Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	$ 195	$ 142
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	5	(31)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	(3)	1
Pension and postretirement benefits	(12)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(10)	(30)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	185	112
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	186	112
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	196	142
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	5	(31)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	(3)	1
Pension and postretirement benefits	(12)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(10)	(30)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	186	112
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	186	112
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	195	141
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	5	(31)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	(3)	1
Pension and postretirement benefits	(12)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(10)	(30)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	185	111
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	185	111
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	193	166
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	16	5
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	0	0
Pension and postretirement benefits	(12)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	4	5
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	197	171
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	197	171
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	74	26
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(16)	5
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	0	0
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(16)	5
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	58	31
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	59	31
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	(463)	(333)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(5)	21
Gain (loss) on interest rate swaps	3	(1)
Pension and postretirement benefits	24	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	22	20
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(441)	(313)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (441)	$ (313)