Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS - Expected Cash Flows for Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
COMPANY-SPONSORED EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS - Expected Cash Flows for Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
U.S. Pension Benefits    
Expected Benefit Payments:    
2013   $ 960us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2014   1,052us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearTwo
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2015   1,151us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearThree
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2016   1,262us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFour
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2017   1,382us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFive
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2018 - 2022   9,013us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsFiveFiscalYearsThereafter
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
U.S. Pension Benefits | 2015 to plan trusts    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 1,030us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_TrustForBenefitOfEmployeesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
 
U.S. Pension Benefits | 2015 to plan participants    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 17us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= ups_PlanParticipantsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPensionPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
 
U.S. Postretirement Medical Benefits    
Expected Benefit Payments:    
2013   245us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2014   238us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearTwo
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2015   236us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearThree
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2016   231us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFour
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2017   230us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFive
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
2018 - 2022   1,034us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsFiveFiscalYearsThereafter
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
U.S. Postretirement Medical Benefits | 2015 to plan trusts    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_TrustForBenefitOfEmployeesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
 
U.S. Postretirement Medical Benefits | 2015 to plan participants    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 104us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= ups_PlanParticipantsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_UnitedStatesPostretirementBenefitPlansOfUSEntityDefinedBenefitMember
 
International Pension Benefits    
Expected Benefit Payments:    
2013   26us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsNextTwelveMonths
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2014   25us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearTwo
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2015   28us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearThree
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2016   30us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFour
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2017   33us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFive
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2018 - 2022   214us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsFiveFiscalYearsThereafter
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
International Pension Benefits | 2015 to plan trusts    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 69us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_TrustForBenefitOfEmployeesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
International Pension Benefits | 2015 to plan participants    
Employer Contributions:    
Expected Employer Contribution in 2013 $ 4us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ ups_DefinedBenefitPlanByBenefitPlanCategoriesAxis
= ups_PlanParticipantsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignPensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember