Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share Under Guidance of ASC 260 (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Basic EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 69,708	$ 82,839	$ 160,336	$ 160,594
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.38	$ 0.45	$ 0.87	$ 0.87
Diluted EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 69,708	$ 82,839	$ 160,336	$ 160,594
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.38	$ 0.45	$ 0.87	$ 0.87
Common Stock
Basic EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 69,708	$ 82,839	$ 160,336	$ 160,594
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	(347)	(724)	(850)	(1,437)
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (a)	$ 69,361	$ 82,115	$ 159,486	$ 159,157
Average common shares outstanding (b)	183,724	182,204	183,489	182,487
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.38	$ 0.45	$ 0.87	$ 0.87
Diluted EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 69,708	$ 82,839	$ 160,336	$ 160,594
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	(346)	(721)	(847)	(1,431)
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (c)	$ 69,362	$ 82,118	$ 159,489	$ 159,163
Average common shares outstanding	183,724	182,204	183,489	182,487
Increase due to assumed issuance of shares related to common equivalent shares outstanding	874	1,191	846	1,145
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (d)	184,598	183,395	184,335	183,632
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.38	$ 0.45	$ 0.87	$ 0.87
Participating Securities
Basic EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	347	724	850	1,437
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (a)	$ 347	$ 724	$ 850	$ 1,437
Average common shares outstanding (b)	934	1,625	989	1,667
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.37	$ 0.45	$ 0.86	$ 0.86
Diluted EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	346	721	847	1,431
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (c)	$ 346	$ 721	$ 847	$ 1,431
Average common shares outstanding	934	1,625	989	1,667
Increase due to assumed issuance of shares related to common equivalent shares outstanding	0	0	0	0
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (d)	934	1,625	989	1,667
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.37	$ 0.44	$ 0.86	$ 0.86