Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

CASH AND INVESTMENTS - Age of Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value by Investment Category (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
CASH AND INVESTMENTS - Age of Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Value by Investment Category (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value $ 147ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
12 Months or More Fair Value 21ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
Total Fair Value 168ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
Total Unrealized Losses 2ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
U.S. government and agency debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 147ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
12 Months or More Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Total Fair Value 147ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Total Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Mortgage and asset-backed debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Fair Value 21ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 21ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Total Unrealized Losses 1ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Corporate debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
U.S. state and local municipal debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
12 Months or More Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Total Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Total Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Other debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
Less Than 12 Months Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthanTwelveMonthsAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or More Unrealized Losses 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsorLongerAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Unrealized Losses $ 0ups_MarketableSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember