Schedule of Statement of Operations Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended												12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 974,859		$ 1,199,020		$ 1,039,980		$ 816,488		$ 787,133	$ 1,020,450	$ 913,591	$ 727,835	$ 4,030,347		$ 3,449,009		$ 3,033,645
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue													898,604	[1]	761,272	[1]	685,487	[1]
Selling and marketing													1,721,037	[1]	1,474,641	[1]	1,234,781	[1]
Technology and content													484,898	[1]	380,999	[1]	308,780	[1]
General and administrative													345,354	[1]	309,708	[1]	258,604	[1]
Amortization of intangible assets													31,705		21,925		22,514
Legal reserves, occupancy tax and other													117,025		20,855		22,692
Operating income	1,510	[2]	227,090	[2]	154,441	[2]	48,683	[2]	91,645	209,099	143,707	35,158	431,724		479,609		500,787
Other income (expense):
Other, net													(81,667)		(77,537)		(74,948)
Total other expense, net													(81,667)		(77,537)		(74,948)
Income before income taxes													350,057		402,072		425,839
Provision for income taxes													(47,078)		(75,731)		(120,342)
Income from continuing operations	7,095	[3]	168,188	[3]	106,109	[3]	21,587	[3]	60,465	171,840	88,133	5,903	302,979		326,341		305,497
Discontinued operations, net of taxes													(22,539)		148,262		120,063
Net income													280,440		474,603		425,560
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests													(269)		(2,309)		(4,060)
Net income attributable to Expedia, Inc.	6,734		171,477		105,241		(3,281)		70,328	209,534	140,393	52,039	280,171		472,294		421,500
Comprehensive income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													297,543		463,747		409,318
Parent
Other income (expense):
Equity in pre-tax earnings of consolidated subsidiaries													356,110		382,403		341,750
Other, net													(83,306)		(83,421)		(56,193)
Total other expense, net													272,804		298,982		285,557
Income before income taxes													272,804		298,982		285,557
Provision for income taxes													29,906		25,050		15,880
Income from continuing operations													302,710		324,032		301,437
Discontinued operations, net of taxes													(22,539)		148,262		120,063
Net income													280,171		472,294		421,500
Net income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													280,171		472,294		421,500
Comprehensive income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													280,171		472,294		421,500
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue													3,490,462		3,041,755		2,679,420
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue													719,121		648,219		590,236
Selling and marketing													1,271,163		1,088,145		917,344
Technology and content													355,567		297,859		255,306
General and administrative													220,360		213,594		181,920
Amortization of intangible assets													6,444		4,988		5,071
Legal reserves, occupancy tax and other													117,025		20,855		22,692
Intercompany (income) expense, net													692,325		597,105		347,361
Operating income													108,457		170,990		359,490
Other income (expense):
Equity in pre-tax earnings of consolidated subsidiaries													336,173		244,429		120,085
Other, net													(25,079)		44,288		(18,358)
Total other expense, net													311,094		288,717		101,727
Income before income taxes													419,551		459,707		461,217
Provision for income taxes													(60,245)		(73,165)		(115,126)
Income from continuing operations													359,306		386,542		346,091
Discontinued operations, net of taxes															140,200		142,150
Net income													359,306		526,742		488,241
Net income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													359,306		526,742		488,241
Comprehensive income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													359,921		522,778		488,589
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue													546,204		424,018		366,408
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue													178,010		111,868		96,372
Selling and marketing													458,565		404,409		328,683
Technology and content													129,860		83,388		53,416
General and administrative													123,566		95,902		76,558
Amortization of intangible assets													25,261		16,937		17,443
Intercompany (income) expense, net													(692,325)		(597,105)		(347,361)
Operating income													323,267		308,619		141,297
Other income (expense):
Other, net													26,718		(38,404)		(397)
Total other expense, net													26,718		(38,404)		(397)
Income before income taxes													349,985		270,215		140,900
Provision for income taxes													(16,739)		(27,616)		(21,096)
Income from continuing operations													333,246		242,599		119,804
Discontinued operations, net of taxes															32,464		78,470
Net income													333,246		275,063		198,274
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests													(269)		(2,309)		(4,060)
Net income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													332,977		272,754		194,214
Comprehensive income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													349,734		268,171		181,684
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue													(6,319)		(16,764)		(12,183)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of revenue													1,473		1,185		(1,121)
Selling and marketing													(8,691)		(17,913)		(11,246)
Technology and content													(529)		(248)		58
General and administrative													1,428		212		126
Other income (expense):
Equity in pre-tax earnings of consolidated subsidiaries													(692,283)		(626,832)		(461,835)
Total other expense, net													(692,283)		(626,832)		(461,835)
Income before income taxes													(692,283)		(626,832)		(461,835)
Income from continuing operations													(692,283)		(626,832)		(461,835)
Discontinued operations, net of taxes															(172,664)		(220,620)
Net income													(692,283)		(799,496)		(682,455)
Net income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													(692,283)		(799,496)		(682,455)
Comprehensive income attributable to Expedia, Inc.													$ (692,283)		$ (799,496)		$ (682,455)

[1] Includes stock-based compensation as follows: Cost of revenue $ 3,296 $ 2,971 $ 2,401 Selling and marketing 13,474 13,085 11,766 Technology and content 16,073 13,505 11,665 General and administrative 31,753 34,286 26,675

[2] During the fourth quarter of 2012, we recognized $110 million related to monies expected to be paid in advance of litigation related to Hawaii's General Excise Tax.

[3] The effective tax rate for the fourth quarter of 2012 was 144.4% primarily due to lower than previously estimated full year pre-tax income, driven by the tax reserves accrued during the quarter related to Hawaii.