Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 7,792.1	$ 7,399.8	$ 6,633.0	$ 5,190.8	$ 6,733.6	$ 7,810.7	$ 8,496.4	$ 7,340.7	$ 27,015.8	$ 30,381.4	$ 43,391.8
Cost of revenue									26,116.8	29,520.4	42,572.7
Gross profit	222.3	236.7	218.5	221.5	230.2	226.7	190.4	213.6	899.0	861.0	819.1
Operating expenses:
Compensation and employee benefits									413.3	365.8	319.8
Provision for bad debt									15.4	7.5	3.8
General and administrative									281.4	242.1	218.8
Total operating expenses									710.1	615.3	542.4
Income from operations									188.9	245.7	276.7
Non-operating expenses, net:
Interest expense and other financing costs, net									(39.2)	(29.9)	(25.2)
Other (expense) income, net									(7.5)	2.0	23.3
Total non-operating expenses, net									(46.7)	(27.9)	(1.9)
Income before income taxes									142.1	217.7	274.8
Provision for income taxes									15.7	47.2	53.6	$ 46.0
Net income including noncontrolling interest	2.1	43.0	29.8	51.6	49.6	42.7	29.0	49.3	126.4	170.5	221.1
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest									0.0	(3.9)	(3.3)
Net income attributable to World Fuel	$ 2.2	$ 42.7	$ 30.0	$ 51.8	$ 49.9	$ 43.7	$ 30.5	$ 50.3	$ 126.5	$ 174.5	$ 224.5
Basic earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.03	$ 0.62	$ 0.43	$ 0.74	$ 0.72	$ 0.62	$ 0.43	$ 0.71	$ 1.82	$ 2.49	$ 3.17
Basic weighted average common shares (in shares)									69.3	70.2	70.8
Diluted earnings per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.03	$ 0.61	$ 0.43	$ 0.74	$ 0.71	$ 0.62	$ 0.43	$ 0.70	$ 1.81	$ 2.47	$ 3.15
Diluted weighted average common shares (in shares)									69.8	70.7	71.3
Comprehensive income:
Net income including noncontrolling interest	$ 2.1	$ 43.0	$ 29.8	$ 51.6	$ 49.6	$ 42.7	$ 29.0	$ 49.3	$ 126.4	$ 170.5	$ 221.1
Other comprehensive (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments									(40.4)	(45.4)	(30.8)
Cash Flow hedges, net of income tax benefit of $4.1 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016									(6.6)	(0.8)	0.0
Other comprehensive (loss)									(47.0)	(46.2)	(30.8)
Comprehensive income including noncontrolling interest									79.5	124.3	190.4
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									1.6	(2.2)	(1.1)
Comprehensive income attributable to World Fuel									$ 77.9	$ 126.4	$ 191.4