Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Accrued interest related to senior notes	$ 10	$ 31
Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured revolving credit facility	750
Line of credit facility, expiration date	2016-08
Interest, on drawn amount	LIBOR plus 150 basis points
Commitment fee on undrawn amounts	0.225%
Basis points added to LIBOR rate	1.50%
Letters of credit issued under the credit facility	22	22
8.5% Senior Notes Due 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes principal amount		400
Senior notes, interest rate		8.50%
7.456% Senior Notes Due 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes principal amount	500
Senior notes, interest rate	7.456%
Senior notes, maturity date	2018-08
Senior notes redemption price percentage at the option of holder	100.00%
Redemption at option of holder	repayable in whole or in part on August 15, 2013, at the option of the holders of such 7.456% Notes, at 100% of the principal amount plus accrued interest
Redemption at option of Company	We may redeem the 7.456% Notes at a redemption price of 100% of the principal plus accrued interest, plus a "make-whole" premium, in whole or in part at any time at our option.
Fair value of senior notes	589	563
5.95% Senior Notes Due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior unsecured notes principal amount	750
Senior notes, interest rate	5.95%
Senior notes, maturity date	2020-08
Redemption at option of Company	We may redeem the 5.95% Notes at a redemption price of 100% of the principal plus accrued interest, plus a “make-whole” premium, in whole or in part at any time or from time to time at our option.
Senior notes issued price percentage	99.893%
Senior notes redemption price percentage at the option of the Company	100.00%
Fair value of senior notes	$ 825	$ 760

Accrued Interest Senior Notes

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Additional Margin Over Libor

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Debt Instruments Maturity Date Month and Year

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	expe_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Basis Points

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	expe_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Line of Credit Facility Expiration Dates

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Redemption at option of Company

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Redemption at option of holder.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Repayment Of Senior Debt Percentage Company Option

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Senior notes redemption price percentage at the option of holder.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Senior Notes Issued Price Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13433-108611

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13476-108611

+ Details

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- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Description of the interest rate for the amounts borrowed under the credit facility, including the terms and the method for determining the interest rate (for example, fixed or variable, LIBOR plus a percentage, increasing rate, timing of interest rate resets, remarketing provisions).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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