Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 511		$ 638	$ 735	$ 967
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	985		801
Non-trade receivables, net	227		223
Inventories, net	771		720
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		30
Other assets	59		60
Total current assets	2,583		2,472
Investments in affiliates	885		852
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,663		3,577
Deferred income taxes	164		159
Other assets	311		307
Goodwill	975	[1]	796
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	302		194
Total assets	8,883		8,357
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	384		118
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	666		625
Other liabilities	332		322
Income taxes payable	42		12
Total current liabilities	1,424		1,077
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,931		2,890
Deferred income taxes	165		130
Uncertain tax positions	150		131
Benefit obligations	866		893
Other liabilities	225		215
Total noncurrent liabilities	4,337		4,259
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,694		2,588
Noncontrolling interests	428		433
Total equity	3,122		3,021
Total liabilities and equity	8,883		8,357
Parent Guarantor [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	2	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	2,658		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	2,698		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	2,694		2,588
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,694		2,588
Total liabilities and equity	2,698		2,588
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	3		0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	511		499
Inventories, net	0		0
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	77		42
Total current assets	591		541
Investments in affiliates	4,273		4,029
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	7		0
Other assets	778		705
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	0		0
Total assets	5,649		5,275
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	169		6
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Other liabilities	94		58
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	263		64
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	2,728		2,647
Deferred income taxes	0		16
Uncertain tax positions	0		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	0		0
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,728		2,663
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,658		2,548
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,658		2,548
Total liabilities and equity	5,649		5,275
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	57		51	243	21
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	169		107
Non-trade receivables, net	241		249
Inventories, net	232		239
Marketable securities, at fair value	30		30
Other assets	17		25
Total current assets	746		701
Investments in affiliates	3,846		3,655
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,079		1,049
Deferred income taxes	78		91
Other assets	128		133
Goodwill	314		314
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	50		48
Total assets	6,241		5,991
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	137		133
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	254		226
Other liabilities	208		167
Income taxes payable	510		454
Total current liabilities	1,109		980
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	800		727
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Uncertain tax positions	3		3
Benefit obligations	584		636
Other liabilities	62		74
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,449		1,440
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	3,683		3,571
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	3,683		3,571
Total liabilities and equity	6,241		5,991
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	451		587	490	946
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	998		819
Non-trade receivables, net	378		308
Inventories, net	583		526
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	111		76
Total current assets	2,521		2,316
Investments in affiliates	776		752
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	2,584		2,528
Deferred income taxes	90		86
Other assets	166		156
Goodwill	661		482
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	252		146
Total assets	7,050		6,466
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	358		250
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	591		524
Other liabilities	310		262
Income taxes payable	59		75
Total current liabilities	1,318		1,111
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	171		210
Deferred income taxes	176		132
Uncertain tax positions	148		130
Benefit obligations	282		257
Other liabilities	163		142
Total noncurrent liabilities	940		871
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,364		4,051
Noncontrolling interests	428		433
Total equity	4,792		4,484
Total liabilities and equity	7,050		6,466
Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0	$ 0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(182)		(125)
Non-trade receivables, net	(943)		(873)
Inventories, net	(44)		(45)
Marketable securities, at fair value	0		0
Other assets	(146)		(83)
Total current assets	(1,315)		(1,126)
Investments in affiliates	(10,668)		(10,132)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(11)		(18)
Other assets	(761)		(687)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill)	0		0
Total assets	(12,755)		(11,963)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(280)		(271)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(183)		(125)
Other liabilities	(280)		(165)
Income taxes payable	(527)		(517)
Total current liabilities	(1,270)		(1,078)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	(768)		(694)
Deferred income taxes	(11)		(18)
Uncertain tax positions	(1)		(2)
Benefit obligations	0		0
Other liabilities	0		(1)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(780)		(715)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(10,705)		(10,170)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(10,705)		(10,170)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (12,755)		$ (11,963)

[1] There were $0 million of accumulated impairment losses as of June 30, 2017.