XML 52 R38.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.5.0.2

Investments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Detail) - Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions | Sep. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
--- | --- | ---
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | $ 2,096 | $ 2,047
Marketable securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 2,059 | 1,996
Marketable securities | U.S. government and agency debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 323 | 340
Marketable securities | Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 87 | 74
Marketable securities | Corporate debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 1,361 | 861
Marketable securities | U.S. state and local municipal debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 2
Marketable securities | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 2 | 2
Marketable securities | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 3 | 366
Marketable securities | Carbon Credit Investments [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 283 | 351
Other Long-term Investments |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 37 | 51
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 625 | 710
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 606 | 691
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | U.S. government and agency debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 323 | 340
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | Corporate debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | U.S. state and local municipal debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Marketable securities | Carbon Credit Investments [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 283 | 351
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Other Long-term Investments |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 19 | 19
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 1,453 | 1,305
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 1,453 | 1,305
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | U.S. government and agency debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 87 | 74
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | Corporate debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 1,361 | 861
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | U.S. state and local municipal debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 2
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 2 | 2
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 3 | 366
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Marketable securities | Carbon Credit Investments [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Other Long-term Investments |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 18 | 32
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | U.S. government and agency debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | Corporate debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | U.S. state and local municipal debt securities |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Marketable securities | Carbon Credit Investments [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Other Long-term Investments |  |
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Investments | $ 18 | $ 32

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Fair value portion of investment securities, including, but not limited to, marketable securities, derivative financial instruments, and investments accounted for under the equity method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Trading Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 35 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e24584-111560 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph a, f, g -Article 7 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=ups_MarketableSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis=ups_CarbonCreditInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |