CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL INFORMATION - Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (19,848)	$ 3,224
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(3,352)	(6,443)
Return of capital contribution from affiliate	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	488	166
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,864)	(6,277)
Financing activities:
Repayment of notes payable	0	(1,654)
Borrowings under senior loan facility	29,995	0
Senior loan facility issuance costs	(2,002)	(41)
Revolving credit facility borrowings	44,470	37,687
Revolving credit facility repayments	46,525	29,788
Repayments of capital lease obligations	(118)	(475)
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	(3,838)	(3,358)
Intercompany lending	0	0
Return of capital to affiliate	0
Dividend payments to affiliate	0	0
Intercompany lending	(131)	0
Grantee election to fund payroll taxes out of restricted stock grant	(9)	(85)
Legal fees for stock issuance associated with restructuring		0
Net cash provided by financing activities	21,842	2,286
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	1,030	(255)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	160	(1,022)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	11,300	12,322
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	11,460	11,300
Consolidating Adjustments
Operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(2,865)	(3,800)
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Return of capital contribution from affiliate	(650)	5,215
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(650)	5,215
Financing activities:
Repayment of notes payable		0
Borrowings under senior loan facility	0
Senior loan facility issuance costs	0	0
Revolving credit facility borrowings	0	0
Revolving credit facility repayments	0	0
Repayments of capital lease obligations	0	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Intercompany lending	0	0
Return of capital to affiliate	(650)
Dividend payments to affiliate	(2,865)	(3,800)
Intercompany lending	0
Grantee election to fund payroll taxes out of restricted stock grant	0	0
Legal fees for stock issuance associated with restructuring		(5,215)
Net cash provided by financing activities	3,515	(1,415)
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	0	0
SAExploration Holdings, Inc.
Operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(11,057)	(10,775)
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	0	0
Return of capital contribution from affiliate	0	0
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Financing activities:
Repayment of notes payable		0
Borrowings under senior loan facility	29,995
Senior loan facility issuance costs	(2,002)	0
Revolving credit facility borrowings	0	0
Revolving credit facility repayments	0	0
Repayments of capital lease obligations	0	0
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Intercompany lending	14,742	(10,775)
Return of capital to affiliate	0
Dividend payments to affiliate	0	0
Intercompany lending	(131)
Grantee election to fund payroll taxes out of restricted stock grant	(9)	0
Legal fees for stock issuance associated with restructuring		0
Net cash provided by financing activities	13,111	10,775
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	2,054	0
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	2,054	0
The Guarantors
Operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(23,540)	(177)
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(2,917)	(3,985)
Return of capital contribution from affiliate	650	(1,225)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,267)	(5,210)
Financing activities:
Repayment of notes payable		(1,654)
Borrowings under senior loan facility	0
Senior loan facility issuance costs	0	(41)
Revolving credit facility borrowings	44,470	37,687
Revolving credit facility repayments	46,525	29,788
Repayments of capital lease obligations	(57)	(49)
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	(3,838)	(3,358)
Intercompany lending	(27,142)	(3,411)
Return of capital to affiliate	0
Dividend payments to affiliate	0	0
Intercompany lending	0
Grantee election to fund payroll taxes out of restricted stock grant	0	(85)
Legal fees for stock issuance associated with restructuring		0
Net cash provided by financing activities	21,192	6,123
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	36	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(4,579)	736
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	8,025	7,289
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	3,446	8,025
Other Subsidiaries
Operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	17,614	17,976
Investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment	(435)	(2,458)
Return of capital contribution from affiliate	0	(3,990)
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment	488	166
Net cash used in investing activities	53	(6,282)
Financing activities:
Repayment of notes payable		0
Borrowings under senior loan facility	0
Senior loan facility issuance costs	0	0
Revolving credit facility borrowings	0	0
Revolving credit facility repayments	0	0
Repayments of capital lease obligations	(61)	(426)
Distribution to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Intercompany lending	12,400	14,186
Return of capital to affiliate	650
Dividend payments to affiliate	2,865	3,800
Intercompany lending	0
Grantee election to fund payroll taxes out of restricted stock grant	0	0
Legal fees for stock issuance associated with restructuring		5,215
Net cash provided by financing activities	(15,976)	(13,197)
Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	994	(255)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	2,685	(1,758)
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of year	3,275	5,033
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of year	$ 5,960	$ 3,275