Earnings Per Share (Schedule of Earnings Per Share Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Net income (loss) attributable to MasTec:
Net income (loss) - basic (in dollars)	[1]	$ 40,970	$ (2,692)
Net income (loss) - diluted (in dollars)	[1]	$ 40,970	$ (2,692)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic		80,697,000	80,156,000
Dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)		1,460,000	0
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted		82,157,000	80,156,000
Common Stock [Member]
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Weighted average anti-dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)	[2]	19,000	615,000
Common Stock [Member] | Common Stock Equivalents Excluded Due To Net Loss [Member]
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Weighted average anti-dilutive common stock equivalents (in shares)			610,657

[1] Calculated as total net income (loss) less amounts attributable to non-controlling interests.

[2] Represents anti-dilutive common stock equivalents, which include anti-dilutive common stock equivalents as calculated under the treasury stock method, and, for the three month period ended March 31, 2016, 610,657 common stock equivalents that were anti-dilutive due to the Company having reported a net loss.