Revenue - Impact of New Guidance on Financial Statements (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets.	$ 202,045		$ 202,045
Contract assets	88,101		88,101		$ 87,812
Contract cost assets	147,512		147,512			$ 258,665
Deferred income tax assets	7,177		7,177			6,091
Other assets	123,929		123,929			124,021
Contract liabilities	73,812		73,812		$ 76,541
Other liabilities (short-term and long-term)	334,417		334,417
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(45,022)		(45,022)			(36,148)
Retained earnings	3,236,046		3,236,046			$ 3,004,018
Income Statement
Total revenues	1,007,580	$ 1,222,375	1,994,750	$ 2,407,100
Total operating expenses	798,882	1,029,127	1,597,781	2,046,669
Operating income	208,698	193,248	396,969	360,431
Income taxes	37,415	56,207	55,549	99,289
Net income	142,435	116,512	285,537	223,619
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 142,435	$ 115,014	$ 284,276	$ 220,882
Basic earnings per share (EPS) attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 0.62	$ 1.56	$ 1.20
Diluted EPS attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.78	$ 0.62	$ 1.55	$ 1.19
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 142,435	$ 116,512	$ 285,537	$ 223,619
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	104,290	$ 99,359	208,679	203,537
Contract assets and contract liabilities			(8,797)	5,224
Contract cost assets			2,989
Other current and other long-term liabilities.			(25,978)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to contract acquisition costs				$ (14,655)
Balances without adoption of adoption of ASC 606 | ASU 2014-09
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets.	204,105		204,105
Contract cost assets	253,992		253,992
Deferred income tax assets	6,300		6,300
Other assets	129,347		129,347
Contract liabilities	90,059		90,059
Other liabilities (short-term and long-term)	335,295		335,295
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(44,640)		(44,640)
Retained earnings	3,243,519		3,243,519
Income Statement
Total revenues	1,430,885		2,793,387
Total operating expenses	1,218,770		2,392,511
Operating income	212,115		400,876
Income taxes	38,182		56,428
Net income	145,085		288,564
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ 145,085		$ 287,303
Basic earnings per share (EPS) attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.80		$ 1.58
Diluted EPS attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ 0.79		$ 1.57
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 145,085		$ 288,564
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			240,377
Contract assets and contract liabilities			(35,843)
Other current and other long-term liabilities.			(14,419)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to contract acquisition costs			(16,249)
Effect of Change Higher/(Lower) | ASU 2014-09
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Prepaid expenses and other current assets.	(2,060)		(2,060)
Contract assets	88,101		88,101
Contract cost assets	(106,480)		(106,480)
Deferred income tax assets	877		877
Other assets	(5,418)		(5,418)
Contract liabilities	(16,247)		(16,247)
Other liabilities (short-term and long-term)	(878)		(878)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(382)		(382)
Retained earnings	(7,473)		(7,473)
Income Statement
Total revenues	(423,305)		(798,637)
Total operating expenses	(419,888)		(794,730)
Operating income	(3,417)		(3,907)
Income taxes	(767)		(879)
Net income	(2,650)		(3,027)
Net income attributable to TSYS common shareholders	$ (2,650)		$ (3,027)
Basic earnings per share (EPS) attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.01)		$ (0.02)
Diluted EPS attributable to TSYS common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.01)		$ (0.02)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ (2,650)		$ (3,027)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			(31,698)
Contract assets and contract liabilities			27,046
Contract cost assets			2,989
Other current and other long-term liabilities.			(11,559)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Additions to contract acquisition costs			$ 16,249