Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Contingencies	Contingencies On October 10, 2007, the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a subpoena ordering the Company to produce certain information and records relating to an investigation of alleged anti-competitive behavior amongst air cargo freight forwarders. As part of this process, the Company has met with and continues to co-operate with the DOJ. The Company may incur additional costs during the course of this ongoing investigation, which could include fines and/or penalties if the DOJ concludes that the Company has engaged in anti-competitive behavior and such fines and/or penalties could have a material impact on the Company's results of operations and operating cash flows for any particular quarter or year. On April 19, 2012, the Company received a federal grand jury subpoena from the DOJ requiring the production of documents related to the export or re-export by unaffiliated third-parties to end users in a US-embargoed country of products and/or services produced by a U.S. manufacturer. In a related matter, the Company is also responding to an administrative subpoena from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) requiring the production of documents pertaining to the export or re-export of US-origin goods to the same embargoed country. The Company is co-operating with the DOJ and BIS. If it is determined that the Company or one of its subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, facilitated the export or re-export of these specified products and/or services, the Company may incur fines and/or penalties which could have a material impact on the Company's results of operations and cash flows for any particular quarter or year. On February 10, 2010, the Company and its Hong Kong subsidiary, Expeditors Hong Kong Limited, received a Statement of Objections (SO) from the European Commission (EC). The SO initiated a proceeding against the Company alleging anti-competitive behavior contrary to European Union rules on competition. Specific to the Company, the allegations in the SO are limited to Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for the period from August 2005 to June 2006 and only concern airfreight trade lanes between South China/Hong Kong and the European Economic Area. On March 28, 2012, the EC concluded that the Company engaged in anti-competitive behavior and fined the Company €4.14 million ($5.5 million). This fine was recorded in March 2012 and is included in other operating expenses. Government investigations are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include substantial monetary damages and, in matters in which injunctive relief or other conduct remedies are sought, an injunction or other order relating to business conduct. Were unfavorable final outcomes to occur, the Company's results of operations and cash flows for the particular quarter or year could be materially harmed. The Company is involved in other claims and lawsuits which arise in the ordinary course of business, none of which currently, in management's opinion, are expected to have a significant effect on the Company's operations or financial position. As of March 31, 2012, the amounts accrued for these claims and lawsuits, and the other legal matters described above, are not significant to the Company's operations or financial position. At this time the Company is unable to estimate any additional loss or range of reasonably possible loss, if any, beyond the amounts recorded, that might result from the resolution of these matters.

Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

On October 10, 2007, the U. S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a subpoena ordering the Company to produce certain information and records relating to an investigation of alleged anti-competitive behavior amongst air cargo freight forwarders. As part of this process, the Company has met with and continues to co-operate with the DOJ. The Company may incur additional costs during the course of this ongoing investigation, which could include fines and/or penalties if the DOJ concludes that the Company has engaged in anti-competitive behavior and such fines and/or penalties could have a material impact on the Company's results of operations and operating cash flows for any particular quarter or year.

On April 19, 2012, the Company received a federal grand jury subpoena from the DOJ requiring the production of documents related to the export or re-export by unaffiliated third-parties to end users in a US-embargoed country of products and/or services produced by a U.S. manufacturer. In a related matter, the Company is also responding to an administrative subpoena from the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) requiring the production of documents pertaining to the export or re-export of US-origin goods to the same embargoed country. The Company is co-operating with the DOJ and BIS. If it is determined that the Company or one of its subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, facilitated the export or re-export of these specified products and/or services, the Company may incur fines and/or penalties which could have a material impact on the Company's results of operations and cash flows for any particular quarter or year.

On February 10, 2010, the Company and its Hong Kong subsidiary, Expeditors Hong Kong Limited, received a Statement of Objections (SO) from the European Commission (EC). The SO initiated a proceeding against the Company alleging anti-competitive behavior contrary to European Union rules on competition. Specific to the Company, the allegations in the SO are limited to Peak Season Surcharge (PSS) for the period from August 2005 to June 2006 and only concern airfreight trade lanes between South China/Hong Kong and the European Economic Area. On March 28, 2012, the EC concluded that the Company engaged in anti-competitive behavior and fined the Company €4.14 million ($5.5 million). This fine was recorded in March 2012 and is included in other operating expenses.

Government investigations are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include substantial monetary damages and, in matters in which injunctive relief or other conduct remedies are sought, an injunction or other order relating to business conduct. Were unfavorable final outcomes to occur, the Company's results of operations and cash flows for the particular quarter or year could be materially harmed.

The Company is involved in other claims and lawsuits which arise in the ordinary course of business, none of which currently, in management's opinion, are expected to have a significant effect on the Company's operations or financial position. As of March 31, 2012, the amounts accrued for these claims and lawsuits, and the other legal matters described above, are not significant to the Company's operations or financial position. At this time the Company is unable to estimate any additional loss or range of reasonably possible loss, if any, beyond the amounts recorded, that might result from the resolution of these matters.