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Fair Value Measurements (Fair value of financial instruments) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Level 1 | Carrying Amount    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
Senior and senior subordinated notes $ 7,861us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisSubordinatedDebtObligations
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/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 $ 6,063us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisSubordinatedDebtObligations
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Level 1 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
Senior and senior subordinated notes 8,233us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisSubordinatedDebtObligations
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 6,390us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisSubordinatedDebtObligations
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= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Level 2 | Carrying Amount    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
4 percent Convertible Senior Notes 7us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
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/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1] 32us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
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= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1]
Level 2 | Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
4 percent Convertible Senior Notes 7us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
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= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1] 33us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
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= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
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= us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember		 [1]
Convertible subordinated notes—4 percent    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
Effective interest rate 6.90%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= uri_ConvertibleNotes4PercentMember		  
Debt instrument, convertible, if-converted value $ 62uri_DebtInstrumentConvertibleValueifConverted
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= uri_ConvertibleNotes4PercentMember		  
Convertible senior notes | Convertible subordinated notes—4 percent    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions    
Stated interest rate 4.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
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= uri_ConvertibleNotes4PercentMember
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= us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtMember		  
[1] The fair value of the 4 percent Convertible Senior Notes is based on the market value of comparable notes. Consistent with the carrying amount, the fair value excludes the equity component of the notes. To exclude the equity component and calculate the fair value, we used an effective interest rate of 6.9 percent. As discussed below (see Item 3- Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk), the total cost to settle the notes based on the closing price of our common stock on March 31, 2015 would be $62.