Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Capital in Excess of Par Value	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Total World Fuel Shareholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interest Equity
Balance as of beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,670.5	$ 0.7	$ 495.2	$ 1,198.1	$ (28.5)	$ 1,665.5	$ 5.0
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013		71,900,000
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Net income	221.1			224.5		224.5	(3.3)
Cash dividends declared	(10.6)			(10.6)		(10.6)
Initial noncontrolling interest upon acquisition of businesses	19.4						19.4
Distribution of noncontrolling interest	(11.6)						(11.6)
Amortization of share-based payment awards	15.3		15.3			15.3
Issuance of common stock related to share-based payment awards (including income tax benefit of $1.0 million and $1.6 million in 2014 and 2016 respectively)	1.0		1.0			1.0
Issuance of common stock related to share-based payment awards (including income tax benefit of $1.0 million and $1.6 million in 2014 and 2016 respectively) (in shares)		500,000
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards	(5.1)		(5.1)			(5.1)
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards (in shares)		(100,000)
Purchases of common stock	$ (10.0)		(10.0)			(10.0)
Purchases of common stock (in shares)	(227,000)	(200,000)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	$ (30.8)				(30.8)	(30.8)
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,859.4	$ 0.7	496.4	1,412.0	(59.2)	1,849.9	9.5
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	72,100,000	72,100,000
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Net income	$ 170.5			174.5		174.5	(3.9)
Cash dividends declared	(16.8)			(16.8)		(16.8)
Investment by noncontrolling interest	0.5						0.5
Distribution of noncontrolling interest	(0.2)						(0.2)
Amortization of share-based payment awards	16.9		16.9			16.9
Issuance of common stock related to share-based payment awards (including income tax benefit of $1.0 million and $1.6 million in 2014 and 2016 respectively) (in shares)		400,000
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards	(7.3)		(7.3)			(7.3)
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards (in shares)		(100,000)
Purchases of common stock	(70.5)		(70.5)			(70.5)
Purchases of common stock (in shares)		(1,600,000)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(46.2)				(50.3)	(50.3)	4.0
Other	(0.3)		(0.1)	(0.3)		(0.4)	0.1
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,905.9	$ 0.7	435.3	1,569.4	(109.5)	1,895.9	10.0
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015	70,800,000	70,800,000
Increase (Decrease) in Shareholders' Equity
Net income	$ 126.4			126.5		126.5
Cash dividends declared	(16.6)			(16.6)		(16.6)
Distribution of noncontrolling interest	(0.5)						(0.5)
Amortization of share-based payment awards	19.7		19.7			19.7
Issuance of common stock related to share-based payment awards (including income tax benefit of $1.0 million and $1.6 million in 2014 and 2016 respectively)	1.6		1.6			1.6
Issuance of common stock related to share-based payment awards (including income tax benefit of $1.0 million and $1.6 million in 2014 and 2016 respectively) (in shares)		100,000
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards	(4.6)		(4.6)			(4.6)
Purchases of common stock tendered by employees to satisfy the required withholding taxes related to share-based payment awards (in shares)		(100,000)
Purchases of common stock	(41.2)		(41.2)			(41.2)
Purchases of common stock (in shares)		(1,000,000)
Acquisition of remaining 49% equity interest	(3.7)		(10.9)			(10.9)	7.2
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(47.0)				(45.4)	(45.4)	(1.6)
Other	0.0		(0.1)			(0.1)
Balance as of end of period at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 1,940.0	$ 0.7	$ 399.9	$ 1,679.3	$ (154.8)	$ 1,925.0	$ 15.0
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	69,900,000	69,900,000