Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	$ 263	$ 151	$ 745	$ 586
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(1)	1	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(8)	(11)	38	(130)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(1)	1	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	(1)	1
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9)	(11)	38	(127)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	254	140	783	459
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1)	10	(5)	16
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	253	150	778	475
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	262	161	740	602
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(1)	1	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(8)	(11)	38	(130)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(1)	1	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	(1)	1
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9)	(11)	38	(127)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	253	150	778	475
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	253	150	778	475
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	262	161	740	602
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(1)	1	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(8)	(11)	38	(130)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(1)	1	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	(1)	1
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(9)	(11)	38	(127)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	253	150	778	475
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	253	150	778	475
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	224	142	655	597
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	0	1	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(8)	4	28	(110)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(1)	1	5
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	(1)	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(8)	4	28	(105)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	216	146	683	492
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	216	146	683	492
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	193	75	552	315
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	(1)	1	0	0
Foreign currency translation	(4)	(7)	54	(144)
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	(1)	1	2
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	1	4
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(5)	(7)	56	(138)
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	188	68	608	177
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1)	10	(5)	16
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	187	78	603	193
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net earnings (loss)	(678)	(388)	(1,942)	(1,530)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities	2	(3)	0	0
Foreign currency translation	20	14	(120)	384
Gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	0	3	(3)	(9)
Pension and postretirement benefits	0	0	1	(5)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	22	14	(122)	370
Total comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(656)	(374)	(2,064)	(1,160)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (656)	$ (374)	$ (2,064)	$ (1,160)