Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

SHAREOWNERS' EQUITY - Additional Information (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
SHAREOWNERS' EQUITY - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Classes_of_Common_Stock
Mar. 31, 2014
Feb. 14, 2013
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]      
Classes of Common Stock, Number 2ups_ClassesOfCommonStockNumber    
Preferred stock, shares authorized 200,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized    
Preferred stock, par value $ 0.01us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare    
Preferred stock, issued 0us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesIssued    
Total of Class A and Class B common stock, repurchased, value $ 687,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue $ 659,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue  
Common stock authorized for purchase, amount     10,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount 3,466,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1    
Common stock purchases 6,800,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares 6,800,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares  
Class A common stock      
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]      
Votes per common share 10ups_VotesPerCommonShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		   
Common stock, par value $ 0.01us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		   
Common stock, shares authorized 4,600,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		   
Total of Class A and Class B common stock, repurchased, value 0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		 
Common stock purchases 1,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		1,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember 		 
Class B common stock      
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]      
Votes per common share 1ups_VotesPerCommonShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		   
Common stock, par value $ 0.01us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		   
Common stock, shares authorized 5,600,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		   
Total of Class A and Class B common stock, repurchased, value 0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		0us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		 
Common stock purchases 6,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		6,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassBMember 		 
Options Held [Member]      
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]      
Option premiums received (paid) (99,000,000)ups_OptionPremiumsReceivedPaid
/ us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityEquityAxis
= us-gaap_OptionMember 		(1,000,000)ups_OptionPremiumsReceivedPaid
/ us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityEquityAxis
= us-gaap_OptionMember 		 
Option Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Shares 2,800,000us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityShares
/ us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityEquityAxis
= us-gaap_OptionMember 		   
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Forward Rate Per Share $ 92.31us-gaap_ForwardContractIndexedToIssuersEquityForwardRate
/ us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityEquityAxis
= us-gaap_OptionMember 		   
accelerated share repurchase program [Domain]      
Stockholders Equity Note [Line Items]      
Total of Class A and Class B common stock, repurchased, value $ 400,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= ups_AcceleratedsharerepurchaseprogramDomain 		   
Common stock purchases 4,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= ups_AcceleratedsharerepurchaseprogramDomain