United Parcel Service, Inc. Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Investments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Detail)

Investments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Detail) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member], USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	$ 2,010us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure	$ 1,075us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Marketable securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	1,935	992
Marketable securities \| U.S. government and agency debt securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	316	321
Marketable securities \| Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	89	89
Marketable securities \| Corporate debt securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	1,018	534
Marketable securities \| Other debt and equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	512	48
Other Long-term Investments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	75	83
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	335	340
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 \| Marketable securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	316	321
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	316	321
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 \| Other debt and equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	0	0
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	1,619	671
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 \| Marketable securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	1,619	671
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	89	89
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 \| Marketable securities \| Corporate debt securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	1,018	534
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 \| Marketable securities \| Other debt and equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments	512	48
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	56	64
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 \| Other debt and equity securities
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	$ 56	$ 64