Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	$ 259	$ 234
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	1	0
Foreign currency translation	64	(156)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	(3)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	65	(157)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	324	77
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)	2
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	322	79
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	256	236
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	1	0
Foreign currency translation	64	(156)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	(3)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	65	(157)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	321	79
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	321	79
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	256	235
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	1	0
Foreign currency translation	64	(156)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	(3)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	65	(157)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	321	78
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	321	78
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	242	240
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	0
Foreign currency translation	54	(170)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	5
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	(3)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	54	(168)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	296	72
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	296	72
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	206	117
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	1	0
Foreign currency translation	82	(211)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	1	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	84	(209)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	290	(92)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)	2
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	288	(90)
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	(701)	(594)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(2)	0
Foreign currency translation	(200)	537
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(9)
Pension and postretirement benefits	(1)	6
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(203)	534
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(904)	(60)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (904)	$ (60)