of all other financial instruments approximated their fair values at December 31, 2019 and 2018 . Refer to Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for fair value information related to our outstanding debt obligations as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 . Cash equivalents Our cash equivalents include money market securities, commercial paper, and time deposits which are readily convertible into cash, have maturities of 90 days or less when purchased, and are considered to be highly liquid and easily tradable. The money market securities are valued using inputs observable in active markets for identical securities and are therefore classified as Level 1 within our fair value hierarchy. The fair values of remaining instruments are based on observable inputs in non-active markets, which are therefore classified as Level 2 in the hierarchy. Available-for-sale investment securities Our available-for-sale investment securities include investments such as time deposits, U.S. treasury bills, commercial paper, and convertible debt securities. The U.S. treasury bills are valued using inputs observable in active markets for identical securities and are therefore classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair values of remaining instruments are based on observable inputs in non-active markets, which are therefore classified as Level 2 in the hierarchy. We did not record any material gains or losses on these securities during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 . Aircraft fuel derivatives

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive Income (Loss)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in fair value of our aircraft fuel derivatives which qualify for hedge accounting. A rollforward of the amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 is as follows (in millions): Aircraft Fuel Derivatives (1) Total Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2016 $ 13 $ 13 Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $6 (9 ) (9 ) Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2 (4 ) (4 ) Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2017 — — Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $0 1 1 Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2 (4 ) (4 ) Balance of accumulated (losses), at December 31, 2018 (3 ) (3 ) Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax (expense) of $(1) 4 4 Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $0 1 1 Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2019 $ 2 $ 2 (1) Reclassified to aircraft fuel expense.

Geographic Information

Geographic Information	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Geographic Information	Geographic Information Under the Segment Reporting topic of the Codification, disclosures are required for operating segments that are regularly reviewed by chief operating decision makers. Air transportation services accounted for substantially all of the Company’s operations in 2019 , 2018 and 2017 . Operating revenues are allocated to geographic regions, as defined by the Department of Transportation, or DOT, based upon the origination and destination of each flight segment. As of December 31, 2019 , we served 31 locations in the Caribbean and Latin American region, or Latin America as defined by the DOT. However, our management includes our three destinations in Puerto Rico and one destination in the U.S. Virgin Islands in our Caribbean and Latin America allocation of revenues. Therefore, we have reflected these locations within the Caribbean and Latin America region in the table below. Operating revenues by geographic regions for the years ended December 31 are summarized below (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Domestic $ 5,633 $ 5,386 $ 4,999 Caribbean & Latin America 2,461 2,272 2,013 Total $ 8,094 $ 7,658 $ 7,012 Our tangible assets primarily consist of our fleet of aircraft, which is deployed systemwide, with no individual aircraft dedicated to any specific route or region; therefore our assets do not require any allocation to a geographic area.

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaud

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)	Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) Quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 are summarized below (in millions, except per share amounts): First Second Third Fourth 2019 Operating revenues $ 1,871 $ 2,105 $ 2,086 $ 2,031 Operating income (1)(2) 76 250 247 227 Net income (1)(2) 42 179 187 161 Basic earnings per share $ 0.14 $ 0.60 $ 0.63 $ 0.56 Diluted earnings per share (1)(2) $ 0.14 $ 0.59 $ 0.63 $ 0.56 2018 Operating revenues $ 1,754 $ 1,928 $ 2,008 $ 1,968 Operating income (3) 125 (152 ) 78 216 Net income (3)(4) 90 (121 ) 50 170 Basic earnings per share $ 0.28 $ (0.39 ) $ 0.16 $ 0.55 Diluted earnings per share (3)(4) $ 0.28 $ (0.39 ) $ 0.16 $ 0.55 (1) Our 2019 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots' collective bargaining agreement. We recorded special items of $12 million or ( $0.02 ) per diluted share in the first quarter and $2 million or ( $0.01 ) per diluted share in the second quarter of 2019. See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details. (2) During the third quarter of 2019, we recorded a gain of $15 million , or $0.04 per diluted share, on one of our equity method investments related to its fair value measurement upon the closing of a subsequent financing round. (3) Our 2018 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots' collective bargaining agreement. We recorded special items of $319 million or ( $0.76 ) per diluted share in the second quarter, $112 million or ( $0.27 ) per diluted share in the third quarter, and $4 million or ( $0.01 ) per diluted shares in the fourth quarter of 2018. See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details. (4) Our 2018 reported results include tax benefits related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We recorded benefits of $7 million or $0.02 per diluted share in the first quarter, $4 million or $0.01 per diluted share in the third quarter, and $17 million or $0.06 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2018. The sum of the quarterly results may not equal the annual amount reported due to immaterial rounding differences. The sum of the quarterly earnings per share amounts does not equal the annual amount reported since per share amounts are computed independently for each quarter and for the full year based on respective weighted average common shares outstanding and other dilutive potential common shares.

Special Items (Notes)

Special Items (Notes)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Unusual or Infrequent Items, or Both, Disclosure [Text Block]	Special Items The following is a listing of special items presented on our consolidated statements of operations (in millions): Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Special Items Embraer E190 fleet transition costs (1) $ 6 $ 362 $ — Union contract costs (2) 8 73 — Total $ 14 $ 435 $ — (1) In July 2018, we announced our decision to exit the Embraer E190 fleet and order 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier CS300, for expected deliveries beginning in 2020 with the option for 60 additional aircraft. For the year ended December 31, 2018, fleet transition costs include a $319 million impairment charge of flight equipment and other property and equipment related to our fleet review and certain termination costs associated with the transition. We assessed our Embraer E190 asset group by comparing projected undiscounted cash flows over the remaining time period we expect to utilize the aircraft to the book value of the asset group and determined the book value was in excess of the cash flows. We estimated the fair value of our Embraer E190 asset group using third party valuations and considering specific circumstances of our fleet such as aircraft age, maintenance requirements and condition, and therefore classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. We reassessed our Embraer E190 assets and adjusted the depreciable lives and salvage value to align with our expected transition dates to the Airbus A220-300 through 2025. Fleet transition costs for the year ended December 31, 2019 include certain contract termination costs associated with the transition. (2) In April 2014, ALPA was certified by NMB as the representative body for JetBlue pilots after winning a representation election. We reached a final agreement for our first collective bargaining agreement which was ratified by the pilots in July 2018. The agreement is a four-year renewable contract, which became effective August 1, 2018 and included changes to compensation, benefits, work rules, and other policies. For the year ended December 31, 2018, contract costs include the one-time $50 million

Valuation and Qualifying Accoun

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts [Abstract]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts	JETBLUE AIRWAYS CORPORATION SCHEDULE II—VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS (in millions) Balance at Additions Charged to Deductions Balance at Year Ended December 31, 2019 Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets $ 21 $ 10 $ — (3) $ 31 Allowance for obsolete inventory parts 18 4 — (1) 22 Allowance for doubtful accounts 1 — — (2) 1 Total $ 40 $ 14 $ — $ 54 Year Ended December 31, 2018 Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets $ 1 $ 20 $ — $ 21 Allowance for obsolete inventory parts 14 4 — (1) 18 Allowance for doubtful accounts 1 2 2 (2) 1 Total $ 16 $ 26 $ 2 $ 40 Year Ended December 31, 2017 Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets $ — $ 1 $ — $ 1 Allowance for obsolete inventory parts 12 2 — (1) 14 Allowance for doubtful accounts 5 — 4 (2) 1 Total $ 17 $ 3 $ 4 $ 16 (1) Inventory scrapped. (2) Uncollectible accounts written off, net of recoveries. (3) Relates to foreign NOL carryforwards.

Summary of Significant Accoun_2

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation JetBlue provides air transportation services across the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Our consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, and include the accounts of JetBlue and our subsidiaries. All majority-owned subsidiaries are consolidated with all intercompany transactions and balances being eliminated.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in conformity with GAAP requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Fair Value	Fair Value The Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures topic of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Codification ® , or Codification, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires enhanced disclosures about fair value measurements. This topic clarifies that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The topic also requires disclosure about how fair value is determined for assets and liabilities and establishes a hierarchy for which these assets and liabilities must be grouped, based on significant levels of inputs. Refer to Note 14 to our consolidated financial statements for more information.
Cash and Cash Equivalents	Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash equivalents
Restricted Cash	Restricted Cash Restricted cash primarily consists of security deposits, funds held in escrow for estimated workers’ compensation obligations, and performance bonds for aircraft and facility leases.
Accounts and Other Receivables	Accounts and Other Receivables Accounts and other receivables are carried at cost. They primarily consist of amounts due from credit card companies associated with sales of tickets for future travel. We estimate an allowance for doubtful accounts based on known troubled accounts, if any, and historical experience of losses incurred.
Investment Securities	Investment Securities Investment securities consist of available-for-sale investment securities and held-to-maturity investment securities. When sold, we use a specific identification method to determine the cost of the securities. Available-for-sale investment securities Our available-for-sale investment securities include highly liquid investments such as time deposits, U.S. Treasury bills with maturities between three and twelve months, commercial paper, and convertible debt securities which are stated at fair value. Held-to-maturity investment securities Our held-to-maturity investments consist of investment-grade interest bearing instruments, such as corporate bonds and U.S. Treasury notes, which are stated at amortized cost. We do not intend to sell these investment securities and the contractual maturities are not greater than 24 months. Those with maturities less than twelve months are included in short-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. Those with remaining maturities in excess of twelve months are included in long-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. We did not record any material gains or losses on these securities during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 or 2017 . The estimated fair value of these investments approximated their carrying value as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 . The carrying values of investment securities consisted of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Available-for-sale securities Time deposits $ 325 $ 190 U.S. Treasury — 39 Commercial paper 20 — Debt securities 6 7 Total available-for-sale securities 351 236 Held-to-maturity securities U.S. Treasury — 180 Corporate bonds 21 — Total held-to-maturity securities 21 180 Total investment securities $ 372 $ 416 Available-for-sale investment securities Our available-for-sale investment securities include investments such as time deposits, U.S. treasury bills, commercial paper, and convertible debt securities. The U.S. treasury bills are valued using inputs observable in active markets for identical securities and are therefore classified as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy. The fair values of remaining instruments are based on observable inputs in non-active markets, which are therefore classified as Level 2 in the hierarchy. We did not record any material gains or losses on these securities during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments [Policy Text Block]	Equity Method Investments Investments in which we can exercise significant influence are accounted for using the equity method in accordance with Topic 323, Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures of the Codification. The carrying amount of our equity method investments, which is recorded within other assets on our consolidated balance sheets, was $38 million and $11 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. In September 2019, we recognized a gain of $15 million
Derivative Instruments	Derivative Instruments Our derivative instruments include fuel hedge contracts, such as jet fuel call options and call option spreads, which are stated at fair value, net of any collateral postings. Derivative instruments are included in other current assets and other current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 13 to our consolidated financial statements for more information. Aircraft fuel derivatives
Inventories	Inventories Inventories consist of expendable aircraft spare parts and supplies that are stated at average cost, as well as aircraft fuel that is accounted for on a first-in, first-out basis. These items are expensed when used or consumed. An allowance for obsolescence on aircraft spare parts is provided over the remaining useful life of the related aircraft fleet.
Property and Equipment	Property and Equipment We record our property and equipment at cost and depreciate these assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values. We capitalize additions, modifications enhancing the operating performance of our assets, and the interest related to predelivery deposits used to acquire new aircraft and the construction of our facilities. Estimated useful lives and residual values for our property and equipment are as follows: Property and Equipment Type Estimated Useful Life Residual Value Aircraft 25 years 20 % Inflight entertainment systems 5-10 years 0 % Aircraft parts Fleet life 10 % Flight equipment leasehold improvements Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Ground property and equipment 2-10 years 0 % Leasehold improvements—other Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Buildings on leased land Lease term 0 % Property under finance leases is initially recorded at an amount equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments which is computed on the basis of our incremental borrowing rate or, when known, the interest rate implicit in the lease. Amortization of property under finance leases is on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life to their estimated residual values and is included in depreciation and amortization expense. We record impairment losses on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate the assets may be impaired and the undiscounted future cash flows estimated to be generated by the assets are less than the assets’ net book value. If impairment occurs, the loss is measured by comparing the fair value of the asset to its carrying amount.
Software	Software We capitalize certain costs related to the acquisition and development of computer software. We amortize these costs using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software, which is generally five years. The net book value of computer software, which is included in other assets on our consolidated balance sheets, was $102 million and $96 million as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. Amortization expense related to computer software was $52 million , $46 million and $41 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 , respectively. As of December 31, 2019 , amortization expense related to computer software is expected to be approximately $35 million in 2020 , $26 million in 2021 , $22 million in 2022 , $15 million in 2023 , and $4 million in 2024 .
Intangible Assets	Intangible Assets Our intangible assets consist primarily of acquired take-off and landing slots, or Slots, at certain domestic airports. Slots are the rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a specific time period of the day and are a means by which airport capacity and congestion can be managed. We account for Slots at High Density Airports, including Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., LaGuardia Airport, and JFK Airport, both in New York City, as indefinite life intangible assets which result in no amortization expense. We evaluate our intangible assets for impairment at least annually or when events and circumstances indicate they may be impaired. Indicators include operating or cash flow losses as well as various market factors to determine if events and circumstances could reasonably have affected the fair value. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , our intangible assets for Slots at High Density Airports with indefinite lives were $139 million .
Passenger Revenues	Passenger Revenue Ticket sales and the fees collected for related ancillary services are initially deferred in air traffic liability. Air traffic liability represents tickets sold but not yet flown, credits which can be used for future travel, and a portion of the liability related to our TrueBlue ® loyalty program. We allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation identified in a passenger ticket on a relative standalone basis. Passenger revenue, including certain ancillary fees directly related to passenger tickets, is recognized when the transportation is provided. Taxes that we are required to collect from our customers, including foreign and U.S. federal transportation taxes, security taxes, and airport facility charges, are excluded from passenger revenue. Those taxes and fees are recorded as a liability upon collection and are relieved from the liability upon remittance to the applicable governmental agency. The majority of the tickets sold are non-refundable. Non-refundable fares may be canceled prior to the scheduled departure date for a credit for future travel. Refundable fares may be canceled at any time prior to the scheduled departure date. Failure to cancel a refundable fare prior to departure will result in the cancellation of the original ticket and an issuance of a credit for future travel. Passenger credits can be used for future travel up to a year from the date of issuance. Passenger breakage revenue from unused tickets and passenger credits will be recognized in proportion to flown revenue based on estimates of expected expiration when the likelihood of the customer exercising his or her remaining rights becomes remote. Breakage revenue consists of non-refundable tickets that remain unused past the departure date, have continued validity, and are expected to ultimately expire unused, as well as passenger credits that are not expected to be redeemed prior to expiration. JetBlue uses estimates based on historical experience of expired tickets and credits and considers other factors that could impact future expiration patterns of tickets and credits. Tickets which do not have continued validity past the departure date are recognized as revenue after the scheduled departure date has lapsed. Passenger ticket costs primarily include credit card fees, commissions paid, and global distribution systems booking fees. Costs are allocated entirely to the purchased travel services and are capitalized until recognized when travel services are provided to the customer.
Loyalty Program	Loyalty Program Customers may earn points under our customer loyalty program, TrueBlue ® , based on the fare paid and fare product purchased for a flight. Customers can also earn points through business partners such as credit card companies, hotels, car rental companies, and our participating airline partners. Points Earned From a Ticket Purchase. When a TrueBlue ® member travels, we recognize a portion of the fare as revenue and defer in air traffic liabilities the portion that represents the value of the points net of spoilage, or breakage. We allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone basis. We determine the standalone selling price of TrueBlue ® points issued using the redemption value approach. To maximize the use of observable inputs, we utilize the actual ticket value of the tickets purchased with TrueBlue ® points. The liability is relieved and passenger revenue is recognized when the points are redeemed and the free travel is provided. Points Sold to TrueBlue ® Partners . Our most significant contract to sell TrueBlue ® points is with our co-branded credit card partner. Co-branded credit card partnerships have the following identified performance obligations: air transportation; use of the JetBlue brand name and access to our frequent flyer customer lists; advertising; and other airline benefits. In determining the estimated selling price, JetBlue considered multiple inputs, methods and assumptions, including: discounted cash flows; estimated redemption value, net of fulfillment discount; points expected to be awarded and redeemed; estimated annual spending by cardholders; estimated annual royalty for use of JetBlue's frequent flyer customer lists; and estimated utilization of other airline benefits. Payments are typically due monthly based on the volume of points sold during the period, and the terms of our marketing contracts are generally from one to seven years. The overall consideration received is allocated to each performance obligation based on their standalone relative selling prices. The air transportation element is deferred and recognized as passenger revenue when the points are utilized. The other elements are recognized as other revenue when the performance obligation related to those services are satisfied, which is generally the same period as when consideration is received from the participating company. Amounts allocated to the air transportation element which are initially deferred include a portion that are expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as a component of Air traffic liability), and a portion that are not expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months (classified as Air traffic liability - loyalty non-current). We periodically update this analysis and adjust the split between current and non-current liabilities as appropriate. Points earned by TrueBlue® members never expire. TrueBlue ® members can pool points between small groups of people, branded as Points Pooling™. Breakage is estimated using historical redemption patterns to determine a breakage rate. Breakage rates used to estimate breakage revenue are evaluated annually. Changes to breakage estimates impact revenue recognition prospectively.
Airframe and Engine Maintenance and Repair	Airframe and Engine Maintenance and Repair Regular airframe maintenance for owned and leased flight equipment is charged to expense as incurred unless covered by a third-party long-term flight hour service agreement. We have separate service agreements in place covering scheduled and unscheduled repairs of certain airframe line replacement unit components as well as the engines in our fleet. Certain of these agreements, whose original terms generally range from 10 to 15 years, require monthly payments at rates based either on the number of cycles each aircraft was operated during each month or the number of flight hours each engine was operated during each month, subject to annual escalations. These power by the hour agreements transfer certain risks, including cost risks, to the third-party service providers. They generally fix the amount we pay per flight hour or number of cycles in exchange for maintenance and repairs under a predefined maintenance program, which are representative of the time and materials that would be consumed. These costs are expensed as the related flight hours or cycles are incurred.
Advertising Costs	Advertising Costs Advertising costs, which are included in sales and marketing, are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $66 million in 2019 , $72 million in 2018 and $66 million in 2017 .
Share-Based Compensation	Share-Based Compensation We record compensation expense for share-based awards based on the grant date fair value of those awards. Share-based compensation expense includes an estimate for pre-vesting forfeitures and is recognized over the requisite service periods of the awards on a straight-line basis.
Income Taxes	Income Taxes We account for income taxes utilizing the liability method. Deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax and financial statement reporting bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is provided unless realizability is judged by us to be more likely than not. Our policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.
New Accounting Standards	Recently Issued Accounting Standards New accounting rules and disclosure requirements can impact our financial results and the comparability of our financial statements. The authoritative literature which has recently been issued and that we believe will impact our consolidated financial statements is described below. There are also several new proposals under development. If and when enacted, these proposals may have a significant impact on our financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments . The update requires the use of an "expected loss" model on certain types of financial instruments and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to calculate credit loss estimates. For trade receivables, loans, and held-to-maturity debt securities, entities will be required to estimate lifetime expected credit losses. For available-for-sale debt securities, entities will be required to recognize an allowance for credit losses rather than a reduction to the carrying value of the asset. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020 and we are required to adopt its provisions using a modified retrospective transition approach by recording a cumulative effect adjustment in retained earnings as of the beginning of the year of adoption. We have substantially completed our assessment of the new standard and do not expect its adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement . The update eliminates, adds, and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The new standard is effective for us on January 1, 2020. We have substantially completed our assessment of the new standard and do not expect its adoption to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statement disclosures. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes . The update eliminates, clarifies, and modifies certain guidance related to the accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are still evaluating the full impact of adopting the amendments on our consolidated financial statements. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) of the Codification, which requires lessees to recognize leases on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. Topic 842 was subsequently amended by ASU 2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842 ; ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases ; ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements ; ASU 2018-20, Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors ; and ASU 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements . Under the new standard, a lessee will recognize liabilities on the balance sheet, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, and right-of-use (ROU) assets representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months or less at the commencement date, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. The new standard also eliminates the build-to-suit lease accounting guidance which results in the derecognition of build-to-suit assets and liabilities that remained on the balance sheet after the end of the construction period. We adopted the requirements of ASU 2016-02 as of January 1, 2019, utilizing the modified retrospective method of transition for all leases existing at or commencing after the date of initial application. We recorded a $58 million cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2017, the beginning of the retrospective reporting period, for the impact of the new accounting standard. The adjustments to retained earnings were driven principally by the derecognition of our existing assets constructed for others and construction obligation related to our Terminal 5 (T5) build-to-suit project at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. We elected to use the package of transition provisions available for expired or existing contracts, which allowed us to carryforward our historical assessment of whether contracts are or contain leases, lease classification, and initial direct costs. Refer to Note 4 to our consolidated financial statements for more information. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other— Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract . The update provides guidance for determining if a cloud computing arrangement is within the scope of internal-use software guidance, and would require capitalization of certain implementation costs. ASU 2018-15 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the requirements of ASU 2018-15 on April 1, 2019 using the prospective transition method. The adoption of ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Long-term Debt, Short-term Bo_2

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings, and Capital Lease Obligations Short Term Borrowings (Policies)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Short-term Debt [Text Block]	Short-term Borrowings Citibank Line of Credit In August 2019, we amended and restated our revolving Credit and Guaranty Agreement with Citibank, N.A. as the administrative agent. The amendment increased our borrowing capacity by $125 million to $550 million and extended the term of the facility through August 2023 . Borrowings under the Credit and Guaranty Agreement bear interest at a variable rate equal to LIBOR, plus a margin . The Credit and Guaranty Agreement is secured by Slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Reagan National Airport, as well as certain other assets. Slots are rights to take-off or land at a specific airport during a specific time period during the day and a means by which airport capacity and congestion can be managed. The Credit and Guaranty Agreement includes covenants that require us to maintain certain minimum balances in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, and unused commitments available under revolving credit facilities. In addition, the covenants restrict our ability to, among other things, dispose of certain collateral, or merge, consolidate, or sell assets. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we did not have a balance outstanding or borrowings under this line of credit. Morgan Stanley Line of Credit We have a revolving line of credit with Morgan Stanley for up to approximately $200 million . This line of credit is secured by a portion of our investment securities held by Morgan Stanley and the amount available to us under this line of credit may vary accordingly. This line of credit bears interest at a floating rate based upon LIBOR, plus a margin . As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 , we did not have a balance outstanding or borrowings under this line of credit.

Summary of Significant Accoun_3

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Marketable Securities	The carrying values of investment securities consisted of the following at December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Available-for-sale securities Time deposits $ 325 $ 190 U.S. Treasury — 39 Commercial paper 20 — Debt securities 6 7 Total available-for-sale securities 351 236 Held-to-maturity securities U.S. Treasury — 180 Corporate bonds 21 — Total held-to-maturity securities 21 180 Total investment securities $ 372 $ 416
Property, Plant and Equipment	Estimated useful lives and residual values for our property and equipment are as follows: Property and Equipment Type Estimated Useful Life Residual Value Aircraft 25 years 20 % Inflight entertainment systems 5-10 years 0 % Aircraft parts Fleet life 10 % Flight equipment leasehold improvements Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Ground property and equipment 2-10 years 0 % Leasehold improvements—other Lower of lease term or economic life 0 % Buildings on leased land Lease term 0 %

Revenue Recognition (Tables)

Revenue Recognition (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Table Text Block]	The following table provides the revenue recognized by revenue source for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Passenger revenue Passenger travel $ 7,395 $ 7,061 $ 6,508 Loyalty revenue - air transportation 391 320 253 Other revenue Loyalty revenue 201 168 140 Other revenue 107 109 111 Total revenue $ 8,094 $ 7,658 $ 7,012
Contract with Customer, Asset and Liability [Table Text Block]	Our contract liabilities primarily consist of ticket sales for which transportation has not yet been provided, unused credits available to customers, and outstanding loyalty points available for redemption (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Air traffic liability - passenger travel $ 929 $ 892 Air traffic liability - loyalty program (air transportation) 661 580 Deferred revenue 10 10 Total $ 1,600 $ 1,482 The table below presents the activity of the current and non-current air traffic liability for our loyalty program, and includes points earned and sold to participating companies (in millions): Balance at December 31, 2017 $ 502 TrueBlue ® points redeemed (320 ) TrueBlue ® points earned and sold 398 Balance at December 31, 2018 580 TrueBlue ® points redeemed (391 ) TrueBlue ® points earned and sold 472 Balance at December 31, 2019 $ 661

Long-term Debt, Short-term Bo_3

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings, and Capital Lease Obligations (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of debt	Long-term debt and finance lease obligations and the related weighted average interest rate at December 31, 2019 and 2018 consisted of the following (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Secured Debt Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028 (1) $ 201 4.3 % $ 247 4.9 % Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 (2) 134 4.5 % 152 4.5 % Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes: (3) Series AA, due through 2032 589 2.8 % — — % Series A, due through 2028 183 3.0 % — — % Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028 (4) 1,113 4.2 % 1,131 4.7 % Fixed rate specialty bonds, due through 2036 (5) 43 4.9 % 43 4.9 % Finance Leases (6) 89 4.8 % 107 4.7 % Total debt and finance lease obligations 2,352 1,680 Less: Current maturities (344 ) (309 ) Less: Debt acquisition cost (18 ) (10 ) Long-term debt and finance lease obligations $ 1,990 $ 1,361 (1) Interest rates adjust quarterly or semi-annually based on LIBOR, plus a margin . In 2018, we issued $120 million in floating rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are secured by six Airbus A320 aircraft and one Airbus A321 aircraft. (2) In March 2014, we completed a private placement of $226 million in pass-through certificates, Series 2013-1. The certificates were issued by a pass-through trust and are not obligations of JetBlue. The proceeds from the issuance of the pass-through certificates were used to purchase equipment notes issued by JetBlue and secured by 14 of our aircraft. Principal and interest are payable semi-annually . (3) In November 2019, we completed a public placement of equipment notes in an aggregate principal amount of $772 million secured by 25 Airbus A321 aircraft. The equipment notes were issued in two series: (i) Series AA, bearing interest at the rate of 2.75% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $589 million , and (ii) Series A, bearing interest at the rate of 2.95% per annum in the aggregate principal amount equal to $183 million . Principal and interest are payable semi-annually. (4) In 2019, we issued $219 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2027, which are secured by 10 Airbus A320 aircraft and two Airbus A321 aircraft. In 2018, we issued $567 million in fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028, which are secured by 14 Airbus A320 aircraft and 10 Airbus A321 aircraft. (5) In November 2005, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, or GOAA, issued special purpose airport facilities revenue bonds to JetBlue as reimbursement for certain airport facility construction and other costs. In April 2013, GOAA issued $42 million in special purpose airport facility revenue bonds to refund the bonds issued in 2005. The proceeds from the refunded bonds were loaned to us and we recorded the issuance of $43 million , net of $1 million premium, as long-term debt on our consolidated balance sheets. (6) As of December 31, 2019 and 2018 , four finance leased Airbus A320 aircraft and two finance leased Airbus A321 aircraft were included in property and equipment at a cost of $250 million and $253 million , respectively, with accumulated amortization of $80 million and $72 million , respectively. The future minimum lease payments under these non-cancelable leases are $35 million in 2020 , $39 million in 2021 , $9 million in 2022 , $9 million in 2023 , $5 million in 2024 and no payments in the years thereafter. Included in the future minimum lease payments is $8 million representing interest, resulting in a present value of finance leases of $89 million with a current portion of $31 million and a long-term portion of $58 million .
Schedule of maturities of long-term debt	Maturities of our debt and finance leases, net of debt acquisition costs, for the next five years are as follows (in millions): Maturities 2020 $ 341 2021 340 2022 319 2023 298 2024 169 Thereafter 867
Carrying amounts and estimated fair values of long-term debt	The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of our long-term debt, net of debt acquisition costs, at December 31, 2019 and 2018 were as follows (in millions): December 31, 2019 December 31, 2018 Carrying Value Estimated Fair Value Carrying Value Estimated Fair Value Public Debt Fixed rate special facility bonds, due through 2036 $ 42 $ 46 $ 42 $ 44 Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes: Series AA, due through 2032 581 586 — — Series A, due through 2028 181 186 — — Non-Public Debt Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 133 141 151 153 Floating rate equipment notes, due through 2028 201 207 245 245 Fixed rate equipment notes, due through 2028 1,107 1,201 1,125 1,135 Total (1) $ 2,245 $ 2,367 $ 1,563 $ 1,577 (1) Total excludes finance lease obligations of $89 million and $107 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018 , respectively.

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Schedule of Lease Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block]	The table below presents the lease-related assets and liabilities recorded on our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 2018 Assets Classification on Balance Sheet Operating lease assets Operating lease assets $ 912 $ 1,056 Finance lease assets Property and equipment, net 171 181 Total lease assets $ 1,083 $ 1,237 Liabilities Classification on Balance Sheet Current: Operating lease liabilities Current operating lease liabilities $ 128 $ 133 Finance lease liabilities Current maturities of long-term debt and finance lease obligations 31 18 Long-term: Operating lease liabilities Long-term operating lease liabilities 690 798 Finance lease liabilities Long-term debt and finance lease obligations 58 89 Total lease liabilities $ 907 $ 1,038 As of December 31, 2019 2018 Weighted average remaining lease term (in years) Operating leases 11 11 Finance leases 3 4 Weighted average discount rate Operating leases 5.95 % 5.95 % Finance leases 4.75 % 4.73 %
Lease, Cost [Table Text Block]	The table below presents certain information related to our lease costs during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Operating lease cost $ 180 $ 185 $ 180 Short-term lease cost 2 2 2 Finance lease cost: Amortization of assets 9 10 10 Interest on lease liabilities 3 3 4 Variable lease cost 391 379 358 Sublease income (19 ) (15 ) (14 ) Total net lease cost $ 566 $ 564 $ 540
Schedule of Leases, Supplemental Cash Flows [Table Text Block]	The table below presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases during the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities Operating cash flows for operating leases $ 136 $ 151 $ 150 Operating cash flows for finance leases 5 5 6 Financing cash flows for finance leases 17 17 16
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block]	The table below presents scheduled future minimum lease payments for operating and finance leases recorded on our consolidated balance sheets, as of December 31, 2019 (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 Operating Leases Finance Leases 2020 $ 128 $ 35 2021 122 39 2022 114 9 2023 104 9 2024 95 5 Thereafter 565 — Total minimum lease payments 1,128 97 Less: amount of lease payment representing interest (310 ) (8 ) Present value of future minimum lease payment 818 89 Less: current obligations under leases (128 ) (31 ) Long-term lease obligations $ 690 $ 58

Earnings Per Share (Tables)

Earnings Per Share (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of earnings per share, basic and diluted	The following table shows how we computed basic and diluted earnings per common share for the years ended December 31 (dollars and share data in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Net income (1) $ 569 $ 189 $ 1,140 Weighted average basic shares 296.6 312.9 328.7 Effect of dilutive securities 1.8 1.6 1.7 Weighted average diluted shares 298.4 314.5 330.4 Earnings per common share Basic $ 1.92 $ 0.60 $ 3.47 Diluted $ 1.91 $ 0.60 $ 3.45 (1) As discussed in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements, we adopted ASC 842, Leases , as of January 1, 2019. The adoption of this standard increased previously reported net income by approximately $1 million for 2018, and $15 million or $0.04 per diluted share for 2017. It did not have a material impact on our earnings per diluted share in 2018.

Share-Based Compensation (Table

Share-Based Compensation (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity	The following is a summary of RSU activity under the 2011 Plan for the year ended December 31, 2019 (in millions except per share data): Shares Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Nonvested at beginning of year 1.7 $ 20.59 Granted 1.3 17.27 Vested (0.9 ) 20.29 Forfeited (0.1 ) 18.99 Nonvested at end of year 2.0 18.59

Income Taxes (Tables)

Income Taxes (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of provision for income taxes	Our income tax expense (benefit) consisted of the following for the years ended December 31 (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Deferred: Federal $ 119 $ 82 $ (356 ) State 20 7 24 Foreign — 1 23 Deferred income tax expense (benefit) 139 90 (309 ) Current: Federal 36 (61 ) 94 State 19 (5 ) 18 Foreign 5 6 (25 ) Current income tax expense (benefit) 60 (60 ) 87 Total income tax expense (benefit) $ 199 $ 30 $ (222 )
Schedule of income taxes differed from the federal income tax statutory rate	The effective tax rate on income before income taxes differed from the federal income tax statutory rate for the years ended December 31 for the following reasons (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Income tax expense at statutory rate $ 161 $ 45 $ 322 State income tax, net of federal benefit 31 8 28 Adjustment of net deferred tax liability from enacted tax rate change — (28 ) (564 ) Nondeductible expenses 8 5 3 Foreign rate differential (3 ) (2 ) (7 ) Other, net 2 2 (4 ) Total income tax expense (benefit) $ 199 $ 30 $ (222 )
Schedule of deferred tax assets and deferred liabilities	The components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities as of December 31 are as follows (in millions): 2019 2018 Deferred tax assets: Deferred revenue/gains $ 127 $ 106 Employee benefits 47 35 Foreign tax credit 42 32 Net operating loss carryforward 31 28 Operating lease liabilities 212 241 Rent expense 17 20 Total deferred tax assets 476 462 Valuation allowance (31 ) (21 ) Deferred tax assets, net 445 441 Deferred tax liabilities: Accelerated depreciation (1,423 ) (1,270 ) Operating lease assets (236 ) (266 ) Other (37 ) (17 ) Total deferred tax liabilities (1,696 ) (1,553 ) Net deferred tax liability $ (1,251 ) $ (1,112 )
Schedule of reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits	A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Unrecognized tax benefits at January 1, $ 33 $ 31 $ 26 Increases for tax positions taken during a prior period — — 2 Increases for tax positions taken during the period 6 5 6 Decreases for tax positions taken during a prior period (3 ) (3 ) (3 ) Unrecognized tax benefits December 31, $ 36 $ 33 $ 31

Financial Derivative Instrume_2

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Percentage fuel covered under derivative contracts	The following table illustrates the approximate hedge percentages of our projected 2020 fuel usage by quarter as of December 31, 2019 , related to our outstanding fuel hedging contracts that were designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes. Jet fuel call option spread agreements Total First Quarter 2020 20 % 20 % Second Quarter 2020 19 % 19 % Third Quarter 2020 — % — % Fourth Quarter 2020 — % — %
Derivative instrument in statement of financial position and financial performance	The table below reflects quantitative information related to our derivative instruments and where these amounts are recorded in our financial statements (dollar amounts in millions): As of December 31, 2019 2018 Fuel derivatives Asset fair value recorded in prepaid expenses and other (1) $ 8 $ — Longest remaining term (months) 6 6 Hedged volume (barrels, in thousands) 2,112 756 Estimated amount of existing (gains) losses expected to be reclassified into earnings in the next 12 months $ (2 ) $ 4 Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Fuel derivatives Hedge effectiveness (gains) losses recognized in aircraft fuel expense $ 5 $ 2 $ (15 ) Hedge (gains) losses on derivatives recognized in comprehensive income $ (1 ) $ 6 $ 6 Percentage of actual consumption economically hedged 6 % 4 % 10 % (1) Gross asset of each contract prior to consideration of offsetting positions with each counterparty and prior to impact of collateral paid.

Fair Value (Tables)

Fair Value (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair value measurements, recurring	The following is a listing of our assets and liabilities required to be measured at fair value on a recurring basis and where they are classified within the fair value hierarchy (in millions): As of December 31, 2019 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Cash equivalents $ 611 $ 30 $ — $ 641 Available-for-sale investment securities — 351 — 351 Aircraft fuel derivatives — 8 — 8 As of December 31, 2018 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total Assets Cash equivalents $ 198 $ — $ — $ 198 Available-for-sale investment securities 39 197 — 236 Aircraft fuel derivatives — — — —

Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Ta

Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes	Comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in fair value of our aircraft fuel derivatives which qualify for hedge accounting. A rollforward of the amounts included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes for the years ended December 31, 2019 , 2018 , and 2017 is as follows (in millions): Aircraft Fuel Derivatives (1) Total Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2016 $ 13 $ 13 Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $6 (9 ) (9 ) Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2 (4 ) (4 ) Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2017 — — Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax benefit of $0 1 1 Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $2 (4 ) (4 ) Balance of accumulated (losses), at December 31, 2018 (3 ) (3 ) Reclassifications into earnings, net of tax (expense) of $(1) 4 4 Change in fair value, net of tax benefit of $0 1 1 Balance of accumulated income, at December 31, 2019 $ 2 $ 2 (1) Reclassified to aircraft fuel expense.

Geographic Information (Tables)

Geographic Information (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Summary of operating revenues by geographic regions	Operating revenues are allocated to geographic regions, as defined by the Department of Transportation, or DOT, based upon the origination and destination of each flight segment. As of December 31, 2019 , we served 31 locations in the Caribbean and Latin American region, or Latin America as defined by the DOT. However, our management includes our three destinations in Puerto Rico and one destination in the U.S. Virgin Islands in our Caribbean and Latin America allocation of revenues. Therefore, we have reflected these locations within the Caribbean and Latin America region in the table below. Operating revenues by geographic regions for the years ended December 31 are summarized below (in millions): 2019 2018 2017 Domestic $ 5,633 $ 5,386 $ 4,999 Caribbean & Latin America 2,461 2,272 2,013 Total $ 8,094 $ 7,658 $ 7,012

Quarterly Financial Data (Una_2

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of quarterly financial information	Quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 are summarized below (in millions, except per share amounts): First Second Third Fourth 2019 Operating revenues $ 1,871 $ 2,105 $ 2,086 $ 2,031 Operating income (1)(2) 76 250 247 227 Net income (1)(2) 42 179 187 161 Basic earnings per share $ 0.14 $ 0.60 $ 0.63 $ 0.56 Diluted earnings per share (1)(2) $ 0.14 $ 0.59 $ 0.63 $ 0.56 2018 Operating revenues $ 1,754 $ 1,928 $ 2,008 $ 1,968 Operating income (3) 125 (152 ) 78 216 Net income (3)(4) 90 (121 ) 50 170 Basic earnings per share $ 0.28 $ (0.39 ) $ 0.16 $ 0.55 Diluted earnings per share (3)(4) $ 0.28 $ (0.39 ) $ 0.16 $ 0.55 (1) Our 2019 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots' collective bargaining agreement. We recorded special items of $12 million or ( $0.02 ) per diluted share in the first quarter and $2 million or ( $0.01 ) per diluted share in the second quarter of 2019. See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details. (2) During the third quarter of 2019, we recorded a gain of $15 million , or $0.04 per diluted share, on one of our equity method investments related to its fair value measurement upon the closing of a subsequent financing round. (3) Our 2018 reported results include special items related to the Embraer E190 fleet transition and the ratification of our pilots' collective bargaining agreement. We recorded special items of $319 million or ( $0.76 ) per diluted share in the second quarter, $112 million or ( $0.27 ) per diluted share in the third quarter, and $4 million or ( $0.01 ) per diluted shares in the fourth quarter of 2018. See Note 18 to our consolidated financial statements for details. (4) Our 2018 reported results include tax benefits related to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We recorded benefits of $7 million or $0.02 per diluted share in the first quarter, $4 million or $0.01 per diluted share in the third quarter, and $17 million or $0.06 per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Special Items (Tables)

Special Items (Tables)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019
Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]
Schedule of Unusual or Infrequent Items, or Both [Table Text Block]	The following is a listing of special items presented on our consolidated statements of operations (in millions): Year Ended December 31, 2019 2018 2017 Special Items Embraer E190 fleet transition costs (1) $ 6 $ 362 $ — Union contract costs (2) 8 73 — Total $ 14 $ 435 $ — (1) In July 2018, we announced our decision to exit the Embraer E190 fleet and order 60 Airbus A220-300 aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier CS300, for expected deliveries beginning in 2020 with the option for 60 additional aircraft. For the year ended December 31, 2018, fleet transition costs include a $319 million impairment charge of flight equipment and other property and equipment related to our fleet review and certain termination costs associated with the transition. We assessed our Embraer E190 asset group by comparing projected undiscounted cash flows over the remaining time period we expect to utilize the aircraft to the book value of the asset group and determined the book value was in excess of the cash flows. We estimated the fair value of our Embraer E190 asset group using third party valuations and considering specific circumstances of our fleet such as aircraft age, maintenance requirements and condition, and therefore classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy. We reassessed our Embraer E190 assets and adjusted the depreciable lives and salvage value to align with our expected transition dates to the Airbus A220-300 through 2025. Fleet transition costs for the year ended December 31, 2019 include certain contract termination costs associated with the transition. (2) In April 2014, ALPA was certified by NMB as the representative body for JetBlue pilots after winning a representation election. We reached a final agreement for our first collective bargaining agreement which was ratified by the pilots in July 2018. The agreement is a four-year renewable contract, which became effective August 1, 2018 and included changes to compensation, benefits, work rules, and other policies. For the year ended December 31, 2018, contract costs include the one-time $50 million ratification bonus and other negotiated contractual provisions related to our pilots' collective bargaining agreement. Union contract costs for the year ended December 31, 2019 include various one-time costs incurred to implement the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement into our IT systems.

Summary of Significant Accoun_4

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Sold, Realized Gain (Loss)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Assets Constructed for Others Recognized Prior to the Adoption of ASC 842 Leases		561
Construction Obligation Recognized Prior to the Adoption of ASC 842 Leases		424
Schedule of AFS and HTM Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	351	236
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale	6	7
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity	21	180
Total investment securities	372	416
High Density Airports, Take-Off and Landing Slots [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	139
Bank Time Deposits [Member]
Schedule of AFS and HTM Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	325	190
Commercial Paper [Member]
Schedule of AFS and HTM Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	20	0
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of AFS and HTM Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale securities	0	39
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity	0	180
Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Schedule of AFS and HTM Securities [Line Items]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity	$ 21	$ 0

Summary of Significant Accoun_5

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2017
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Sold, Realized Gain (Loss)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets				$ 58
JFK Terminal 5 [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Leasehold Improvements, Gross		76
Net Costs For Terminal Construction Project Subject To Underlying Ground Lease		$ 637
Aircraft [Member]
Property and Equipment
Estimated Useful Life	25 years
Residual Value	20.00%
In-flight entertainment systems [Member]
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	0.00%
Aircraft Parts [Member]
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	10.00%
Flight equipment leasehold improvements [Member]
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	0.00%
Ground property and equipment [Member]
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	0.00%
Leasehold improvements-other [Member]
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	0.00%
Buildings on Leased Land Member
Property and Equipment
Residual Value	0.00%
JFK Terminal 5 International [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Net Costs For Terminal Construction Project Subject To Underlying Ground Lease	$ 207
Minimum [Member] | In-flight entertainment systems [Member]
Property and Equipment
Estimated Useful Life	5 years
Minimum [Member] | Ground property and equipment [Member]
Property and Equipment
Estimated Useful Life	2 years
Maximum [Member] | In-flight entertainment systems [Member]
Property and Equipment
Estimated Useful Life	10 years
Maximum [Member] | Ground property and equipment [Member]
Property and Equipment
Estimated Useful Life	10 years

Summary of Significant Accoun_6

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Aircraft Maintenance, Materials, and Repairs	$ 619	$ 625	$ 622
Maintenance service agreements, Minimum	10 years
Maintenance service agreements, Maximum	15 years
Advertising expense	$ 66	72	66
Deferred income taxes	1,251	1,112
Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Capitalized Computer Software, Net	102	96
Amortization expense	52	$ 46	$ 41
Estimated Amortization expense related to computer software, Year one	35
Estimated Amortization expense related to computer software, Year two	26
Estimated Amortization expense related to computer software, Year three	22
Estimated Amortization expense related to computer software, Year four	15
Estimated Amortization expense related to computer software, Year five	4
High Density Airports, Take-Off and Landing Slots [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	$ 139

Summary of Significant Accoun_7

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Held-to-Maturities Securities, Gains (Losses) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Sold, Realized Gain (Loss)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Revenue Recognition (Details)

Revenue Recognition (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenue, Remaining Performance Obligation, Expected Timing of Satisfaction, Period	3 years								3 years
Air Traffic Liability	$ 661				$ 580				$ 661	$ 580	$ 502
Contract with Customer, Liability, Revenue Recognized									878	823
Air Traffic Liability - Passenger Travel	929				892				929	892
Passenger Travel Revenue									7,395	7,061	6,508
Passenger Revenue - Loyalty Air Travel									391	320	253
Other Revenue - Loyalty									201	168	140
Other Revenue - Non Loyalty									107	109	111
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,031	$ 2,086	$ 2,105	$ 1,871	1,968	$ 2,008	$ 1,928	$ 1,754	8,094	7,658	$ 7,012
Air Traffic Liability - Loyalty Program (Air Transportation)	661				580				661	580
Other Deferred Revenue	10				10				10	10
Contract with Customer, Liability	$ 1,600				$ 1,482				1,600	1,482
Increase (Decrease) to Air Traffic Liability - Points Redeemed									(391)	(320)
Increase (Decrease) to Air Traffic Liability - Points Earned									$ 472	$ 398

Long-term Debt, Short-term Bo_4

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings, and Capital Lease Obligations (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)aircraft	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)aircraft	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)	Nov. 12, 2019USD ($)aircraft	Mar. 30, 2014USD ($)aircraft	Apr. 30, 2013USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Pledged Assets Not Separately Reported Flight Equipment	$ 4,300,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months	341,000,000
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	2,245,000,000	$ 1,563,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 2,367,000,000	$ 1,577,000,000
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	4.75%	4.73%
Total debt and capital lease obligations	$ 2,352,000,000	$ 1,680,000,000
Less: current maturities	(344,000,000)	(309,000,000)
Debt Acquisition Cost	(18,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	1,990,000,000	1,361,000,000
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	340,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Three	319,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Four	298,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Five	169,000,000
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five	867,000,000
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	171,000,000	181,000,000
Finance Lease Right Of Use Asset Accumulated Amortization	80,000,000	72,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	35,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	39,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	9,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	9,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	5,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	8,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability	89,000,000	107,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Current	31,000,000	18,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	58,000,000	89,000,000
Interest Paid, Including Capitalized Interest, Operating and Investing Activities	62,000,000	59,000,000	$ 60,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	$ 0
Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 120,000,000
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	4.30%	4.90%
Secured Debt	$ 201,000,000	$ 247,000,000
Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount				$ 772,000,000	$ 226,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				2.75%
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	4.50%	4.50%
Secured Debt	$ 134,000,000	$ 152,000,000
Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2032 [Member]
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	581,000,000	0
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 586,000,000	$ 0
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	2.80%	0.00%
Secured Debt		$ 0		$ 589,000,000
Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2028 [Member]
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	$ 181,000,000	0
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 186,000,000	$ 0
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	3.00%	0.00%
Secured Debt		$ 0		$ 183,000,000
Fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 219,000,000	$ 567,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage				2.95%
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	4.20%	4.70%
Secured Debt	$ 1,113,000,000	$ 1,131,000,000
Fixed rate specialty bonds, due through 2036 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 42,000,000
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	42,000,000	42,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 46,000,000	$ 44,000,000
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Weighted average interest rate	4.90%	4.90%
Secured Debt	$ 43,000,000	$ 43,000,000
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Net Amount						43,000,000
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Premium						$ 1,000,000
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations and the weighted average interest rate
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	4.80%	4.70%
Non Public Debt Floating Rate Equipment Notes Due Through Two Thousand And Twenty Eight [Member]
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	$ 201,000,000	$ 245,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	207,000,000	245,000,000
Non Public Debt Fixed Rate Equipment Notes Due Through Two Thousand Twenty Eight [Member]
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	1,107,000,000	1,125,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	1,201,000,000	1,135,000,000
Non Public Debt Fixed Rate Enhanced Equipment Notes Due Through Two Thousand And Twenty Three [Member]
Long-term Debt, by Type Alternative [Abstract]
Long-term Debt	133,000,000	151,000,000
Long-term Debt, Fair Value	$ 141,000,000	153,000,000
Secured Debt [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Frequency of Periodic Payment	semi-annually
Morgan Stanley [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	$ 200,000,000
Morgan Stanley [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member] | Morgan Stanley [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit	$ 0	0
Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member] | Citibank [Member] | Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Line of Credit	0	$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	$ 550,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member] | Citibank [Member] | Line of Credit [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
A-320-200 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases | aircraft	4	4
A-320-200 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft					14
A-321-200 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases | aircraft	2	2
Aircraft [Domain]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases | aircraft	6
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	$ 250,000,000	$ 253,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	35,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	39,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	9,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	9,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	5,000,000
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	$ 0
A-320 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft		6
A-320 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft	10	14
A-321 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft		1
A-321 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | Fixed rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft	2	10
A-321 [Member] | Fixed rate enhanced equipment notes, due through 2023 [Member]
Maturities of Long-term Debt [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft				25

Long-term Debt, Short-term Bo_5

Long-term Debt, Short-term Borrowings, and Capital Lease Obligations (Details Textual)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)aircraft	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	$ 2,245,000,000	$ 1,563,000,000
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Thereafter	0
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	1,990,000,000	1,361,000,000
Value of aircraft, engines and other equipment and facilities which were pledged as security under various loan agreements	4,300,000,000
Cash payments for interest related to debt and capital lease obligations, net of capitalized interest	62,000,000	59,000,000	$ 60,000,000
Morgan Stanley [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	$ 200,000,000
Morgan Stanley [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
Line of Credit [Member] | Morgan Stanley [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Long-term Line of Credit	$ 0	0
Line of Credit [Member] | Citibank [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Long-term Line of Credit	0	0
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity	$ 550,000,000
Line of Credit [Member] | Citibank [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility and Letter of Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
Aircraft [Domain]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Thereafter	$ 0
Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Secured Debt	$ 201,000,000	247,000,000
Face value of convertible debt issued		$ 120,000,000
Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis	LIBOR, plus a margin
Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member] | A-321 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft		1
Floating rate equipment notes due through 2028 [Member] | A-320 [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]
Capital Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due [Abstract]
Number of New Aircraft Held As Security | aircraft		6

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) - aircraft	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Future minimum lease payments under non cancelable operating leases
Number Of Aircraft Variable Rate Rent	0
Number Of Aircraft Having Purchase Options	41
A-320-200 [Member]
Future minimum lease payments under non cancelable operating leases
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases	4	4
A-321-200 [Member]
Future minimum lease payments under non cancelable operating leases
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases	2	2
Aircraft [Domain]
Future minimum lease payments under non cancelable operating leases
Property Subject to or Available for Operating Lease, Number of Units	41
Finance Lease, Number of Aircraft Leases	6
Number of Aircraft Operated at Period End	259

Leases (Details Textual)

Leases (Details Textual)	Dec. 31, 2019aircraft
Operating Leases (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of aircraft variable rate rent	0
Number of aircraft having purchase options	41
Aircraft [Domain]
Operating Leases (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of aircraft leased	41
Number of Aircraft Operated at Period End	259

Leases Lease (Details)

Leases Lease (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Remainder of Fiscal Year	$ 128
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Next Twelve Months	35
Operating Lease, Payments	136	$ 151	$ 150
Operating Lease, Cost	180	185	180
Lessee, Finance and Operating Lease, Lease Not Yet Commenced, Amount	$ 0
Aircraft Leases, Minimum Remaining Lease Term	1 month
Aircraft Leases, Maximum Remaining Lease Term	6 years
Operating Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	$ 912	1,056
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	171	181
Lease, Right-of-Use Asset	1,083	1,237
Operating Lease, Liability, Current	(128)	(133)
Finance Lease, Liability, Current	31	18
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	690	798
Finance Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	58	89
Lease, Liability	$ 907	$ 1,038
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	11 years	11 years
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Remaining Lease Term	3 years	4 years
Operating Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	5.95%	5.95%
Finance Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent	4.75%	4.73%
Facility Leases, Minimum Lease Term Remaining	8 months
Facility Leases, Maximum Lease Term Remaining	15 years
Short-term Lease, Cost	$ 2	$ 2	2
Finance Lease, Right-of-Use Asset, Amortization	9	10	10
Finance Lease, Interest Expense	3	3	4
Variable Lease, Cost	391	379	358
Sublease Income	(19)	(15)	(14)
Lease, Cost	566	564	540
Finance Lease, Interest Payment on Liability	5	5	6
Finance Lease, Principal Payments	17	17	$ 16
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	122
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Two	39
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	114
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Three	9
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	104
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Four	9
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	95
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due Year Five	5
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	565
Finance Lease, Liability, Payments, Due after Year Five	0
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Payments, Due	1,128
Finance Lease, Liability, Payment, Due	97
Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	(310)
Finance Lease, Liability, Undiscounted Excess Amount	8
Operating Lease, Liability	818
Finance Lease, Liability	$ 89	$ 107

JFK Terminal 5 (Details)

JFK Terminal 5 (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)aft²airport_gate	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
JFK Terminal 5 (Textual) [Abstract]
Responsible for construction under facility lease agreement of 26-gate terminal | ft²	635,000
Number of Gates in a Terminal | airport_gate	26
Number of International Arrival Gates, New Gates and Gates Converted from T5 | airport_gate	6
Number of International Arrival Gates, New Gates | airport_gate	3
Number of International Arrival Gates, Gates Converted from T5 | airport_gate	3
Lease agreement extension, additional area of property | a	19
Assets Constructed for Others Recognized Prior to the Adoption of ASC 842 Leases		$ 561
Construction Obligation Recognized Prior to the Adoption of ASC 842 Leases		424
JFK Terminal 5 [Member]
JFK Terminal 5 (Textual) [Abstract]
Total costs incurred for the elements of the project subject to underlying ground lease		637
Leasehold improvements included in ground property and equipment		$ 76
JFK Terminal 5 International [Member]
JFK Terminal 5 (Textual) [Abstract]
Total costs incurred for the elements of the project subject to underlying ground lease	$ 207

Stockholders' Equity (Details)

Stockholders' Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			36 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 19, 2019	Dec. 08, 2017	Dec. 07, 2016	Sep. 10, 2015
Stock repurchase program, period in force												3 years
Net income (1)	$ 161	$ 187	$ 179	$ 42	$ 170	$ 50	$ (121)	$ 90	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount													$ 800	$ 750	$ 500	$ 250
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock									$ 535	$ 375	$ 380
Common Stock reserved for issuance	18,300,000								18,300,000			18,300,000
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired									28,100,000	19,100,000	18,700,000
Treasury Stock, Shares	144,600,000				116,000,000				144,600,000	116,000,000		144,600,000
Accelerated Share Repurchases, Final Price Paid Per Share									$ 19.02	$ 19.60	$ 20.36

Earnings Per Share (Details)

Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Numerator:
Net income (1)	$ 161	$ 187	$ 179	$ 42	$ 170	$ 50	$ (121)	$ 90	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
Denominator:
Weighted average basic shares									296.6	312.9	328.7
Effect of dilutive securities									1.8	1.6	1.7
Weight average diluted shares									298.4	314.5	330.4
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
New Accounting Pronouncement, Impact on Net Income										$ 1	$ 15
New Accounting Pronouncement, Impact on Diluted Earnings Per Share										$ 0	$ 0.04
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired									28.1	19.1	18.7
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock									$ 535	$ 375	$ 380
Shares excluded from EPS calculation (in millions):
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.56	$ 0.63	$ 0.60	$ 0.14	$ 0.55	$ 0.16	$ (0.39)	$ 0.28	$ 1.92	$ 0.60	$ 3.47
Diluted earnings per share(1)(2)	$ 0.56	$ 0.63	$ 0.59	$ 0.14	$ 0.55	$ 0.16	$ (0.39)	$ 0.28	$ 1.91	$ 0.60	$ 3.45

Earnings Per Share Share Repurc

Earnings Per Share Share Repurchases (Details) - shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Treasury Stock, Shares, Acquired	28,100,000	19,100,000	18,700,000
Treasury Stock, Shares	144,600,000	116,000,000

Share-Based Compensation (Detai

Share-Based Compensation (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	May 21, 2015	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Amount		$ 8	$ 5	$ 3
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount		$ 25.3
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition		2 years
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense		$ 31	$ 28	$ 29
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	7.5
Period For Shares Issuance Following Departure Of Director		six months and one day
Period For Successive Overlapping		6 months
Percentage Of Voting Interests To Be Acquired For Business Combination Minimum		50.00%
Exercise Price Of Purchasing Rights As Percentage Of Fair Market Value In Case Of Acquisition		85.00%
Incentive Compensation Plan Two Thousand Eleven [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized					15
Restricted Stock Unit Activity Under 2011 Plan [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Nonvested shares, beginning balance		1.7
Restricted stock unit activity granted, shares		1.3
Restricted stock unit activity granted, weighted average grant date fair value		$ 17.27	$ 20.62	$ 19.76
Restricted stock unit activity vested, shares		(0.9)
Restricted stock unit activity vested, weighted average grant date fair value		$ 20.29
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Forfeited in Period		(0.1)
Restricted stock unit activity forfeited, weighted average grant date fair value		$ 18.99
Nonvested shares, ending balance		2	1.7
Nonvested, weighted average grant date fair value, ending balance		$ 18.59	$ 20.59
Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan 2011 [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized						8
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Maximum Employee Subscription Rate		10.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Discount from Market Price, Purchase Date		15.00%
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), Expense		$ 9	$ 9	$ 8
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans		3.2	3.2	2.5
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Per Share Weighted Average Price of Shares Purchased		$ 16.06	$ 15.21	$ 17.46
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Vested		$ 15	$ 16	$ 20
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Nonvested shares, ending balance		2.5
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Restricted Stock Unit Activity Under 2011 Plan [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period		3 years
Deferred Stock Units (DSU's) [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Restricted Stock Units Vesting Period Minimum		1 year
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Restricted Stock Units Vesting Period Maximum		3 years
Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan 2011 [Member]
Summary of restricted stock unit activity
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	15

Share-Based Compensation (Det_2

Share-Based Compensation (Details 2) - $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Restricted Stock Unit Activity Under 2011 Plan [Member]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value	$ 18.59	$ 20.59

Share-Based Compensation (Det_3

Share-Based Compensation (Details 3) shares in Millions	May 21, 2015shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	7.5

Share-Based Compensation (Det_4

Share-Based Compensation (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	May 21, 2015	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jan. 01, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount		$ 25.3
Number of years expected to recognize stock-based compensation		2 years
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Expense		$ 31	$ 28	$ 29
Shares issued following the Director's departure from the Board		six months and one day
Outstanding voting securities		50.00%
Exercise price of purchasing rights as percentage of fair market value per share in case of acquisition		85.00%
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	7.5
CSPP Offering Period		6 months
Incentive Compensation Plan 2011 [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized					15
Restricted Stock Unit Activity Under 2011 Plan [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options		2	1.7
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		$ 17.27	$ 20.62	$ 19.76
Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan 2011 [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized						8
Employees contribution towards purchase of common stock		10.00%
Purchase price discount based upon the stock price		15.00%
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), Expense		$ 9	$ 9	$ 8
Common stock purchased		3.2	3.2	2.5
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Per Share Weighted Average Price of Shares Purchased		$ 16.06	$ 15.21	$ 17.46
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Vested		$ 15	$ 16	$ 20
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Share-based Awards Other than Options		2.5
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Restricted Stock Unit Activity Under 2011 Plan [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period		3 years
Deferred Stock Units (DSU's) [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Minimum Vesting Period		1 year
Maximum Vesting Period		3 years
Crewmember Stock Purchase Plan 2011 [Member]
Share-Based Compensation (Textual) [Abstract]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Additional Shares Authorized	15

Income Taxes (Details)

Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate				$ 15
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount				10
Tax Credit Carryforward, Limitations on Use				3
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	$ 106			$ 127	$ 106
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent				35.00%
Statutory Tax Rate After 2017 Reform				21.00%
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Incomplete Accounting, Provisional Income Tax Expense (Benefit)						$ (551)
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Foreign	32			$ 42	32
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate, Amount				0	(28)	(564)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(17)	$ (4)	$ (7)		(28)	(564)
Deferred:
Federal				119	82	(356)
State				20	7	24
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit)				0	1	23
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)				139	90	(309)
Current Federal Tax Expense (Benefit)				36	(61)	94
Current State and Local Tax Expense (Benefit)				19	(5)	18
Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit)				5	6	(25)
Current income tax expense (benefit)				60	(60)	87
Total income tax expense (benefit)				199	30	(222)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Amount				8	5	3
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential, Amount				(3)	(2)	$ (7)
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Benefits	35			47	35
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	28			31	28
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Lease Liabilities	241			212	241
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Deferred Rent	20			17	20
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	462			476	462
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	(21)			(31)	(21)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	441			445	441
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment	(1,270)			(1,423)	(1,270)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Leasing Arrangements	266			236	266
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other	(17)			(37)	(17)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross	1,553			1,696	1,553
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net	$ 1,112			$ 1,251	$ 1,112

Income Taxes (Details 1)

Income Taxes (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Schedule of income taxes differed from the federal income tax statutory rate
Income tax expense at statutory rate	$ 161	$ 45	$ 322
Increase resulting from:
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes, Amount	31	8	28
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	(10)
Other, net	$ 2	$ 2	$ (4)

Income Taxes (Details 2)

Income Taxes (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Deferred tax assets:
Employee benefits	$ 47	$ 35
Terminal 5 lease	127	106
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	476	462
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	31	21
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	445	441
Deferred tax liabilities:
Accelerated depreciation	(1,423)	(1,270)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross	(1,696)	(1,553)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net	(1,251)	(1,112)
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	31	28
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Foreign	42	32
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Deferred Rent	$ 17	$ 20

Income Taxes (Details Textual)

Income Taxes (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Unrecognized Tax Benefits	$ 36	$ 33	$ 31	$ 26
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross	(1,696)	(1,553)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment	(1,423)	(1,270)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	445	441
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	31	21
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Benefits	47	35
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Increase (Decrease), Amount	(10)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net	(1,251)	(1,112)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes, Amount	31	8	28
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Other Reconciling Items, Amount	2	2	(4)
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Deferred Rent	17	20
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	127	106
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increase Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions	0	0	2
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increase Resulting from Current Period Tax Positions	6	5	6
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions	(3)	(3)	(3)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Amount	161	45	$ 322
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	1,251	$ 1,112
Unrecognized tax benefits would impact on effective tax rate	$ 15

Employee Retirement Plan (Detai

Employee Retirement Plan (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Profit Sharing Calculation Trigger, Pretax Margin	18.00%
Percentage of Eligible Pre-tax Profits the Company Contributes to Profit Sharing when Pre-tax Margin is above 18%	20.00%
Percentage of Eligible Pre-tax Profits the Company Contributes to Profit Sharing until the Pre-tax Margin is 18%	10.00%
Employee retirement plan (Textual) [Abstract]
Percentage of compensation in cash	100.00%
Percentage of employees' pay	5.00%
Years of service	3 years
Percentage of employee's pay for profit sharing match	5.00%
Period of discretionary contribution	3 years
Percentage of FAA licensed employees gross pay for which ER can contribute discretionary profit sharing contribution to plan	3.00%
Percentage of Company Contribution to Pilots Retirement Program	15.00%
Pilots Retirement Vesting Period	3 years
Defined Contribution Plan, Cost	$ 196	$ 172	$ 182

Commitments (Details)

Commitments (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)aircraft	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use	$ 0	$ 319	$ 0
Purchase Obligation, Due in Next Twelve Months	1,100
Purchase Obligation, Due in Second Year	1,500
Purchase Obligation, Due in Third Year	1,300
Purchase Obligation, Due in Fourth Year	1,700
Purchase Obligation, Due in Fifth Year	1,600
Other Commitment, Due in Fifth Year	$ 600
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation, Aircraft Purchase Deliver Change	414
Commitments (Textual) [Abstract]
Restricted assets pledged related to workers compensation insurance policies and other business partner agreements	$ 34
Ratification Bonus		$ 50
Percentage Of Employees Represented By Unions Under Collective Bargaining Agreements	47.00%
Employment agreement	5 years
Employment Agreement Automatic Renewal Term	5 years
Renewal notice period	90 days
A220-300 [Member]
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Number of aircraft and spare engine orders by the firm | aircraft	70
A-321 Neo [Member]
Unrecorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]
Number of aircraft and spare engine orders by the firm | aircraft	79
Number Of Aircraft Scheduled To Receive Next Year | aircraft	14
Number of Aircraft Expected to be Delivered within Twelve Months | aircraft	11

Contingencies (Details)

Contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)
Contingencies (Textual) [Abstract]
Maximum period of limit for loan repayment	15 years
Maximum period of limit for repayment regarding leases with foreign lenders	20 years
Maximum period of contract range of specified parties related to legal liability	25 years
Asset retirement obligations, noncurrent	$ 5

Financial Derivative Instrume_3

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management (Details) bbl in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)bbl	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)bbl	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Derivative [Line Items]
Percentage Fuel Hedged - First Quarter Second Year	20.00%
Percentage fuel covered under derivative contracts
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Second Quarter Second Year	19.00%
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Third Quarter Second Year	0.00%
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Fourth Quarter Second Year	0.00%
Fuel derivatives [Member]
Percentage fuel covered under derivative contracts
Longest remaining term (months)	6 months	6 months
Derivative, Nonmonetary Notional Amount | bbl	2,112	756
Price Risk Cash Flow Hedge Unrealized Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified During Next 12 Months	$ 2	$ 4
Percentage of actual consumption hedged	6.00%	4.00%	10.00%
Derivative, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash	$ 0	$ 0
Fuel [Member] | Jet Fuel Call Option Spread Agreements [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Percentage Fuel Hedged - First Quarter Second Year	20.00%
Percentage fuel covered under derivative contracts
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Second Quarter Second Year	19.00%
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Third Quarter Second Year	0.00%
Percentage Fuel Hedged - Fourth Quarter Second Year	0.00%
Aircraft Fuel Expense [Member] | Fuel derivatives [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net	$ 5	2	$ (15)
Comprehensive Income [Member] | Fuel derivatives [Member]
Percentage fuel covered under derivative contracts
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivatives Arising During Period, before Tax	(1)	6	$ 6
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Member] | Fuel derivatives [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset	$ 8	$ 0

Financial Derivative Instrume_4

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management (Details 1) - Fuel derivatives [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Derivative instrument in statement of financial position
Longest remaining term (months)	6 months	6 months
Estimated amount of existing (gains) losses expected to be reclassified into earnings in the next 12 months	$ (2)	$ (4)

Financial Derivative Instrume_5

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management (Details 2) - Fuel derivatives [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Longest remaining term (months)	6 months	6 months
Derivative, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash	$ 0	$ 0
Aircraft fuel expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Hedge effectiveness (gains) losses recognized in aircraft fuel expense	(5)	(2)	$ 15
Comprehensive Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Hedge (gains) losses on derivatives recognized in comprehensive income	$ 1	$ (6)	$ (6)

Financial Derivative Instrume_6

Financial Derivative Instruments and Risk Management (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Fuel derivatives [Member]
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Collateral, Right to Reclaim Cash	$ 0	$ 0

Fair Value (Details)

Fair Value (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss), before Tax	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Assets
Available-for-sale investment securities	351,000,000	236,000,000
Recurring [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	641,000,000	198,000,000
Available-for-sale investment securities	351,000,000	236,000,000
Aircraft fuel derivatives	8,000,000	0
Recurring [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	611,000,000	198,000,000
Available-for-sale investment securities	0	39,000,000
Aircraft fuel derivatives	0	0
Recurring [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	30,000,000	0
Available-for-sale investment securities	351,000,000	197,000,000
Aircraft fuel derivatives	8,000,000	0
Recurring [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Available-for-sale investment securities	0	0
Aircraft fuel derivatives	$ 0	$ 0

Fair Value (Details Textual)

Fair Value (Details Textual) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Cash Equivalent Maturity Period Description	90 days or less
Available-for-sale Securities, Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain (Loss), before Tax	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Comprehensive Income (Loss) (De

Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes
Accumulated gains (losses), beginning balance	$ (3)	$ 0	$ 13
Reclassifications into earnings	4	1	(9)
Reclassification into earnings, Tax	1	0	(6)
Change in fair value	(1)	4	4
Change in fair value, Tax	0	(2)	(2)
Accumulated gains (losses), ending balance	2	(3)	0
Aircraft Fuel Derivatives [Member]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes
Accumulated gains (losses), beginning balance	(3)	0	13
Reclassifications into earnings	4	1	(9)
Change in fair value	(1)	4	4
Accumulated gains (losses), ending balance	$ 2	$ (3)	$ 0

Geographic Information (Details

Geographic Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)destination	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)destination	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Summarization of operating revenues by geographic regions
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax | $	$ 2,031	$ 2,086	$ 2,105	$ 1,871	$ 1,968	$ 2,008	$ 1,928	$ 1,754	$ 8,094	$ 7,658	$ 7,012
Domestic [Member]
Summarization of operating revenues by geographic regions
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax | $									5,633	5,386	4,999
Latin America [Member]
Summarization of operating revenues by geographic regions
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax | $									$ 2,461	$ 2,272	$ 2,013
Latin America Destination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Destinations | destination	31								31
PUERTO RICO
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Destinations | destination	3								3
U.S Virgin Islands [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Destinations | destination	1								1

Geographic Information (Detai_2

Geographic Information (Details Textual)	Dec. 31, 2019destination
Latin America Destination [Member]
Geographic Information (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of destinations	31
Puerto Rico [Member]
Geographic Information (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of destinations	3
U.S Virgin Islands [Member]
Geographic Information (Textual) [Abstract]
Number of destinations	1

Quarterly Financial Data (Una_3

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Gain on Equity Method Investments Impact		$ (0.04)
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use									$ 0	$ 319	$ 0
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,031	$ 2,086	$ 2,105	$ 1,871	$ 1,968	$ 2,008	$ 1,928	$ 1,754	8,094	7,658	7,012
Operating income(1)(2)	227	247	250	76	216	78	(152)	125	800	266	973
Net income (1)	$ 161	$ 187	$ 179	$ 42	$ 170	$ 50	$ (121)	$ 90	$ 569	$ 189	$ 1,140
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.56	$ 0.63	$ 0.60	$ 0.14	$ 0.55	$ 0.16	$ (0.39)	$ 0.28	$ 1.92	$ 0.60	$ 3.47
Diluted earnings per share(1)(2)	$ 0.56	$ 0.63	$ 0.59	$ 0.14	$ 0.55	$ 0.16	$ (0.39)	$ 0.28	$ 1.91	$ 0.60	$ 3.45
Special Items			$ 2	$ 12	$ 4	$ 112	$ 319		$ 14	$ 435	$ 0
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Special Items Impact			$ (0.01)	$ (0.02)	$ (0.01)	$ (0.27)	$ (0.76)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Income Tax Expense (Benefit)					$ (17)	$ (4)		$ (7)		$ (28)	$ (564)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Pro Forma Adjustment					$ 0.06	$ 0.01		$ 0.02

Quarterly Financial Data (Una_4

Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details Textual 2) - $ / shares	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Pro Forma Adjustment	$ 0.06	$ 0.01	$ 0.02

Special Items (Details)

Special Items (Details)	3 Months Ended					12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017USD ($)
Unusual or Infrequent Item, or Both [Line Items]
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-for-use						$ 0	$ 319,000,000	$ 0
Special Items - E190 Fleet Transition						6,000,000	362,000,000	0
Special Items - Union Contract Costs						8,000,000	73,000,000	0
Special Items	$ 2,000,000	$ 12,000,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 112,000,000	$ 319,000,000	$ 14,000,000	$ 435,000,000	$ 0
Number of options converted A220							10

Valuation and Qualifying Acco_2

Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current	$ 1
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Balance at beginning of period	40	$ 16	$ 17
Additions Charged to Costs and Expenses	14	26	3
Deductions	0	2	4
Balance at end of period	54	40	16
Allowance for doubtful accounts [Member]
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Current		1
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Balance at beginning of period	1	1	5
Additions Charged to Costs and Expenses	0	2	0
Deductions	0	2	4
Balance at end of period	1	1	1
Allowance for obsolete inventory parts [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Balance at beginning of period	18	14	12
Additions Charged to Costs and Expenses	4	4	2
Deductions	0	0	0
Balance at end of period	22	18	14
Valuation allowance for deferred tax assets [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Balance at beginning of period	21	1	0
Additions Charged to Costs and Expenses	10	20	1
Deductions	0	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 31	$ 21	$ 1

Uncategorized Items - a201910-k

Label	Element	Value
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsRestrictedCashAndRestrictedCashEquivalents	$ 495,000,000