Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,389	$ 5,674	$ 6,802
Cost of sales	(3,984)	(4,356)	(5,186)
Gross profit	1,405	1,318	1,616
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(416)	(506)	(758)
Amortization of intangible assets	(9)	(11)	(20)
Research and development expenses	(78)	(119)	(86)
Other (charges) gains, net	(11)	(351)	15
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	(1)	4	(2)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	3	(9)	(7)
Operating profit (loss)	893	326	758
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	155	181	246
Interest expense	(120)	(119)	(147)
Refinancing expense	(6)	0	(29)
Interest income	2	1	1
Dividend income - cost investments	108	107	116
Other income (expense), net	(2)	(8)	(4)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	1,030	488	941
Income tax (provision) benefit	(122)	(201)	(314)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	908	287	627
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	(3)	(3)	(11)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	1	1	4
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(2)	(2)	(7)
Net earnings (loss)	906	285	620
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6)	19	4
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	900	304	624
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	898	302	622
Interest expense	0	0	0
Refinancing expense	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	898	302	622
Income tax (provision) benefit	2	2	2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	900	304	624
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	900	304	624
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	900	304	624
Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	0	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	0	0
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	939	314	806
Interest expense	(16)	(77)	(190)
Refinancing expense	(4)	0	(29)
Interest income	12	18	57
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	(1)	(2)	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	930	253	644
Income tax (provision) benefit	(32)	49	(22)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	898	302	622
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	898	302	622
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	898	302	622
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	2,162	2,410	2,860
Cost of sales	(1,657)	(1,729)	(1,822)
Gross profit	505	681	1,038
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(112)	(242)	(313)
Amortization of intangible assets	(5)	(5)	(7)
Research and development expenses	(32)	(78)	(47)
Other (charges) gains, net	0	(5)	28
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	(8)	(6)	(11)
Operating profit (loss)	348	345	688
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	653	84	90
Interest expense	(94)	(76)	(22)
Refinancing expense	(2)	0	0
Interest income	4	40	72
Dividend income - cost investments	0	0	0
Other income (expense), net	1	2	4
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	910	395	832
Income tax (provision) benefit	(53)	(133)	(237)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	857	262	595
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	(2)	(3)	(8)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	1	3
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	(2)	(2)	(5)
Net earnings (loss)	855	260	590
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	855	260	590
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	4,322	4,485	5,166
Cost of sales	(3,428)	(3,897)	(4,550)
Gross profit	894	588	616
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(304)	(264)	(445)
Amortization of intangible assets	(4)	(6)	(13)
Research and development expenses	(46)	(41)	(39)
Other (charges) gains, net	(11)	(346)	(13)
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	(1)	4	(2)
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	17	(3)	4
Operating profit (loss)	545	(68)	108
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	146	162	210
Interest expense	(29)	(36)	(78)
Refinancing expense	0	0	0
Interest income	5	13	15
Dividend income - cost investments	107	107	116
Other income (expense), net	(2)	(8)	(8)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	772	170	363
Income tax (provision) benefit	(36)	(98)	(71)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	736	72	292
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	(1)	0	(3)
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	1	0	1
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	(2)
Net earnings (loss)	736	72	290
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(6)	19	4
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	730	91	294
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(1,095)	(1,221)	(1,224)
Cost of sales	1,101	1,270	1,186
Gross profit	6	49	(38)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Amortization of intangible assets	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0
Other (charges) gains, net	0	0	0
Foreign exchange gain (loss), net	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of businesses and assets, net	(6)	0	0
Operating profit (loss)	0	49	(38)
Equity in net earnings (loss) of affiliates	(2,481)	(681)	(1,482)
Interest expense	19	70	143
Refinancing expense	0	0	0
Interest income	(19)	(70)	(143)
Dividend income - cost investments	1	0	0
Other income (expense), net	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before tax	(2,480)	(632)	(1,520)
Income tax (provision) benefit	(3)	(21)	14
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	(2,483)	(653)	(1,506)
Earnings (loss) from operation of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on disposition of discontinued operations	0	0	0
Income tax (provision) benefit from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss)	(2,483)	(653)	(1,506)
Net (earnings) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Celanese Corporation	$ (2,483)	$ (653)	$ (1,506)