Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Total XPO Stockholders' Equity	Non-controlling Interests	Series A Preferred Stock Preferred Stock
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		115,683						72
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 3,970	$ 0	$ 3,311	$ 377	$ (154)	$ 3,575	$ 395	$ 41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	333			312		312	21
Other comprehensive loss	(68)				(51)	(51)	(17)
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards (in shares)		423
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards	0
Tax withholdings related to vesting of stock compensation awards	(11)		(11)			(11)
Retirement of common stock (in shares)		(23,932)
Retirement of common stock	(1,275)		(1,275)			(1,275)
Dividend declared	(6)			(2)		(2)	(4)
Stock compensation expense	27		27			27
Adoption of new accounting standard and other (in shares)		60
Adoption of new accounting standard and other	(5)		4	(7)		(3)	(2)
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		92,234						72
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019	2,965	$ 0	2,056	680	(205)	2,572	393	$ 41
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		91,992						72
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2019	2,912	$ 0	2,054	563	(153)	2,505	407	$ 41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	136			130		130	6
Other comprehensive loss	(67)				(52)	(52)	(15)
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards (in shares)		242
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards	0
Tax withholdings related to vesting of stock compensation awards	(7)		(7)			(7)
Dividend declared	(4)			(1)		(1)	(3)
Stock compensation expense	8		8			8
Adoption of new accounting standard and other	(13)		1	(12)		(11)	(2)
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		92,234						72
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2019	2,965	$ 0	2,056	680	(205)	2,572	393	$ 41
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		92,342						72
Balance at beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	2,896	$ 0	2,061	786	(145)	2,743	153	$ 41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(11)			(15)		(15)	4
Other comprehensive loss	19				16	16	3
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards (in shares)		672
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards	0
Tax withholdings related to vesting of stock compensation awards	(21)		(21)			(21)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(21)		(1)			(1)	(20)
Retirement of common stock (in shares)		(1,715)
Retirement of common stock	(114)		(114)			(114)
Dividend declared	(6)			(2)		(2)	(4)
Stock compensation expense	42		42			42
Adoption of new accounting standard and other (in shares)		62
Adoption of new accounting standard and other	1		4	(3)		1
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		91,361						72
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	2,785	$ 0	1,971	766	(129)	2,649	136	$ 41
Balance at beginning of period (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		91,322						72
Balance at beginning of period at Jun. 30, 2020	2,634	$ 0	1,963	672	(192)	2,484	150	$ 41
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	98			93		93	5
Other comprehensive loss	68				63	63	5
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards (in shares)		39
Exercise and vesting of stock compensation awards	0
Tax withholdings related to vesting of stock compensation awards	(3)		(3)			(3)
Purchase of noncontrolling interests	(21)		(1)			(1)	(20)
Dividend declared	(4)						(4)
Stock compensation expense	10		10			10
Adoption of new accounting standard and other	3		2	1		3
Balance at end of period (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020		91,361						72
Balance at end of period at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 2,785	$ 0	$ 1,971	$ 766	$ (129)	$ 2,649	$ 136	$ 41