Number of debt instruments.

No definition available.

Name:	tk_NumberOfDebtInstruments
Namespace Prefix:	tk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Vessels

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tk_NumberOfVessels
Namespace Prefix:	tk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of Subsidiaries

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tk_NumberofSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	tk_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentDescriptionOfVariableRateBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450222&loc=d3e30840-110895

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30700-110894

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64836518&loc=d3e30690-110894

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=tk_TeekayLngMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=tk_EuroDenominatedTermLoansDueThroughTwoThousandTwentyThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Long-Term Debt - Additional Information - Term Loans (Detail) $ in Thousands, € in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) vessel	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($) subsidiary term_loan vessel	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 EUR (€) vessel	Dec. 31, 2016 EUR (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 6,572,922		$ 6,572,922		$ 6,639,546
Unrealized foreign exchange loss	17,342	$ 15,157	$ 20,246	$ 25,671
Teekay LNG \| Euro-denominated Term Loans due through 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of debt instruments \| term_loan			2
Long-term debt	$ 230,300		$ 230,300		$ 219,700	€ 201.6	€ 208.9
Reference rate on variable rate of the debt instrument			EURIBOR
Number of vessels \| vessel	2		2			2
Number of subsidiaries \| subsidiary			1
Teekay LNG \| Euro-denominated Term Loans due through 2023 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument spread on variable rate			2.25%		2.25%
Teekay LNG \| Euro-denominated Term Loans due through 2023 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument spread on variable rate			0.60%		0.60%