Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 967		$ 780	$ 984	$ 959
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	706		801
Non-trade receivables, net	285		241
Inventories, net	682		782
Deferred income taxes	68		29
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		32
Other assets	49		33
Total current assets	2,787		2,698
Investments in affiliates	838		876
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,609		3,733
Deferred income taxes	222		253
Other assets	300		355
Goodwill	705	[1]	749	798
Intangible assets, net	125		132
Total assets	8,586		8,796
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	513		137
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	587		757
Other liabilities	330		432
Deferred income taxes	30		7
Income taxes payable	90		5
Total current liabilities	1,550		1,338
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,468		2,586
Deferred income taxes	136		141
Uncertain tax positions	167		159
Benefit obligations	1,189		1,211
Other liabilities	247		283
Total noncurrent liabilities	4,207		4,380
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,378		2,818	2,699
Noncontrolling interests	451		260
Total equity	2,829		3,078	2,699
Total liabilities and equity	8,586		8,796
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	10
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	37		35
Inventories, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total current assets	37		35
Investments in affiliates	2,341		2,784
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	2,378		2,819
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	0		0
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Other liabilities	0		1
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		1
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	0		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total noncurrent liabilities	0		0
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,378		2,818
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,378		2,818
Total liabilities and equity	2,378		2,819
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	580		477
Inventories, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	12		6
Total current assets	592		483
Investments in affiliates	3,947		5,889
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	2		16
Other assets	418		653
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	4,959		7,041
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	479		1,894
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Other liabilities	28		34
Deferred income taxes	26		22
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	533		1,950
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,078		2,248
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	7		6
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	0		53
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,085		2,307
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,341		2,784
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,341		2,784
Total liabilities and equity	4,959		7,041
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	21		110	284	275
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	132		184
Non-trade receivables, net	298		2,265
Inventories, net	258		268
Deferred income taxes	19		39
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		32
Other assets	28		12
Total current assets	786		2,910
Investments in affiliates	3,909		4,349
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,001		1,029
Deferred income taxes	178		211
Other assets	151		145
Goodwill	314		314
Intangible assets, net	51		73
Total assets	6,390		9,031
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	181		184
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	240		413
Other liabilities	281		225
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Income taxes payable	537		484
Total current liabilities	1,239		1,306
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	706		899
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	29		16
Benefit obligations	960		923
Other liabilities	93		121
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,788		1,959
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	3,363		5,766
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	3,363		5,766
Total liabilities and equity	6,390		9,031
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	946		670	700	674
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	722		821
Non-trade receivables, net	522		407
Inventories, net	474		613
Deferred income taxes	68		12
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	40		34
Total current assets	2,772		2,557
Investments in affiliates	738		613
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,608		2,704
Deferred income taxes	42		26
Other assets	227		400
Goodwill	391		435
Intangible assets, net	74		59
Total assets	6,852		6,794
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	213		290
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	495		548
Other liabilities	283		402
Deferred income taxes	23		7
Income taxes payable	116		45
Total current liabilities	1,130		1,292
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	187		208
Deferred income taxes	136		141
Uncertain tax positions	131		137
Benefit obligations	229		288
Other liabilities	155		192
Total noncurrent liabilities	838		966
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,433		4,276
Noncontrolling interests	451		260
Total equity	4,884		4,536
Total liabilities and equity	6,852		6,794
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0	$ 0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(148)		(204)
Non-trade receivables, net	(1,152)		(2,943)
Inventories, net	(50)		(99)
Deferred income taxes	(19)		(22)
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	(31)		(19)
Total current assets	(1,400)		(3,287)
Investments in affiliates	(10,097)		(12,759)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other assets	(496)		(843)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(11,993)		(16,889)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(360)		(2,231)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(148)		(204)
Other liabilities	(262)		(230)
Deferred income taxes	(19)		(22)
Income taxes payable	(563)		(524)
Total current liabilities	(1,352)		(3,211)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	(503)		(769)
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	0		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	(1)		(83)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(504)		(852)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(10,137)		(12,826)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(10,137)		(12,826)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (11,993)		$ (16,889)

[1] There were $0 million of accumulated impairment losses as of December 31, 2015.