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2309301 - Disclosure - EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)
(http://www.alaskaair.com/role/EmployeeBenefitPlansTables)
TableDefined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table]
Slicers (applies to each fact value in each table cell)
Reporting Entity [Axis]0000766421 (http://www.sec.gov/CIK)
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans [Axis]Qualified Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]Period [Axis]
2016-01-01 - 2016-12-31
Schedule of Assumptions Used [Table Text Block]
Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations:
 
2016
 
2015
Discount rates (a)
4.29% to 4.50%
 
4.55% to 4.69%
Rate of compensation increases(a)
2.12% to 2.59%
 
2.06% to 2.65%
(a) 
Varies by plan and related work group.

Weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost:
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Discount rates(a)
4.55% to 4.69%
 
4.20%
 
4.85%
Expected return on plan assets(a)
6.00% to 6.50%
 
6.50%
 
6.75%
Rate of compensation increases(a)
2.06% to 2.65%
 
2.85% to 3.91%
 
2.90% to 3.93%
(a) 
Varies by plan and related work group.
  
Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]
The target and actual asset allocation of the funds in the qualified defined-benefit plans, by asset category, are as follows: 
 
Target
 
2016
 
2015
Asset category:
 
 
 
 
 
Domestic equity securities
22% - 33%
 
30
%
 
28
%
Non-U.S. equity securities
9% - 16%
 
12
%
 
12
%
Fixed income securities
48% - 67%
 
53
%
 
55
%
Real estate
0% - 8%
 
5
%
 
5
%
Plan assets
 
 
100
%
 
100
%
Plan asset by fund category (in millions):
 
2016
 
2015
 
Fair Value Hierarchy
Fund type:
 
 
 
 
 
U.S. equity market fund
$
545

 
$
491

 
1
Non-U.S. equity fund
218

 
208

 
1
Credit bond index fund
992

 
953

 
1
Plan assets in common commingled trusts
$
1,755

 
$
1,652

 
 
Real estate
91


85

 
(a) 
Total plan assets
$
1,846


$
1,737

 
 
  
Schedule of Net Funded Status [Table Text Block]
The following table sets forth the status of the qualified defined-benefit pension plans (in millions):
 
2016
 
2015
Projected benefit obligation ("PBO")
 
 
 
Beginning of year
$
1,898

 
$
2,050

Service cost
37

 
41

Interest cost
73

 
84

Plan settlement
—

 
(62
)
Actuarial (gain) loss
104

 
(140
)
Benefits paid
(69
)
 
(75
)
End of year
$
2,043

 
$
1,898

 
 
 
 
Plan assets at fair value
 

 
 

Beginning of year
$
1,737

 
$
1,917

Actual return on plan assets
178

 
(43
)
Employer contributions
—

 
—

Plan settlement
—

 
(62
)
Benefits paid
(69
)
 
(75
)
End of year
$
1,846

 
$
1,737

Funded status (unfunded)
$
(197
)
 
$
(161
)
 
 
 
 
Percent funded
90
%
 
92
%
  
Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Table Text Block]
The amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets (in millions): 
 
2016
 
2015
Accrued benefit liability-long term
$
225

 
$
173

Plan assets-long term (within Other noncurrent assets)
(28
)
 
(12
)
Total liability recognized
$
197

 
$
161

 
The amounts not yet reflected in net periodic benefit cost and included in AOCL (in millions):
 
2016
 
2015
Prior service credit
$
(10
)
 
$
(11
)
Net loss
509

 
499

Amount recognized in AOCL (pretax)
$
499

 
$
488

  
Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]
Net pension expense for the qualified defined-benefit plans included the following components (in millions): 
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Service cost
$
37

 
$
41

 
$
33

Interest cost
73

 
84

 
81

Expected return on assets
(108
)
 
(122
)
 
(117
)
Amortization of prior service credit
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Recognized actuarial loss
25

 
26

 
13

Settlement expense (special item)
—

 
14

 
—

Net pension expense
$
26

 
$
42

 
$
9

  
Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments [Table Text Block]
Future benefits expected to be paid over the next ten years under the qualified defined-benefit pension plans from the assets of those plans (in millions): 
 
Total
2017
$
85

2018
93

2019
96

2020
109

2021
109

2022– 2026
652