Debt - Additional Information (Details)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($) extension	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total face value of long-term debt	$ 51,762,000,000	$ 33,174,000,000
Commercial Paper
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commercial paper, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 10,000,000,000.0
Commercial paper, term (will not exceed)	397 days
Commercial paper	$ 725,000,000	$ 725,000,000
Commercial paper, weighted average effective interest rate	0.08%	0.11%
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total face value of long-term debt	$ 50,700,000,000
Estimated fair value of notes	54,600,000,000	$ 37,700,000,000
Other long-term debt and credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total face value of long-term debt	1,000,000,000.0	924,000,000
Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total face value of long-term debt	503,000,000	338,000,000
Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility \| October 2016 Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	$ 740,000,000
Commitment fee percentage	0.50%
Borrowings outstanding	$ 503,000,000	$ 338,000,000
Weighted average interest rate	2.90%	3.00%
Collateral amount	$ 580,000,000	$ 398,000,000
Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility \| October 2016 Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.40%
Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility \| April 2018 Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit facility maximum borrowing capacity	$ 7,000,000,000.0
Commitment fee percentage	0.04%
Borrowings outstanding	$ 0	0
Number of term extensions \| extension	3
Additional term	1 year
Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility \| April 2018 Revolving Credit Facility \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	0.50%
Credit Facility \| Letter of Credit \| April 2018 Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused letters of credit	$ 5,800,000,000
Other long-term debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total face value of long-term debt	$ 509,000,000	$ 586,000,000
Weighted average interest rate	2.90%	2.90%

Commercial Paper, Maximum Borrowing Capacity

No definition available.

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- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Additional Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line Of Credit Facility, Number Of Extensions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	amzn_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of short-term borrowings using unsecured obligations issued by banks, corporations and other borrowers to investors. The maturities of these money market securities generally do not exceed 270 days.

+ References

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of assets pledged to secure a debt instrument.

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of long-term debt outstanding calculated at point in time.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of short-term debt outstanding calculated at point in time.

+ References

+ Details

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- Details

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