Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 2,725,867,000	$ 2,443,776,000	$ 2,152,766,000
Costs and operating expenses:
Cost of revenues	1,291,506,000	1,197,885,000	1,064,403,000
Sales and marketing	332,012,000	296,103,000	246,623,000
General and administrative	493,284,000	438,016,000	374,790,000
Restructuring reversals	0	0	(4,837,000)
Acquisition costs	41,723,000	2,506,000	10,855,000
Total costs and operating expenses	2,158,525,000	1,934,510,000	1,691,834,000
Income from operations	567,342,000	509,266,000	460,932,000
Interest income	3,581,000	2,891,000	3,387,000
Interest expense	(299,055,000)	(270,553,000)	(248,792,000)
Other income (expense)	(60,581,000)	119,000	5,253,000
Loss on debt extinguishment	(289,000)	(156,990,000)	(108,501,000)
Income from operations before income taxes	210,998,000	84,733,000	112,279,000
Income tax expense	(23,224,000)	(345,459,000)	(16,156,000)
Net income (loss)	187,774,000	(260,726,000)	96,123,000
Net (income) loss attributable to redeemable non-controlling interests	0	1,179,000	(1,438,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to Equinix	$ 187,774,000	$ (259,547,000)	$ 94,685,000
Earnings per share (EPS) attributable to Equinix:
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 3.25	$ (4.96)	$ 1.92
Weighted-average shares	57,790	52,359	49,438
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 3.21	$ (4.96)	$ 1.89
Weighted-average shares	58,483	52,359	50,116