No definition available.

Name:	jwa_CashDividendAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	jwa_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate dividends paid during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareCashPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the declared dividend will be paid, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123431023&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendPayableDateToBePaidDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the dividend to be paid was declared, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsPayableDateDeclaredDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the holder must own the stock to be entitled to the dividend, in YYYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsPayableDateOfRecordDayMonthAndYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow in the form of ordinary dividends to common shareholders of the parent entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3291-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=jwa_DividendDeclaredInCurrentYearQ1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=jwa_DividendDeclaredInCurrentYearQ2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=jwa_DividendDeclaredInCurrentYearQ3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DividendsAxis=jwa_DividendDeclaredInCurrentYearQ4Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=us-gaap_CommonClassBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Capital Stock and Changes in Capital Accounts, Dividends (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands					12 Months Ended
	Apr. 21, 2021	Jan. 13, 2021	Oct. 21, 2020	Jul. 22, 2020	Apr. 30, 2021	Apr. 30, 2020	Apr. 30, 2019
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Total Dividend					$ 76,938	$ 76,658	$ 75,752
Class A [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 1.37	$ 1.36	$ 1.32
Class A [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q1 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Jun. 25, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend				$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Jul. 22, 2020
Dividend record date					Jul. 07, 2020
Class A [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q2 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Sep. 23, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend			$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Oct. 21, 2020
Dividend record date					Oct. 06, 2020
Class A [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q3 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Dec. 16, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend		$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Jan. 13, 2021
Dividend record date					Dec. 30, 2020
Class A [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q4 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Mar. 24, 2021
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend	$ 19,100
Dividend paid date					Apr. 21, 2021
Dividend record date					Apr. 06, 2021
Class B [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 1.37	$ 1.36	$ 1.32
Class B [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q1 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Jun. 25, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend				$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Jul. 22, 2020
Dividend record date					Jul. 07, 2020
Class B [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q2 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Sep. 23, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend			$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Oct. 21, 2020
Dividend record date					Oct. 06, 2020
Class B [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q3 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Dec. 16, 2020
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend		$ 19,200
Dividend paid date					Jan. 13, 2021
Dividend record date					Dec. 30, 2020
Class B [Member] \| Dividend Declared in Q4 2021 [Member]
Cash dividend [Abstract]
Date of Declaration by Board of Directors					Mar. 24, 2021
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)					$ 0.3425
Total Dividend	$ 19,100
Dividend paid date					Apr. 21, 2021
Dividend record date					Apr. 06, 2021