Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 638		$ 967	$ 780	$ 984
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	801		706
Non-trade receivables, net	223		285
Inventories, net	720		682
Deferred income taxes	0		68
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		30
Other assets	60		49
Total current assets	2,472		2,787
Investments in affiliates	852		838
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,577		3,609
Deferred income taxes	159		222
Other assets	307		300
Goodwill	796	[1]	705	749
Intangible assets, net	194		125
Total assets	8,357		8,586
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	118		513
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	625		587
Other liabilities	322		330
Deferred income taxes	0		30
Income taxes payable	12		90
Total current liabilities	1,077		1,550
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,890		2,468
Deferred income taxes	130		136
Uncertain tax positions	131		167
Benefit obligations	893		1,189
Other liabilities	215		247
Total noncurrent liabilities	4,259		4,207
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,588		2,378	2,818
Noncontrolling interests	433		451
Total equity	3,021		2,829	3,078
Total liabilities and equity	8,357		8,586
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	40		37
Inventories, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total current assets	40		37
Investments in affiliates	2,548		2,341
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	2,588		2,378
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		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	0		0
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	2,588		2,378
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,588		2,378
Total liabilities and equity	2,588		2,378
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	499		580
Inventories, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	42		12
Total current assets	541		592
Investments in affiliates	4,029		3,947
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		2
Other assets	705		418
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	5,275		4,959
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	6		479
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Other liabilities	58		28
Deferred income taxes	0		26
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	64		533
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,647		2,078
Deferred income taxes	16		0
Uncertain tax positions	0		7
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,663		2,085
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,548		2,341
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,548		2,341
Total liabilities and equity	5,275		4,959
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	51		21	110	284
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	107		132
Non-trade receivables, net	249		298
Inventories, net	239		258
Deferred income taxes	0		19
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		30
Other assets	25		28
Total current assets	701		786
Investments in affiliates	3,655		3,909
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,049		1,001
Deferred income taxes	91		178
Other assets	133		151
Goodwill	314		314
Intangible assets, net	48		51
Total assets	5,991		6,390
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	133		181
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	226		240
Other liabilities	167		281
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Income taxes payable	454		537
Total current liabilities	980		1,239
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	727		706
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	3		29
Benefit obligations	636		960
Other liabilities	74		93
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,440		1,788
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	3,571		3,363
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	3,571		3,363
Total liabilities and equity	5,991		6,390
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	587		946	670	700
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	819		722
Non-trade receivables, net	308		522
Inventories, net	526		474
Deferred income taxes	0		68
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	76		40
Total current assets	2,316		2,772
Investments in affiliates	752		738
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,528		2,608
Deferred income taxes	86		42
Other assets	156		227
Goodwill	482		391
Intangible assets, net	146		74
Total assets	6,466		6,852
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	250		213
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	524		495
Other liabilities	262		283
Deferred income taxes	0		23
Income taxes payable	75		116
Total current liabilities	1,111		1,130
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	210		187
Deferred income taxes	132		136
Uncertain tax positions	130		131
Benefit obligations	257		229
Other liabilities	142		155
Total noncurrent liabilities	871		838
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,051		4,433
Noncontrolling interests	433		451
Total equity	4,484		4,884
Total liabilities and equity	6,466		6,852
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0	$ 0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(125)		(148)
Non-trade receivables, net	(873)		(1,152)
Inventories, net	(45)		(50)
Deferred income taxes	0		(19)
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	(83)		(31)
Total current assets	(1,126)		(1,400)
Investments in affiliates	(10,132)		(10,097)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(18)		0
Other assets	(687)		(496)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(11,963)		(11,993)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(271)		(360)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(125)		(148)
Other liabilities	(165)		(262)
Deferred income taxes	0		(19)
Income taxes payable	(517)		(563)
Total current liabilities	(1,078)		(1,352)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	(694)		(503)
Deferred income taxes	(18)		0
Uncertain tax positions	(2)		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	(1)		(1)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(715)		(504)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(10,170)		(10,137)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(10,170)		(10,137)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (11,963)		$ (11,993)

[1] There were $0 million of accumulated impairment losses as of December 31, 2016.