Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	$ 252	$ 172	$ 705	$ 447
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	1	0	1
Foreign currency translation	(124)	42	(141)	37
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	(5)	1	(11)	4
Pension and postretirement benefits	(8)	0	(34)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(137)	44	(186)	42
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	115	216	519	489
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0	3	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	116	216	522	489
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	253	172	708	447
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	1	0	1
Foreign currency translation	(124)	42	(141)	37
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	(5)	1	(11)	4
Pension and postretirement benefits	(8)	0	(34)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(137)	44	(186)	42
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	116	216	522	489
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	116	216	522	489
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	252	172	706	443
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	1	0	1
Foreign currency translation	(124)	42	(141)	37
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	(5)	1	(11)	4
Pension and postretirement benefits	(8)	0	(34)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(137)	44	(186)	42
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	115	216	520	485
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	115	216	520	485
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	218	176	563	511
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	1	0	1
Foreign currency translation	(4)	1	3	4
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	0	1	0	0
Pension and postretirement benefits	(8)	0	(34)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(12)	3	(31)	5
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	206	179	532	516
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	206	179	532	516
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	129	48	351	110
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(16)	(4)	(30)	(2)
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	(6)	0	(9)	0
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(22)	(4)	(39)	(2)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	107	44	312	108
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0	3	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	108	44	315	108
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	(600)	(396)	(1,623)	(1,064)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	(2)	0	(2)
Foreign currency translation	144	(39)	168	(39)
Gain (loss) from cash flow hedges	11	(2)	20	(4)
Pension and postretirement benefits	16	0	68	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	171	(43)	256	(45)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(429)	(439)	(1,367)	(1,109)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (429)	$ (439)	$ (1,367)	$ (1,109)