Pension and Postretirement Benefits - Multi-employer pension plans (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Multi-employer pension plans
Viad Contribution	$ 23,152	$ 20,313	$ 20,669
Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Plan
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	916145047
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	Green
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No
Viad Contribution	6,369	5,524	5,694
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	May 31, 2015
Southern California Local 831—Employer Pension Fund(1)
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	956376874
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	Green
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No
Viad Contribution	2,481	2,244	2,358
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Aug. 31, 2017
Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters Pension Fund
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	366130207
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Yellow	Yellow
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented
Viad Contribution	1,946	1,614	1,749
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	May 31, 2018
National Electrical Benefit Fund
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	530181657
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	Green
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No
Viad Contribution	1,457	1,631	1,814
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Jun. 16, 2015
Electrical Contractors Assoc. Chicago Local Union 134, IBEW Joint Pension Trust of Chicago Plan 2
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	516030753
Plan No:	002
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	Green
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No
Viad Contribution	1,081	957	108
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Jun. 03, 2017
Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	366044243
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	Red
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented
Viad Contribution	1,018	836	874
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Jul. 31, 2015
Machinery Movers Riggers & Mach Erect Local 136 Supplemental Retirement Plan(1),
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	361416355
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Red	Red
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented
Viad Contribution	993	430	930
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Jun. 30, 2019
Southwest Carpenters Pension Trust
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	956042875
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Green	Green
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	No
Viad Contribution	885	812	944
Surcharge Paid	No
Collective bargaining agreements expiration date	Jun. 30, 2015
Southern California IBEW-NECA Pension Fund
Multi-employer pension plans
EIN	956392774
Plan No:	001
Pension Protection Act Zone Status	Yellow	Yellow
FIP/RP Status Pending/ Implemented	Implemented
Viad Contribution	768	184	62
Surcharge Paid	No
All other funds(2)
Multi-employer pension plans
Viad Contribution	4,097	2,592	2,468
Pension Plans
Multi-employer pension plans
Viad Contribution	21,095	16,824	17,001
Total contributions to other plans
Multi-employer pension plans
Viad Contribution	$ 2,057	$ 3,489	$ 3,668

The Tax Identification Number (TIN), also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is a unique 9-digit value assigned by the IRS.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation 12B

-Number 240

-Section 12b

-Subsection 1

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Three digit plan number for a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (b)

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Amount of contributions made to multiemployer plans by the employer. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 715

-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11

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- Definition

Indicate the multiemployer plan's certified zone status as currently required by the Pension Protection Act of 2006 or a subsequent amendment thereof. The zone status categories are red (critical status), orange (seriously endangered), yellow (endangered), and green (none of the above). The acceptable values are "red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "other", and "NA". A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

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-SubTopic 80

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

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Expiration date of the collective bargaining arrangement requiring contributions to the multiemployer plan, in CCYY-MM-DD format. A multiemployer plan is a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

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- Definition

Indicate whether a funding improvement plan or rehabilitation plan has been implemented or is pending for a pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "pending", "implemented", "other", and "NA".

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Indicate whether the employer paid a surcharge to the pension or postretirement benefit plan to which two or more unrelated employers contribute where assets contributed by one participating employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. The acceptable values are "no", "yes", and "NA".

+ References

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