Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 287	$ 682	$ 835	$ 1,169
Accounts and notes receivable—net	242	235
Inventories	351	309
Prepaid income taxes	71	28
Other current assets	23	20
Total current assets	974	1,274
Property, plant and equipment—net	8,170	8,623	9,175
Investments in and advances to affiliates	88	93
Goodwill	2,365	2,353
Operating lease right-of-use assets	280	0
Other assets	295	318
Total assets	12,172	12,661
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	437	545
Income taxes payable	1	5
Customer advances	119	149
Current operating lease liabilities	90	0
Other current liabilities	18	6
Total current liabilities	665	705
Long-term debt	3,957	4,698
Deferred income taxes	1,246	1,117
Operating lease liabilities	193	0
Other liabilities	474	410
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	2	2
Paid-in capital	1,303	1,368
Retained earnings	1,958	2,463
Treasury stock	0	(504)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(366)	(371)
Total stockholders’ equity	2,897	2,958
Noncontrolling interest	2,740	2,773	3,105	3,144
Total equity	5,637	5,731	6,684	6,492
Total liabilities and equity	12,172	12,661
Eliminations
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	(2,548)	(1,784)
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid income taxes	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(2,548)	(1,784)
Property, plant and equipment—net	0	0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	(9,794)	(11,864)
Goodwill	0	0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	(12,342)	(13,648)
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	(2,548)	(1,784)
Income taxes payable	0	0
Customer advances	0	0
Current operating lease liabilities	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(2,548)	(1,784)
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	(1)	(1)
Paid-in capital	(7,160)	(11,245)
Retained earnings	(3,429)	(1,350)
Treasury stock		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	796	732
Total stockholders’ equity	(9,794)	(11,864)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	(9,794)	(11,864)
Total liabilities and equity	(12,342)	(13,648)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	36	0	0
Accounts and notes receivable—net	137	135
Inventories	0	0
Prepaid income taxes	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	138	171
Property, plant and equipment—net	0	0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	3,911	3,656
Goodwill	0	0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Other assets	0	0
Total assets	4,049	3,827
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	1,152	870
Income taxes payable	0	0
Customer advances	0	0
Current operating lease liabilities	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	1,152	870
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	2	2
Paid-in capital	1,303	1,368
Retained earnings	1,958	2,463
Treasury stock		(504)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(366)	(372)
Total stockholders’ equity	2,897	2,957
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	2,897	2,957
Total liabilities and equity	4,049	3,827
CF Industries | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	6	27	15	36
Accounts and notes receivable—net	614	500
Inventories	0	4
Prepaid income taxes	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	620	531
Property, plant and equipment—net	0	0
Investments in and advances to affiliates	5,883	8,208
Goodwill	2,064	0
Operating lease right-of-use assets	0
Other assets	5	4
Total assets	8,572	8,743
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	690	374
Income taxes payable	0	0
Customer advances	0	0
Current operating lease liabilities	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	690	374
Long-term debt	3,957	4,698
Deferred income taxes	0	0
Operating lease liabilities	0
Other liabilities	14	15
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	0	0
Paid-in capital	1,799	1,799
Retained earnings	2,478	2,229
Treasury stock		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(366)	(372)
Total stockholders’ equity	3,911	3,656
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total equity	3,911	3,656
Total liabilities and equity	8,572	8,743
Other Subsidiaries | Reportable legal entities
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	280	619	$ 820	$ 1,133
Accounts and notes receivable—net	2,039	1,384
Inventories	351	305
Prepaid income taxes	71	28
Other current assets	23	20
Total current assets	2,764	2,356
Property, plant and equipment—net	8,170	8,623
Investments in and advances to affiliates	88	93
Goodwill	301	2,353
Operating lease right-of-use assets	280
Other assets	290	314
Total assets	11,893	13,739
Current liabilities:
Accounts and notes payable and accrued expenses	1,143	1,085
Income taxes payable	1	5
Customer advances	119	149
Current operating lease liabilities	90
Other current liabilities	18	6
Total current liabilities	1,371	1,245
Long-term debt	0	0
Deferred income taxes	1,246	1,117
Operating lease liabilities	193
Other liabilities	460	395
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock	0	0
Common stock	1	1
Paid-in capital	5,361	9,446
Retained earnings	951	(879)
Treasury stock		0
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(430)	(359)
Total stockholders’ equity	5,883	8,209
Noncontrolling interest	2,740	2,773
Total equity	8,623	10,982
Total liabilities and equity	$ 11,893	$ 13,739