| Document and Entity Information | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | |
| Cover [Abstract] | |
| Document Type | DEF 14A |
| Entity Registrant Name | Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0000746515 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended | ||
| Dec. 31, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020 | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | Pay Versus Performance As required by Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following information to explain the annual Compensation Actually Paid ("CAP") of our principal executive officer (the CEO); the average CAP of the other NEO; the Company’s cumulative total shareholder return (“TSR”); TSR for our self-selected peer group (the NASDAQ Industrial Transportation Index); Net Income; and that financial performance measure that we have determined most directly links operational performance to compensation actually paid to the our NEOs for the most recently completed fiscal year. CAP, as determined under SEC requirements, does not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to our executive officers during a covered year due to the impact of LTI within our pay program. The following tables set forth information regarding CEO and average NEO CAP versus financial and operational performance for the year ended December 31, 2022; the measures that we deem to be most important when determining executive compensation; and a comparison of absolute CAP to the CEO and the average CAP to the NEO versus TSR for our Company and our select peer group and our Company’s Net Income and Operating Income: Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On: Company-Selected Year Summary Compensation Table Total for CEO (1) Compensation Actually Paid to CEO (1)(2)(5)(6) Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Other NEOs (3) Average Compensation Actually Paid to Other NEOs (2)(3)(5)(6) Total Shareholder Return (4) Peer Group Total Shareholder Return (4) Net Income ($000) Measure (CSM) Operating Income ($000) 2022 $ 10,833,047 $ 8,783,033 $ 6,675,790 $ 5,871,073 $ 137.78 $ 140.02 $ 1,360,605 $ 1,824,371 2021 $ 13,026,304 $ 17,822,709 $ 8,197,868 $ 10,080,541 $ 175.94 $ 165.47 $ 1,418,845 $ 1,909,326 2020 $ 7,405,851 $ 11,306,974 $ 4,440,906 $ 5,523,104 $ 123.45 $ 130.86 $ 698,214 $ 940,437 (1) Mr. Jeffrey S. Musser was the CEO in 2020, 2021 and 2022. (2) SEC rules require certain adjustments be made to the Summary Compensation Table totals to determine “compensation actually paid” as reported in the Pay Versus Performance Table. Compensation actually paid (CAP) amounts include total compensation per the Summary Compensation Table, less grant date fair value of PSUs and RSUs, plus the change in fair value of equity awards during the current year. The following table details these adjustments . (3) In 2020, 2021 and 2022, the other NEOs were Messrs.: Eugene K. Alger, Daniel R. Wall, Richard H. Rostan and Bradley S. Powell. (4) Total Shareholder Return is determined based on the value of initial fixed investment of $100. The Peer Group Total Shareholder Return uses the NASDAQ Transportation Index. (5) At year-end 2021, PSUs granted in 2019 were remeasured assuming achievement of 200% of performance criteria for purposes of CAP compared to 100% at grant date. (6) At year-end 2020, PSUs granted in 2018 and 2020 were remeasured assuming achievement of 200% of performance criteria for purposes of CAP compared to 100% at grant date. Year Executive(s) Summary Compensation Table Total Subtract Stock Awards Add Year-End Equity Value of Current Year Awards Change in Value of Prior Equity Awards Add Change in Value of Vested Equity Awards Subtract Value of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions Compensation Actually Paid 2022 CEO $ 10,833,047 ( 2,895,962 ) 2,970,034 ( 784,213 ) ( 1,339,873 ) — $ 8,783,033 Other NEO $ 6,675,790 ( 1,136,182 ) 1,015,272 ( 307,878 ) ( 375,930 ) — $ 5,871,073 2021 CEO $ 13,026,304 ( 2,896,946 ) 3,448,567 2,027,805 2,216,979 — $ 17,822,709 Other NEO $ 8,197,868 ( 1,136,891 ) 1,353,375 796,050 870,139 — $ 10,080,541 2020 CEO $ 7,405,851 ( 2,406,138 ) 4,769,250 622,974 915,037 — $ 11,306,974 Other NEO $ 4,440,906 ( 944,456 ) 1,871,983 244,461 ( 89,790 ) — $ 5,523,104 | ||
| Company Selected Measure Name | Operating Income | ||
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote [Text Block] | (1) Mr. Jeffrey S. Musser was the CEO in 2020, 2021 and 2022. (2) SEC rules require certain adjustments be made to the Summary Compensation Table totals to determine “compensation actually paid” as reported in the Pay Versus Performance Table. Compensation actually paid (CAP) amounts include total compensation per the Summary Compensation Table, less grant date fair value of PSUs and RSUs, plus the change in fair value of equity awards during the current year. The following table details these adjustments . (3) In 2020, 2021 and 2022, the other NEOs were Messrs.: Eugene K. Alger, Daniel R. Wall, Richard H. Rostan and Bradley S. Powell. | ||
| Peer Group Issuers, Footnote [Text Block] | (4) Total Shareholder Return is determined based on the value of initial fixed investment of $100. The Peer Group Total Shareholder Return uses the NASDAQ Transportation Index. | ||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 10,833,047 | $ 13,026,304 | $ 7,405,851 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 8,783,033 | 17,822,709 | 11,306,974 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | (2) SEC rules require certain adjustments be made to the Summary Compensation Table totals to determine “compensation actually paid” as reported in the Pay Versus Performance Table. Compensation actually paid (CAP) amounts include total compensation per the Summary Compensation Table, less grant date fair value of PSUs and RSUs, plus the change in fair value of equity awards during the current year. The following table details these adjustments . Year Executive(s) Summary Compensation Table Total Subtract Stock Awards Add Year-End Equity Value of Current Year Awards Change in Value of Prior Equity Awards Add Change in Value of Vested Equity Awards Subtract Value of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions Compensation Actually Paid 2022 CEO $ 10,833,047 ( 2,895,962 ) 2,970,034 ( 784,213 ) ( 1,339,873 ) — $ 8,783,033 Other NEO $ 6,675,790 ( 1,136,182 ) 1,015,272 ( 307,878 ) ( 375,930 ) — $ 5,871,073 2021 CEO $ 13,026,304 ( 2,896,946 ) 3,448,567 2,027,805 2,216,979 — $ 17,822,709 Other NEO $ 8,197,868 ( 1,136,891 ) 1,353,375 796,050 870,139 — $ 10,080,541 2020 CEO $ 7,405,851 ( 2,406,138 ) 4,769,250 622,974 915,037 — $ 11,306,974 Other NEO $ 4,440,906 ( 944,456 ) 1,871,983 244,461 ( 89,790 ) — $ 5,523,104 | ||
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 6,675,790 | 8,197,868 | 4,440,906 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 5,871,073 | 10,080,541 | 5,523,104 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | SEC rules require certain adjustments be made to the Summary Compensation Table totals to determine “compensation actually paid” as reported in the Pay Versus Performance Table. Compensation actually paid (CAP) amounts include total compensation per the Summary Compensation Table, less grant date fair value of PSUs and RSUs, plus the change in fair value of equity awards during the current year. The following table details these adjustments Year Executive(s) Summary Compensation Table Total Subtract Stock Awards Add Year-End Equity Value of Current Year Awards Change in Value of Prior Equity Awards Add Change in Value of Vested Equity Awards Subtract Value of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions Compensation Actually Paid 2022 CEO $ 10,833,047 ( 2,895,962 ) 2,970,034 ( 784,213 ) ( 1,339,873 ) — $ 8,783,033 Other NEO $ 6,675,790 ( 1,136,182 ) 1,015,272 ( 307,878 ) ( 375,930 ) — $ 5,871,073 2021 CEO $ 13,026,304 ( 2,896,946 ) 3,448,567 2,027,805 2,216,979 — $ 17,822,709 Other NEO $ 8,197,868 ( 1,136,891 ) 1,353,375 796,050 870,139 — $ 10,080,541 2020 CEO $ 7,405,851 ( 2,406,138 ) 4,769,250 622,974 915,037 — $ 11,306,974 Other NEO $ 4,440,906 ( 944,456 ) 1,871,983 244,461 ( 89,790 ) — $ 5,523,104 | ||
| Equity Valuation Assumption Difference, Footnote [Text Block] | (5) At year-end 2021, PSUs granted in 2019 were remeasured assuming achievement of 200% of performance criteria for purposes of CAP compared to 100% at grant date. (6) At year-end 2020, PSUs granted in 2018 and 2020 were remeasured assuming achievement of 200% of performance criteria for purposes of CAP compared to 100% at grant date. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Absolute Pay vs TSR Alignment Absolute Pay vs TSR Alignment TSR $1,40,00,000 $1,20,00,000 $1,00,00,000 $80,00,000 $60,00,000 $40,00,000 $20,00,000 $0 Compensation 240 220 200 180 160 140 120 100 2020 2021 2022 CEO Compensation Actually Paid NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid EXPD TSR NASDAQ TRAN TSR Operating Income (1) (1) Operating Income indexed to base 100 from 2019. | ||
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | Most Important Performance Measures Operating Income Earnings per Share Net Revenues (non-GAAP) | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 137.78 | 175.94 | 123.45 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 140.02 | 165.47 | 130.86 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 1,360,605,000 | $ 1,418,845,000 | $ 698,214,000 |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 1,824,371,000 | 1,909,326,000 | 940,437,000 |
| PEO Name | Mr. Jeffrey S. Musser | Mr. Jeffrey S. Musser | Mr. Jeffrey S. Musser |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Operating Income | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Earnings per Share | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 3 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Net Revenues (non-GAAP) | ||
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment Type One [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ (2,895,962) | $ (2,896,946) | $ (2,406,138) |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Two [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 2,970,034 | 3,448,567 | 4,769,250 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Three [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (784,213) | 2,027,805 | 622,974 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Four [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,339,873) | 2,216,979 | 915,037 |
| PEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Five [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment Type One [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,136,182) | (1,136,891) | (944,456) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Two [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 1,015,272 | 1,353,375 | 1,871,983 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Three [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (307,878) | 796,050 | 244,461 |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Four [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (375,930) | 870,139 | (89,790) |
| Non-PEO NEO [Member] | Adjustment Type Five [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |
