Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 682.0	$ 835.0	$ 1,169.0	$ 309.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	235.0	307.0
Inventories	309.0	275.0
Prepaid income taxes	28.0	33.0
Other current assets	20.0	15.0
Total current assets	1,274.0	1,465.0
Property, plant and equipment—net	8,623.0	9,175.0	9,652.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		0.0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	93.0	108.0
Goodwill	2,353.0	2,371.0
Other assets	318.0	344.0
Total assets	12,661.0	13,463.0
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	545.0	472.0
Income taxes payable	5.0	2.0
Customer advances	149.0	89.0
Other current liabilities	6.0	17.0
Total current liabilities	705.0	580.0
Long-term debt	4,698.0	4,692.0
Deferred income taxes	1,117.0	1,047.0
Other liabilities	410.0	460.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	2.0	2.0
Paid-in capital	1,368.0	1,397.0
Retained earnings	2,463.0	2,443.0
Treasury stock	(504.0)	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(371.0)	(263.0)
Total stockholders’ equity	2,958.0	3,579.0
Noncontrolling interests	2,773.0	3,105.0	3,144.0	352.0
Total equity	5,731.0	6,684.0	6,492.0	4,387.0
Total liabilities and equity	12,661.0	13,463.0
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	(2,514.0)	(5,427.0)
Inventories	0.0	0.0
Prepaid income taxes	0.0	0.0
Other current assets	0.0	0.0
Total current assets	(2,514.0)	(5,427.0)
Property, plant and equipment—net	0.0	0.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		(8.0)
Investments in and advances to affiliates	(18,722.0)	(18,956.0)
Goodwill	0.0	0.0
Other assets	(132.0)	(276.0)
Total assets	(21,368.0)	(24,667.0)
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	(2,514.0)	(5,427.0)
Income taxes payable	0.0	0.0
Customer advances	0.0	0.0
Other current liabilities	0.0	0.0
Total current liabilities	(2,514.0)	(5,427.0)
Long-term debt	(132.0)	(276.0)
Deferred income taxes	0.0	(8.0)
Other liabilities	0.0	0.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	(5,363.0)	(4,738.0)
Paid-in capital	(12,134.0)	(13,142.0)
Retained earnings	(2,199.0)	(1,740.0)
Treasury stock	0.0	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	974.0	664.0
Total stockholders’ equity	(18,722.0)	(18,956.0)
Noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Total equity	(18,722.0)	(18,956.0)
Total liabilities and equity	(21,368.0)	(24,667.0)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	36.0	0.0	0.0	1.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	135.0	743.0
Inventories	0.0	0.0
Prepaid income taxes	0.0	0.0
Other current assets	0.0	0.0
Total current assets	171.0	743.0
Property, plant and equipment—net	0.0	0.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		0.0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	3,656.0	4,055.0
Goodwill	0.0	0.0
Other assets	0.0	0.0
Total assets	3,827.0	4,798.0
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	870.0	1,219.0
Income taxes payable	0.0	0.0
Customer advances	0.0	0.0
Other current liabilities	0.0	0.0
Total current liabilities	870.0	1,219.0
Long-term debt	0.0	0.0
Deferred income taxes	0.0	0.0
Other liabilities	0.0	0.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	2.0	2.0
Paid-in capital	1,368.0	1,397.0
Retained earnings	2,463.0	2,443.0
Treasury stock	(504.0)	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(372.0)	(263.0)
Total stockholders’ equity	2,957.0	3,579.0
Noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Total equity	2,957.0	3,579.0
Total liabilities and equity	3,827.0	4,798.0
CF Industries | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	27.0	15.0	36.0	0.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	500.0	1,553.0
Inventories	4.0	4.0
Prepaid income taxes	0.0	0.0
Other current assets	0.0	0.0
Total current assets	531.0	1,572.0
Property, plant and equipment—net	0.0	0.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		8.0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	8,208.0	8,411.0
Goodwill	0.0	0.0
Other assets	4.0	85.0
Total assets	8,743.0	10,076.0
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	374.0	1,314.0
Income taxes payable	0.0	0.0
Customer advances	0.0	0.0
Other current liabilities	0.0	0.0
Total current liabilities	374.0	1,314.0
Long-term debt	4,698.0	4,692.0
Deferred income taxes	0.0	0.0
Other liabilities	15.0	16.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	0.0	0.0
Paid-in capital	1,799.0	1,854.0
Retained earnings	2,229.0	2,463.0
Treasury stock	0.0	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(372.0)	(263.0)
Total stockholders’ equity	3,656.0	4,054.0
Noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Total equity	3,656.0	4,054.0
Total liabilities and equity	8,743.0	10,076.0
Non- Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	554.0	432.0	255.0	187.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	911.0	768.0
Inventories	163.0	167.0
Prepaid income taxes	4.0	0.0
Other current assets	5.0	5.0
Total current assets	1,637.0	1,372.0
Property, plant and equipment—net	8,505.0	9,052.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		0.0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	94.0	108.0
Goodwill	289.0	308.0
Other assets	320.0	453.0
Total assets	10,845.0	11,293.0
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	386.0	708.0
Income taxes payable	0.0	2.0
Customer advances	0.0	0.0
Other current liabilities	0.0	3.0
Total current liabilities	386.0	713.0
Long-term debt	89.0	78.0
Deferred income taxes	157.0	179.0
Other liabilities	163.0	201.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	5,363.0	4,738.0
Paid-in capital	1,265.0	1,783.0
Retained earnings	965.0	709.0
Treasury stock	0.0	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(324.0)	(221.0)
Total stockholders’ equity	7,269.0	7,009.0
Noncontrolling interests	2,781.0	3,113.0
Total equity	10,050.0	10,122.0
Total liabilities and equity	10,845.0	11,293.0
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	65.0	388.0	$ 878.0	$ 121.0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	1,203.0	2,670.0
Inventories	142.0	104.0
Prepaid income taxes	24.0	33.0
Other current assets	15.0	10.0
Total current assets	1,449.0	3,205.0
Property, plant and equipment—net	118.0	123.0
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance, Noncurrent		0.0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	6,857.0	6,490.0
Goodwill	2,064.0	2,063.0
Other assets	126.0	82.0
Total assets	10,614.0	11,963.0
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	1,429.0	2,658.0
Income taxes payable	5.0	0.0
Customer advances	149.0	89.0
Other current liabilities	6.0	14.0
Total current liabilities	1,589.0	2,761.0
Long-term debt	43.0	198.0
Deferred income taxes	960.0	876.0
Other liabilities	232.0	243.0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0.0	0.0
Common stock	0.0	0.0
Paid-in capital	9,070.0	9,505.0
Retained earnings	(995.0)	(1,432.0)
Treasury stock	0.0	0.0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(277.0)	(180.0)
Total stockholders’ equity	7,798.0	7,893.0
Noncontrolling interests	(8.0)	(8.0)
Total equity	7,790.0	7,885.0
Total liabilities and equity	$ 10,614.0	$ 11,963.0