Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 26, 2015
Mar. 30, 2015
Feb. 05, 2015
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Cycle Period 3        
Compensation expense for share-based awards recognized in net income, pre-tax $ 194us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation $ 164us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation      
Employee Stock Option [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Grant price of stock options and RPU $ 18.07us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
$ 20.48us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
     
Nonqualified Stock Options [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Percentage of the award vesting at each anniversary date of the grant 20.00%ups_PercentageOfAwardVestingAtEachAnniversaryDateOfGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_NonqualifiedStockOptionsMember
       
Stock options granted 0.2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_NonqualifiedStockOptionsMember
0.1us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_NonqualifiedStockOptionsMember
     
Grant price of stock options and RPU $ 101.93us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_NonqualifiedStockOptionsMember
$ 96.98us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_NonqualifiedStockOptionsMember
     
Award vesting period 5 years        
Period from grant date to expiration 10 years        
Long-Term Incentive Performance Award [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Closing New York Stock Exchange price     $ 96.64ups_ClosingNewYorkStockExchangePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
   
Percentage of target restricted performance units award that will be divided into three substantially equal tranches in the three-year award cycle from 2011 to 2013 90.00%ups_PercentageOfTargetRestrictedPerformanceUnitsAwardThatWillBeDividedIntoThreeSubstantiallyEqualTranchesInThreeYearAwardCycleFrom2011To2013
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
       
Number of tranches included in award cycle 3ups_NumberOfTranchesIncludedInAwardCycle
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
       
Number of award tranches for each calendar year 1ups_NumberOfAwardTranchesForEachCalendarYear
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
       
Remaining target award based upon our achievement of adjusted earnings per share for the year ending 2013 compared to a target established at the beginning of the award cycle 10.00%ups_RemainingTargetAwardBasedUponOurAchievementOfAdjustedEarningsPerShareForYearEnding2013ComparedToTargetEstablishedAtBeginningOfAwardCycle
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
       
Percentage of achievement used to determine RPUs earned of the target RPUs for each tranche 65.86%ups_PercentageOfAchievementUsedToDetermineRpusEarnedOfTargetRpusForEachTranche
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
       
Award vesting period 3 years        
Management Incentive Award [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Percentage of the award vesting at each anniversary date of the grant 20.00%ups_PercentageOfAwardVestingAtEachAnniversaryDateOfGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_ManagementIncentiveAwardMember
       
Closing New York Stock Exchange price       $ 97.27ups_ClosingNewYorkStockExchangePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_ManagementIncentiveAwardMember
$ 101.46ups_ClosingNewYorkStockExchangePrice
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_ManagementIncentiveAwardMember
Award vesting period 5 years        
Minimum [Member] | Long-Term Incentive Performance Award [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Percentage of achievement used to determine RPUs earned of the target RPUs for each tranche 0.00%ups_PercentageOfAchievementUsedToDetermineRpusEarnedOfTargetRpusForEachTranche
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
       
Maximum [Member] | Long-Term Incentive Performance Award [Member]          
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]          
Percentage of achievement used to determine RPUs earned of the target RPUs for each tranche 200.00%ups_PercentageOfAchievementUsedToDetermineRpusEarnedOfTargetRpusForEachTranche
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= ups_LongTermIncentivePerformanceAwardMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember