Correction of Previously Issued Financial Information - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Jun. 30, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	[1]	$ 737.2		$ 582.5		$ 489.7		$ 302.3
Accounts receivable, net	[2]	2,030.7		1,812.6
Inventories	[1]	373.5		359.1
Prepaid expenses	[1]	46.0		57.9
Short-term derivative assets, net	[1]	44.7		220.4
Other current assets	[1]	282.7		208.0
Current assets held for sale	[1]			5.5
Total current assets	[1]	3,514.8		3,246.0
Property and equipment, net	[1]	220.9		225.6
Goodwill	[1]	672.2		675.8
Identifiable intangible and other non-current assets	[1]	340.6		341.4
Non-current assets held for sale	[1]			36.5
Total assets	[2]	4,748.5		4,525.3
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt	[1]	28.8		25.5
Accounts payable	[1]	1,520.1		1,349.6
Customer deposits	[1]	102.3		118.3
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	[1]	260.5		255.2
Current liabilities held for sale	[1]			5.6
Total current liabilities	[1]	1,911.7		1,754.2
Long-term debt	[1]	767.7		746.7
Non-current income tax liabilities, net	[1]	93.1		87.7
Other long-term liabilities	[1]	22.9		25.8
Non-current liabilities held for sale	[1]			5.0
Total liabilities	[1]	2,795.3		2,619.4
Commitments and contingencies	[1]
World Fuel shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value; 0.1 shares authorized, none issued	[1]
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 100 shares authorized, 70.4 and 70.8 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively	[1]	0.7		0.7
Capital in excess of par value	[1]	411.0		435.3
Retained earnings	[1]	1,642.7		1,569.4
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(118.6)	[1]	(109.5)	[1]	(72.3)	[2]	(59.2)	[2]
Total World Fuel shareholders' equity	[1]	1,935.8		1,895.9
Noncontrolling interest equity	[1]	17.5		10.0
Total equity	[1]	1,953.3		1,905.9		$ 1,891.2		$ 1,859.4
Total liabilities and equity	[1]	4,748.6		4,525.3
As Reported
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	[3]			582.5
Accounts receivable, net	[3]			1,812.6
Inventories	[3]			359.1
Prepaid expenses	[3]			57.9
Short-term derivative assets, net	[3]			227.2
Other current assets	[3]			209.8
Current assets held for sale	[3]			5.5
Total current assets	[3]			3,254.6
Property and equipment, net	[3]			225.6
Goodwill	[3]			675.8
Identifiable intangible and other non-current assets	[3]			356.9
Non-current assets held for sale	[3]			36.5
Total assets	[3]			4,549.4
Current liabilities:
Short-term debt	[3]			25.5
Accounts payable	[3]			1,349.6
Customer deposits	[3]			118.3
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	[3]			263.8
Current liabilities held for sale	[3]			5.6
Total current liabilities	[3]			1,762.8
Long-term debt	[3]			746.7
Non-current income tax liabilities, net	[3]			87.7
Other long-term liabilities	[3]			25.8
Non-current liabilities held for sale	[3]			5.0
Total liabilities	[3]			2,628.0
Commitments and contingencies	[3]
World Fuel shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value; 0.1 shares authorized, none issued	[3]
Common stock, $0.01 par value; 100 shares authorized, 70.4 and 70.8 shares issued and outstanding as of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively	[3]			0.7
Capital in excess of par value	[3]			435.3
Retained earnings	[3]			1,588.6
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	[3]			(113.2)
Total World Fuel shareholders' equity	[3]			1,911.4
Noncontrolling interest equity	[3]			10.0
Total equity	[3]			1,921.4
Total liabilities and equity	[3]			4,549.4
Adjustment
Current assets:
Short-term derivative assets, net	[3]			(6.8)
Other current assets	[3]			(1.8)
Total current assets	[3]			(8.6)
Identifiable intangible and other non-current assets	[3]			(15.5)
Total assets	[3]			(24.1)
Current liabilities:
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	[3]			(8.6)
Total current liabilities	[3]			(8.6)
Total liabilities	[3]			(8.6)
Commitments and contingencies	[3]
World Fuel shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $1.00 par value; 0.1 shares authorized, none issued	[3]
Retained earnings	[3]			(19.2)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	[3]			3.7
Total World Fuel shareholders' equity	[3]			(15.5)
Total equity	[3]			(15.5)
Total liabilities and equity	[3]			(24.1)
Adjustment | Correction to provision for income taxes
World Fuel shareholders' equity:
Retained earnings		$ (20.0)		$ (12.5)

[1] Amounts may not add due to rounding

[2] Amounts may not add due to rounding

[3] Amounts may not add due to rounding