Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2002	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012 Y Subscriber Netsurfer_Stockholders	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jul. 27, 2012	Aug. 30, 2011	Apr. 27, 2011	Apr. 25, 2004	Apr. 24, 2004	Dec. 31, 2012 Sales and marketing	Dec. 31, 2011 Sales and marketing	Dec. 31, 2010 Sales and marketing	Apr. 30, 2002 Travel zoo.com corporation	Feb. 06, 2013 Board of Directors Chairman
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of subscribers			26,000,000
The Company and Basis of Presentation (Textual) [Abstract]
Percent of outstanding shares															50.50%
Shares issued via internet			5,155,874
Number of Netsurfer Stockholders			700,000
Outstanding shares of Silicon Channels Corporation to Travelzoo Inc. exchanged			8,129,273
Additional shares acquired			2,158,349
Price per share of additional shares acquired			$ 1
Time of option exercised			January 2009
Period for receiving shares under merger														2 years
Number of shares under merger														1
Shares of Parent company outstanding	11,295,874
Shares of Parent company exchanged for shares of Subsidiary company									7,180,342
Number of shares outstanding			15,362,000	15,962,000					15,309,615	19,425,147
Shares of common stock outstanding			15,361,873
The Company and Basis of Presentation (Additional Textual) [Abstract]
Shares identified as demandable			3,000,000
Cash payment to receive a complete release of claims								$ 20,000,000
Charge related to unexchanged merger shares contingency		3,000,000
Cost to the Company in excess of the amount accrued			18,100,000
Minimum age of stockholders for issuance of shares			18
Charge in general and administrative expenses			33,000
Number of shares authorized for repurchase						1,000,000	500,000
Stock repurchased during period (in shares)			600,000
Aggregate purchase price of shares repurchased			11,500,000
Advertising expense			28,300,000	32,000,000	31,600,000						19,600,000	19,500,000	16,100,000
Allocated share-based compensation expense			$ 1,200,000	$ 750,000	$ 750,000