Earnings Per Share - Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share Under Guidance of ASC 260 (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Basic EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 85,352	$ 120,622	$ 245,688	$ 281,216
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.46	$ 0.66	$ 1.34	$ 1.53
Diluted EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 85,352	$ 120,622	$ 245,688	$ 281,216
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.46	$ 0.65	$ 1.33	$ 1.52
Common Stock
Basic EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 85,352	$ 120,622	$ 245,688	$ 281,216
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	(391)	(991)	(1,240)	(2,445)
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (a)	$ 84,961	$ 119,631	$ 244,448	$ 278,771
Average common shares outstanding (b)	182,971	182,431	182,656	182,701
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.46	$ 0.66	$ 1.34	$ 1.53
Diluted EPS:
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 85,352	$ 120,622	$ 245,688	$ 281,216
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	(389)	(985)	(1,236)	(2,432)
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (c)	$ 84,963	$ 119,637	$ 244,452	$ 278,784
Average common shares outstanding	182,971	182,431	182,656	182,701
Increase due to assumed issuance of shares related to common equivalent shares outstanding	811	1,327	829	1,214
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (d)	183,782	183,758	183,485	183,915
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.46	$ 0.65	$ 1.33	$ 1.52
Participating Securities
Basic EPS:
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	$ 391	$ 991	$ 1,240	$ 2,445
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (a)	$ 391	$ 991	$ 1,240	$ 2,445
Average common shares outstanding (b)	860	1,523	945	1,619
Basic EPS (a)/(b)	$ 0.45	$ 0.65	$ 1.31	$ 1.51
Diluted EPS:
Less income allocated to nonvested awards	$ 389	$ 985	$ 1,236	$ 2,432
Net income allocated to common stock for EPS calculation (c)	$ 389	$ 985	$ 1,236	$ 2,432
Average common shares outstanding	860	1,523	945	1,619
Average common and common equivalent shares outstanding (d)	860	1,523	945	1,619
Diluted EPS (c)/(d)	$ 0.45	$ 0.65	$ 1.31	$ 1.50