Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Ordinary shares	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Note 9)	Treasury Stock	Linde plc Shareholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		383,231,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 4,793	$ 4	$ 4,005	$ 12,229	$ (4,596)	$ (7,253)	$ 4,389	$ 404
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015						98,352,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	1,535			1,500			1,500	35
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(15)				(4)		(4)	(11)
Dividends and other capital reductions	(28)							(28)
Additions (Reductions)	70		50				50	20
Redemption value adjustments (Note 16)	6			6			6
Dividends	(856)			(856)			(856)
Issuances of common stock:
For dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (in shares)						(60,000)
For the dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan	7					$ 7	7
For employee savings and incentive plans (in shares)						(2,044,000)
For employee savings and incentive plans	123		(20)			$ 143	123
Other	5					$ 5	5
Purchases of common stock (in shares)						2,082,000
Purchases of common stock/ordinary shares	(238)					$ (238)	(238)
Share-based compensation	39		39				39
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						98,330,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		383,231,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	5,441	$ 4	4,074	12,879	(4,600)	$ (7,336)	5,021	420
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	1,306			1,247			1,247	59
Other comprehensive income (loss)	536				502		502	34
Dividends and other capital reductions	(35)							(35)
Additions (Reductions)	15							15
Redemption value adjustments (Note 16)	(1)			(1)			(1)
Dividends	(901)			(901)			(901)
Issuances of common stock:
For dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (in shares)						(50,000)
For the dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan	7					$ 7	7
For employee savings and incentive plans (in shares)						(1,835,000)
For employee savings and incentive plans	85		(49)			$ 134	85
Purchases of common stock (in shares)						(9,000)
Purchases of common stock/ordinary shares	(1)					$ (1)	(1)
Share-based compensation	$ 59		59				59
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	96,453,634					96,454,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		383,231,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 6,511	$ 4	4,084	13,224	(4,098)	$ (7,196)	6,018	493
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		383,231,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 5,441	$ 4	4,074	12,879	(4,600)	$ (7,336)	5,021	420
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016						98,330,000
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	4,068,642					4,069,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		551,310,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 57,080	$ 1	40,151	16,529	(4,456)	$ (629)	51,596	5,484
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		383,231,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 6,511	$ 4	4,084	13,224	(4,098)	$ (7,196)	6,018	493
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	96,453,634					96,454,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income	$ 4,402			4,381			4,381	21
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(206)				(265)		(265)	59
Dividends and other capital reductions	(49)							(49)
Additions (Reductions)	(313)		(127)				(127)	(186)
Redemption value adjustments (Note 16)	(3)			(3)			(3)
Dividends	(1,166)			(1,166)			(1,166)
Issuances of common stock:
For dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan (in shares)						(31,000)
For the dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan	5					$ 5	5
For employee savings and incentive plans (in shares)		255,000				(1,109,000)
For employee savings and incentive plans	33		(46)			$ 79	33
Purchases of common stock (in shares)						4,079,000
Purchases of common stock/ordinary shares	(630)					$ (630)	(630)
Share-based compensation	62		62				62
Tax Act Reclassification (Note 7)	0			93	(93)
Impact of Merger (Note 3) (in shares)		167,824,000				(95,324,000)
Impact of merger (Notes 3 and 16)	$ 48,434	$ (3)	36,178			$ 7,113	43,288	5,146
Treasury stock (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	4,068,642					4,069,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		551,310,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 57,080	$ 1	$ 40,151	$ 16,529	$ (4,456)	$ (629)	$ 51,596	$ 5,484