Income Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	12. Income Taxes The Company is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tax authorities in other countries and states in which the Company has significant business operations. The tax years under examination and open for examination vary by jurisdiction. The IRS has completed its field examination of the Company’s federal tax returns for years through 2007; however, refund claims for certain years continue to be reviewed by the IRS. In addition, the Company is currently under examination by the IRS for the years 2008 through 2011. The Company believes it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease within the next 12 months by as much as $686 million principally as a result of potential resolutions of prior years’ tax items with various taxing authorities. The prior years’ tax items include unrecognized tax benefits relating to the deductibility of certain expenses or losses and the attribution of taxable income to a particular jurisdiction or jurisdictions. Of the $686 million of unrecognized tax benefits, approximately $529 million relates to amounts that if recognized would be recorded to shareholders’ equity and would not impact the Company’s results of operations or the effective tax rate. The effective tax rate was 34.2 percent and 34.4 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. The effective tax rate was 31.8 percent and 31.4 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively. The tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 reflects the resolution of certain prior years’ tax items as well as the reversal of a valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets within the business travel organization. The tax rates for all periods reflect the level of pretax income in relation to recurring permanent tax benefits and geographic mix of business.

Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

12. Income Taxes

The Company is under continuous examination by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and tax authorities in other countries and states in which the Company has significant business operations. The tax years under examination and open for examination vary by jurisdiction. The IRS has completed its field examination of the Company’s federal tax returns for years through 2007; however, refund claims for certain years continue to be reviewed by the IRS. In addition, the Company is currently under examination by the IRS for the years 2008 through 2011.

The Company believes it is reasonably possible that its unrecognized tax benefits could decrease within the next 12 months by as much as $686 million principally as a result of potential resolutions of prior years’ tax items with various taxing authorities. The prior years’ tax items include unrecognized tax benefits relating to the deductibility of certain expenses or losses and the attribution of taxable income to a particular jurisdiction or jurisdictions. Of the $686 million of unrecognized tax benefits, approximately $529 million relates to amounts that if recognized would be recorded to shareholders’ equity and would not impact the Company’s results of operations or the effective tax rate.

The effective tax rate was 34.2 percent and 34.4 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, respectively. The effective tax rate was 31.8 percent and 31.4 percent for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013, respectively. The tax rate for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 reflects the resolution of certain prior years’ tax items as well as the reversal of a valuation allowance related to deferred tax assets within the business travel organization.

The tax rates for all periods reflect the level of pretax income in relation to recurring permanent tax benefits and geographic mix of business.