Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 18, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	EXPD
Entity Registrant Name	EXPEDITORS INTERNATIONAL OF WASHINGTON, INC.
Entity Central Index Key	0000746515
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Public Float			$ 12,821,403,723
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		169,764,263
Entity File Number	0-13468
Entity Tax Identification Number	91-1069248
Entity Address, Address Line One	1015 Third Avenue
Entity Address, City or Town	Seattle
Entity Address, State or Province	WA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	98104
City Area Code	206
Local Phone Number	674-3400
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Security Exchange Name	NASDAQ
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	WA
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Documents Incorporated by Reference [Text Block]	Portions of the definitive proxy statement for the Registrant’s 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on May 5, 2020 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.