Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FivePointThreeSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FivePointFiveZeroPercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FivePointSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FourPointThreeSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_ThreePointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FourPointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FivePointEightSevenFivePercentSeniorNotes2018Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_FourPointSixTwoFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=nflx_SixPointThreeSevenFivePercentSeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-term Debt - Summary of Long-term Debt (Details) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019 EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 10,392
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par \| €	€ 2,400,000,000
Senior Notes \| 5.375% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		500
Fair value		$ 521	$ 509
Interest rate	5.375%	5.375%
Senior Notes \| 5.50% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 700
Fair value		$ 736	706
Interest rate	5.50%	5.50%
Senior Notes \| 5.750% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 400
Fair value		$ 429	407
Interest rate	5.75%	5.75%
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 800
Fair value		$ 867	812
Interest rate	5.875%	5.875%
Senior Notes \| 4.375% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 1,000
Fair value		$ 982	915
Interest rate	4.375%	4.375%
Senior Notes \| 3.625% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par	€ 1,300,000,000	$ 1,458
Fair value		$ 1,512	1,446
Interest rate	3.625%	3.625%
Senior Notes \| 4.875% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 1,600
Fair value		$ 1,586	1,464
Interest rate	4.875%	4.875%
Senior Notes \| 5.875% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 1,900
Fair value		$ 2,010	1,851
Interest rate	5.875%	5.875%
Senior Notes \| 4.625% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par	€ 1,100,000,000	$ 1,234
Fair value		$ 1,320	1,241
Interest rate	4.625%	4.625%
Senior Notes \| 6.375% Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount at par		$ 800
Fair value		$ 868	$ 797
Interest rate	6.375%	6.375%