Equity and Noncontrolling Interests - Narrative (Details) € / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, € in Thousands, $ in Millions		2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2018 EUR (€) € / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 22, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 10, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 € / shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common Stock, Shares Authorized, Value | €		€ 1,825
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | € / shares								€ 0.001
Ordinary shares/Common stock, issued (in shares)	551,055,000
Preferred stock outstanding (in shares)		0
Effect of conversion of Praxair and Linde AG into Linde plc | $			$ (48,434)
Common stock shares issued (in shares)		255
Repurchased (in shares)		4,068,642
Additional common stock authorized for repurchase | $							$ 1,000
Additions (reductions) to noncontrolling interests | $			(313)	$ 15	$ 70
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners		8.00%
Praxair, Inc.
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	287,907,000			286,776,991
Preferred stock, issued (in shares)				0
Preferred stock outstanding (in shares)				0
Preferred stock, authorized (in shares)				25,000,000
Preferred stock, par value (usd per share) | $ / shares				$ 0.01
Decrease in Treasury stock | $	$ 7,113
Subsequent Event
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Additional common stock authorized for repurchase | $						$ 6,000
Noncontrolling Interests
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Effect of conversion of Praxair and Linde AG into Linde plc | $			(5,146)
Additions (reductions) to noncontrolling interests | $			(186)	$ 15	20
Additional Paid-in Capital
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Effect of conversion of Praxair and Linde AG into Linde plc | $			(36,178)
Effect of conversion of Praxair to Linde AG into Linde Plc | $	$ 3
Additions (reductions) to noncontrolling interests | $			$ (127)		$ 50
Ordinary shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Ordinary shares/Common stock, authorized (in shares)		1,750,000,000		800,000,000
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | (per share)		€ 0.001		$ 0.01
Ordinary shares/Common stock, issued (in shares)		551,310,272		383,230,625
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)		547,241,630
A Ordinary Shares
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Ordinary shares/Common stock, authorized (in shares)		25,000
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | € / shares		€ 1.00
Deferred Stock
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Ordinary shares/Common stock, authorized (in shares)		25,000
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | € / shares		€ 1.00
Preferred Stock
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Ordinary shares/Common stock, authorized (in shares)		25,000,000
Ordinary shares/Common stock, par value (usd per share) | € / shares		€ 0.001