Operating Segments (Adjusted for EBITDA) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	$ 43,178,000	$ 51,383,000	$ 210,532,000	$ 122,521,000
Asset write-down charges	1,560,000	3,090,000	8,250,000	13,696,000
Acquisition and integration costs	2,937,000	617,000	12,112,000	1,661,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	154,867,000	138,523,000	446,749,000	413,987,000
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments	3,858,000	0	10,301,000	0
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	144,949,000	127,119,000	427,361,000	380,288,000
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0	0	14,586,000	0
Interest income	(291,000)	(175,000)	(1,027,000)	(554,000)
Other income (expense)	632,000	737,000	3,958,000	5,441,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	32,300,000	2,825,000	(29,437,000)	7,763,000
Stock-based compensation expense	16,182,000	8,279,000	35,364,000	26,811,000
Adjusted EBITDA	400,172,000	332,398,000	1,138,749,000	971,614,000
CCUSA [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	38,003,000	50,166,000	198,076,000	119,949,000
Asset write-down charges	1,518,000	3,165,000	8,197,000	13,452,000
Acquisition and integration costs	2,937,000	617,000	12,058,000	1,661,000
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	147,186,000	130,878,000	423,620,000	391,342,000
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments	3,858,000	0	10,301,000	0
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	144,949,000	127,119,000	427,349,000	379,964,000
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0	0	14,586,000	0
Interest income	(210,000)	(25,000)	(665,000)	(166,000)
Other income (expense)	(3,825,000)	(5,042,000)	(10,869,000)	(11,771,000)
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	31,864,000	2,261,000	(30,883,000)	6,076,000
Stock-based compensation expense	16,308,000	7,683,000	33,413,000	24,937,000
Adjusted EBITDA	382,588,000	316,822,000	1,085,183,000	925,444,000
CCAL [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	5,175,000	1,217,000	12,456,000	2,572,000
Asset write-down charges	42,000	(75,000)	53,000	244,000
Acquisition and integration costs	0	0	54,000	0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	7,681,000	7,645,000	23,129,000	22,645,000
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments	0	0	0	0
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	4,478,000	5,755,000	14,815,000	17,513,000
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0	0	0	0
Interest income	(81,000)	(150,000)	(362,000)	(388,000)
Other income (expense)	(21,000)	24,000	24,000	23,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	436,000	564,000	1,446,000	1,687,000
Stock-based compensation expense	(126,000)	596,000	1,951,000	1,874,000
Adjusted EBITDA	17,584,000	15,576,000	53,566,000	46,170,000
Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting, Other Significant Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Asset write-down charges	0	0	0	0
Acquisition and integration costs	0	0	0	0
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prepaid lease purchase price adjustments		0	0	0
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs	(4,478,000)	(5,755,000)	(14,803,000)	(17,189,000)
Gains (losses) on retirement of long-term obligations	0	0	0	0
Interest income	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	4,478,000	5,755,000	14,803,000	17,189,000
Benefit (provision) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation expense	0	0	0	0
Adjusted EBITDA	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0