Note 8: Restructuring and Other Costs (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	$ 50
Restructuring costs recorded with continuing operations	52
Restructuring costs recorded within discontinued operations	(2)
Restructuring Reserve, Two Years Prior Actions	26
Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	20
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(7)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	13
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	20
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees	approximately 300 hourly and salaried employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited	approximately 200,000 net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees	approximately 150 employees
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	38
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	18
Current Year Actions [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	19
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(6)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	13
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	19
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	32
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	13
Current Year Actions [Member] | Asset Write Downs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	0
Restructuring Reserve Settled	0
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	0
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0
Current Year Actions [Member] | Facility Exit [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	1
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(1)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	6
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	5
Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	339
Restructuring Charges	29
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(116)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	252	339
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	29	576
Anticipated Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees	7,100 employees
Anticipated Net Square Feet Of Facilities To Be Exited	2.7 million net square feet
Completed Net Workforce Reduction Of Hourly And Salary Employees	approximately 5,500 employees
Completed Net Square Feet Of Facilities Exited	1.4 million net square feet
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	679
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	74
Prior Year Actions [Member] | Employee Severance [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	289
Restructuring Charges	18
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(106)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	201	289
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	18	452
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	492
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	22
Prior Year Actions [Member] | Asset Write Downs [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	0
Restructuring Charges	1
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(1)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	0	0
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1	14
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	15
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0
Prior Year Actions [Member] | Facility Exit [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Reserve Beginning Balance	50
Restructuring Charges	10
Restructuring Reserve Settled	(9)
Restructuring Reserve Ending Balance	51	50
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	10	110
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	172
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	52
Otis [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	10
Otis [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	6
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	11
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	5
Otis [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1	146
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	156
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	9
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	22
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	8
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	18
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	10
UTC Climate Controls and Security [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	14	123
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	168
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	31
Pratt and Whitney [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	7
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	6
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	9
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	3
Pratt and Whitney [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	1	94
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	100
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	5
UTC Aerospace Systems [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	8
UTC Aerospace Systems [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	8	121
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	156
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	27
Sikorsky [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	5
Sikorsky [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	5	47
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	54
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	2
Eliminations and other [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	19
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	19
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0
Discontinued Operations [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring and Related Cost, Incurred Cost	0	26
Restructuring and Related Cost, Expected Cost	26
Restructuring And Related Cost Expected Remaining	0
Cost Of Sales [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	27
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	6
Cost Of Sales [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	20
Selling General and Administrative [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	25
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Current Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	14
Selling General and Administrative [Member] | Prior Year Actions [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	9
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring Charges	$ (2)