Consolidating Guarantor Financial Information (Schedule of Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 463		$ 439	$ 576	$ 638
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	850		1,017
Non-trade receivables, net	331		301
Inventories, net	1,038		1,046
Marketable securities	40		31
Other assets	43		40
Total current assets	2,765		2,874
Investments in affiliates	975		979
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,713		3,719
Operating lease right-of-use assets	203		0
Deferred income taxes	96		84
Other assets	338		290
Goodwill	1,074	[1]	1,057	1,003
Intangible assets, net	312		310
Total assets	9,476		9,313
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	496		561
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	780		819
Other liabilities	461		343
Income taxes payable	17		56
Total current liabilities	1,754		1,779
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	3,409		2,970
Deferred income taxes	257		255
Uncertain tax positions	165		158
Benefit obligations	589		564
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	181		0
Other liabilities	223		208
Total noncurrent liabilities	4,824		4,155
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,507		2,984	2,887
Noncontrolling interests	391		395
Total equity	2,898		3,379	3,299
Total liabilities and equity	9,476		9,313
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	56		40
Inventories, net	0		0
Marketable securities	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Total current assets	56		40
Investments in affiliates	4,064		3,503
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other assets	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	4,120		3,543
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	1,596		544
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	17		13
Other liabilities	0		1
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	1,613		558
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
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	0
Other liabilities	0		1
Total noncurrent liabilities	0		1
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	2,507		2,984
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	2,507		2,984
Total liabilities and equity	4,120		3,543
Issuer [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0	0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	0		0
Non-trade receivables, net	1,188		551
Inventories, net	0		0
Marketable securities	0		0
Other assets	36		24
Total current assets	1,224		575
Investments in affiliates	5,217		4,820
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other assets	1,661		1,658
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	8,102		7,053
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	374		333
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	0		1
Other liabilities	49		87
Income taxes payable	0		0
Total current liabilities	423		421
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	3,565		3,104
Deferred income taxes	3		15
Uncertain tax positions	0		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	0
Other liabilities	47		10
Total noncurrent liabilities	3,615		3,129
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,064		3,503
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	4,064		3,503
Total liabilities and equity	8,102		7,053
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	16		30	230	51
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	122		96
Non-trade receivables, net	1,925		797
Inventories, net	360		329
Marketable securities	24		31
Other assets	11		10
Total current assets	2,458		1,293
Investments in affiliates	4,206		4,678
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,461		1,289
Operating lease right-of-use assets	50
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other assets	195		142
Goodwill	399		399
Intangible assets, net	125		132
Total assets	8,894		7,933
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	1,089		465
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	333		342
Other liabilities	188		267
Income taxes payable	439		475
Total current liabilities	2,049		1,549
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	1,677		1,679
Deferred income taxes	101		85
Uncertain tax positions	0		6
Benefit obligations	257		250
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	40
Other liabilities	93		99
Total noncurrent liabilities	2,168		2,119
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,677		4,265
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	4,677		4,265
Total liabilities and equity	8,894		7,933
Non-Guarantors [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	447		409	346	587
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	851		1,040
Non-trade receivables, net	743		697
Inventories, net	725		765
Marketable securities	16		0
Other assets	38		37
Total current assets	2,820		2,948
Investments in affiliates	841		855
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,252		2,430
Operating lease right-of-use assets	153
Deferred income taxes	101		86
Other assets	445		461
Goodwill	675		658
Intangible assets, net	187		178
Total assets	7,474		7,616
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	385		258
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	553		583
Other liabilities	397		258
Income taxes payable	80		88
Total current liabilities	1,415		1,187
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	101		127
Deferred income taxes	158		157
Uncertain tax positions	169		152
Benefit obligations	332		314
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	140
Other liabilities	118		138
Total noncurrent liabilities	1,018		888
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	4,650		5,146
Noncontrolling interests	391		395
Total equity	5,041		5,541
Total liabilities and equity	7,474		7,616
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	$ 0	$ 0
Trade receivables - third party and affiliates	(123)		(119)
Non-trade receivables, net	(3,581)		(1,784)
Inventories, net	(47)		(48)
Marketable securities	0		0
Other assets	(42)		(31)
Total current assets	(3,793)		(1,982)
Investments in affiliates	(13,353)		(12,877)
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Deferred income taxes	(5)		(2)
Other assets	(1,963)		(1,971)
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets	(19,114)		(16,832)
Current Liabilities
Short-term borrowings and current installments of long-term debt - third party and affiliates	(2,948)		(1,039)
Trade payables - third party and affiliates	(123)		(120)
Other liabilities	(173)		(270)
Income taxes payable	(502)		(507)
Total current liabilities	(3,746)		(1,936)
Noncurrent Liabilities
Long-term debt, net of unamortized deferred financing costs	(1,934)		(1,940)
Deferred income taxes	(5)		(2)
Uncertain tax positions	(4)		0
Benefit obligations	0		0
Operating Lease, Liability, Noncurrent	1
Other liabilities	(35)		(40)
Total noncurrent liabilities	(1,977)		(1,982)
Total Celanese Corporation stockholders' equity	(13,391)		(12,914)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total equity	(13,391)		(12,914)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (19,114)		$ (16,832)

[1] There were $0 million of accumulated impairment losses as of December 31, 2019.