BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business, consolidation and presentation	Business, consolidation and presentation— We are a leading worldwide provider of payment technology and software solutions delivering innovative services to our customers globally. Our technologies, services and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of solutions that allow our customers to accept various payment types and operate their businesses more efficiently. We distribute our services across a variety of channels to customers in 30 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Brazil and operate in three reportable segments: North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. We were incorporated in Georgia as Global Payments Inc. in 2000 and spun-off from our former parent company in 2001. Including our time as part of our former parent company, we have been in the payment technology services business since 1967. Global Payments Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to collectively as "Global Payments," the "Company," "we," "our" or "us," unless the context requires otherwise. These unaudited consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our majority-owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") for interim financial information pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 was derived from the audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements. In the opinion of our management, all known adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods have been made. These adjustments consist of normal recurring accruals and estimates that affect the carrying amount of assets and liabilities. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates— The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted	Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements New Revenue Accounting Standard We adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, as well as other clarifications and technical guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") related to this new revenue standard (collectively codified in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606: Revenue from Contracts with Customers, "ASC 606" and ASC Subtopic 340-40: Other Assets and Deferred Costs - Contracts with Customers, "ASC 340-40"), on January 1, 2018. We elected the modified retrospective transition method, which resulted in a net increase to retained earnings of $51.0 million for the cumulative effect of applying the standard. The primary component of the cumulative-effect adjustment was the result of changes in the accounting for certain costs to obtain customer contracts and the related income tax effects, which resulted in increases to other noncurrent assets and deferred income tax liabilities of $64.6 million and $15.6 million, respectively. Previously, we amortized these assets to expense over the related contract term. Under ASC 340-40, we now amortize these assets over the expected period of benefit, which is generally longer than the initial contract term. Under the new standard, we also capitalized certain costs that were not previously capitalized, including certain commissions and related payroll taxes and certain costs incurred to fulfill a contract before the performance obligation has been satisfied, primarily compensation to employees engaged in customer implementation activities in our technology-enabled businesses. Under the modified retrospective transition method, we are required to provide additional disclosures during 2018 of the amount by which each financial statement line item is affected in the current reporting period, as compared to the guidance that was in effect before the change, and an explanation of the reasons for significant changes, if any. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2018, we presented revenue net of certain payments made to third parties, including payment networks. This change in presentation had the effect of reducing our revenues and operating expenses by the same amounts. As a result, revenues, cost of service and selling, general and administrative expenses were lower than the amounts without the effect of the new accounting standard by $281.9 million, $265.0 million and $16.9 million, respectively, during the three months ended June 30, 2018; and lower than the amounts without the effect of the new accounting standard by $534.3 million, $500.9 million and $33.3 million, respectively, during the six months ended June 30, 2018. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material effect on any other line items in our consolidated statement of income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 or consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2018, and had no effect on our cash flows from operating activities, investing activities or financing activities included in our consolidated statement of cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2018. Other Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Updates In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities." The ASU expands and refines hedge accounting for both nonfinancial and financial risk components and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. In addition, the amendments in this update modify disclosure requirements for presentation of hedging activities. Those modifications include a tabular disclosure related to the effect on the income statement of fair value and cash flow hedges and eliminate the requirement to disclose the ineffective portion of the change in fair value of hedging instruments, if any. We adopted ASU 2017-12 on January 1, 2018 with no effect on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, "Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business." The ASU clarifies the definition of a business, which affects many areas of accounting including acquisitions, disposals, goodwill and consolidation. The new standard is intended to help companies and other organizations evaluate whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses, with the expectation that fewer will qualify as acquisitions (or disposals) of businesses. The ASU became effective for us on January 1, 2018. These amendments will be applied prospectively from the date of adoption. The effect of ASU 2017-01 will be dependent upon the nature of future acquisitions or dispositions that we make, if any. There was no effect on the consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2018. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory." The amendments in this update state that an entity should recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory, such as intellectual property and property and equipment, when the transfer occurs. We adopted ASU 2016-16 on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method with no effect on our consolidated financial statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, "Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." The amendments in this update address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The amendments in this update supersede the guidance to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values into different categories (that is, trading or available-for-sale) and require equity securities (including other ownership interests, such as partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures and limited liability companies) to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through earnings. Equity investments that are accounted for under the equity method of accounting or result in consolidation of an investee are not included within the scope of this update. The amendments allow equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values to be remeasured at fair value either upon the occurrence of an observable price change or upon identification of an impairment. The amendments also require enhanced disclosures about those investments. We adopted ASU 2016-01 on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method with no material effect on our consolidated financial statements. Recently Issued Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted New Lease Accounting Standard In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases." This update requires lessees to recognize, on the balance sheet, assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by leases. In addition, several new disclosures will be required. Although early adoption is permitted, we expect to adopt ASU 2016-02, as well as other related clarifications and interpretive guidance issued by the FASB, when it becomes effective for us on January 1, 2019. We plan to elect the optional modified retrospective transition method to apply the provisions of the new standard at the adoption date, which will result in recognition and measurement of leases as a cumulative-effect adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. Under this transition method, we would not recast the prior financial statements presented. We have not completed our evaluation of the effect of ASU 2016-02 on our consolidated financial statements; however, we expect to recognize right of use assets and liabilities for our operating leases in the balance sheet upon adoption. To evaluate the potential effects of this new accounting standard on our consolidated financial statements, we are currently analyzing our existing leases, which primarily include real estate leases for office space throughout the markets in which we conduct business. We expect that we will have to implement new accounting processes and internal controls to meet the requirements for financial reporting and disclosures of our leases and are coordinating with various internal stakeholders to evaluate, design and implement these new processes and controls. We are also evaluating the process by which we will make the necessary calculations to support the requirements of the new accounting standard. We expect these evaluation and implementation activities will continue throughout most of 2018 prior to the effective date of adoption on January 1, 2019. Other Accounting Standards Updates Not Yet Adopted In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, "Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income: Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income." This ASU provides an option to reclassify stranded tax effects within accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") to retained earnings in each period in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "2017 U.S. Tax Act") (or portion thereof) is recorded. This ASU requires disclosure of a description of the accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI; whether election is made to reclassify the stranded income tax effects from the 2017 U.S. Tax Act; and information about the income tax effects that are reclassified. This ASU is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Although we do not believe adoption of ASU 2018-02 will have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements, we are continuing to evaluate whether to elect the option. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments." The amendments in this update change how companies measure and recognize credit impairment for many financial assets. The new expected credit loss model will require companies to immediately recognize an estimate of credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of the financial assets (including trade receivables) that are in the scope of the update. The update also made amendments to the current impairment model for held-to-maturity and available-for-sale debt securities and certain guarantees. The guidance will become effective for us on January 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019. We are evaluating the effect of ASU 2016-13 on our consolidated financial statements.