Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 501	$ 638	$ 716	$ 967
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	886	801
Non-trade receivables, net	216	223
Inventories, net	717	720
Marketable securities, at fair value	31	30
Other assets	38	60
Total current assets	2,389	2,472
Investments in affiliates	874	852
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,571	3,577
Deferred income taxes	154	159
Other assets	308	307
Goodwill	800	796
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	192	194
Total assets	8,288	8,357
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	107	118
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	615	625
Other liabilities	262	322
Income taxes payable	31	12
Total current liabilities	1,015	1,077
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,851	2,890
Deferred income taxes	140	130
Uncertain tax positions	138	131
Benefit obligations	866	893
Other liabilities	237	215
Total noncurrent liabilities	4,232	4,259
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,611	2,588
Noncontrolling interests	430	433
Total equity	3,041	3,021
Total liabilities and equity	8,288	8,357
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	1	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	40	40
Inventories, net	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Total current assets	40	40
Investments in affiliates	2,575	2,548
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	0	0
Total assets	2,615	2,588
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	0	0
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	4	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Income taxes payable	0	0
Total current liabilities	4	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	2,611	2,588
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,611	2,588
Total liabilities and equity	2,615	2,588
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Non-trade receivables, net	516	499
Inventories, net	0	0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	34	42
Total current assets	550	541
Investments in affiliates	4,052	4,029
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Other assets	705	705
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	0	0
Total assets	5,307	5,275
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	13	6
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0	0
Other liabilities	49	58
Income taxes payable	0	0
Total current liabilities	62	64
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,657	2,647
Deferred income taxes	13	16
Uncertain tax positions	0	0
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,670	2,663
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,575	2,548
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	2,575	2,548
Total liabilities and equity	5,307	5,275
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	56	51	345	21
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	137	107
Non-trade receivables, net	257	249
Inventories, net	249	239
Marketable securities, at fair value	31	30
Other assets	10	25
Total current assets	740	701
Investments in affiliates	3,642	3,655
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,059	1,049
Deferred income taxes	84	91
Other assets	130	133
Goodwill	314	314
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	47	48
Total assets	6,016	5,991
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	140	133
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	258	226
Other liabilities	136	167
Income taxes payable	511	454
Total current liabilities	1,045	980
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	727	727
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Uncertain tax positions	4	3
Benefit obligations	610	636
Other liabilities	65	74
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,406	1,440
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	3,565	3,571
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	3,565	3,571
Total liabilities and equity	6,016	5,991
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	445	587	370	946
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	919	819
Non-trade receivables, net	317	308
Inventories, net	517	526
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	54	76
Total current assets	2,252	2,316
Investments in affiliates	769	752
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,512	2,528
Deferred income taxes	80	86
Other assets	160	156
Goodwill	486	482
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	145	146
Total assets	6,404	6,466
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	254	250
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	523	524
Other liabilities	221	262
Income taxes payable	48	75
Total current liabilities	1,046	1,111
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	161	210
Deferred income taxes	137	132
Uncertain tax positions	136	130
Benefit obligations	256	257
Other liabilities	173	142
Total noncurrent liabilities	863	871
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,065	4,051
Noncontrolling interests	430	433
Total equity	4,495	4,484
Total liabilities and equity	6,404	6,466
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(170)	(125)
Non-trade receivables, net	(914)	(873)
Inventories, net	(49)	(45)
Marketable securities, at fair value	0	0
Other assets	(60)	(83)
Total current assets	(1,193)	(1,126)
Investments in affiliates	(10,164)	(10,132)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Deferred income taxes	(10)	(18)
Other assets	(687)	(687)
Goodwill	0	0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	0	0
Total assets	(12,054)	(11,963)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(300)	(271)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(170)	(125)
Other liabilities	(144)	(165)
Income taxes payable	(528)	(517)
Total current liabilities	(1,142)	(1,078)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	(694)	(694)
Deferred income taxes	(10)	(18)
Uncertain tax positions	(2)	(2)
Benefit obligations	0	0
Other liabilities	(1)	(1)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(707)	(715)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(10,205)	(10,170)
Noncontrolling interests	0	0
Total equity	(10,205)	(10,170)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (12,054)	$ (11,963)