CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 1,059,131	$ 528,142	$ 489,472
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	20,648	16,209	14,491
Amortization	33,176	34,255	24,702
Provision for uncollectible accounts, net	9,331	7,102	3,227
Reversal of valuation allowances on deferred tax assets	0	0	(183,272)
Other deferred income taxes	44,747	37,540	30,990
Stock-based compensation and other stock based payments	66,194	68,396	40,671
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,360	3,332	2,465
Amortization of debt discount	21,414	20,110	18,203
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	32	11,334	1,048
Equity in income of investees	0	0	(2)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(125,793)	(29,275)	(22,767)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	12,213	(22,373)	(979)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities	210,325	84,750	86,792
Other	(11,966)	17,775	4,624
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,341,812	777,297	509,665
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Purchase of investments	(3,005,397)	(1,813,032)	(922,163)
Proceeds from sale of investments	2,229,563	1,071,669	432,184
Additions to property and equipment	(46,833)	(22,593)	(15,106)
Acquisitions and other equity investments, net of cash acquired	(68,192)	(112,405)	(1,500)
Proceeds from redemption of equity investment in pricelinemortgage.com	0	0	8,921
Proceeds from foreign currency contracts	31,045	44,564	0
Payments on foreign currency contracts	(42,032)	(9,561)	(5,025)
Change in restricted cash	(2,922)	260	1,229
Net cash used in investing activities	(904,768)	(841,098)	(501,460)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from the issuance of convertible senior notes	0	575,000	0
Payment of debt issuance costs	0	(13,334)	0
Payments related to conversion of senior notes	(213)	(295,401)	(197,122)
Repurchase of common stock	(163,171)	(129,445)	(17,415)
Payments to purchase subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interests	(12,986)	0	0
Proceeds from the sale of subsidiary shares to noncontrolling interests	0	4,311	0
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	4,302	25,751	43,428
Proceeds from the termination of conversion spread hedges	0	42,984	0
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	21,041	3,091	2,149
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(151,027)	212,957	(168,960)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(12,148)	7,670	(1,654)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	273,869	156,826	(162,409)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	358,967	202,141	364,550
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	632,836	358,967	202,141
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid during the period for income taxes	232,762	169,320	95,512
Cash paid during the period for interest	7,573	4,901	4,448
Non-cash fair value increase for redeemable noncontrolling interests	$ 91,743	$ 7,876	$ 0