2.2.0.25truefalse42101 - Disclosure - Income Tax (Narrative) (Details)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) / shares USD ($) $Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001141391duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit16Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2009 - 12/31/2009 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2009_To_12_31_2009http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001141391duration2009-01-01T00:00:002009-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit16Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$3falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2008 - 12/31/2008 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2008_To_12_31_2008http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001141391duration2008-01-01T00:00:002008-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit16Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2false0us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateContinuing Operationsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truetruefalse0.330.33falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.3410.341falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.3370.337falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:percentItemTypepureA ratio calculated by dividing the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the period by GAAP-basis pretax income from continuing operations.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 47 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 falsefalse3false0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRateus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse165000000165000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3fal sefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph b falsefalse4false0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccruedus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel< Cell>1truefalsefalse1700000017000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1900000019000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents the amount of interest expense accrued as of the date of the statement of financial position for an underpayment of income taxes computed by applying the applicable statutory rate of interest to the difference between a tax position recognized for financial reporting purposes and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken in a tax return of the entity.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 15 falsefalse5false0us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesExpenseus-gaaptruedebitdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse-5000000-5000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse50000005000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3 truefalsefalse80000008000000falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThis element represents interest expense recognized for an underpayment of income taxes computed by applying the applicable statutory rate of interest to the difference between a tax position recognized for financial reporting purposes and the amount previously taken or expected to be taken in a tax return of the entity.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph c Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 15 falsefalse6false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.mastercard.com/taxonomy/role/disclosureincometaxnarrativedetails1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse4falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxis} : Foreign Net Operating Losses [Member] 1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) $Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010223http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001141391duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00falsefalseForeign Net Operating Losses [Member]us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldima_ForeignNetOperatingLossesMemberus-gaap_ValuationAllowanceByDeferredTaxAssetAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse7false0us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmountus-gaaptruecreditdurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse60000006000000falsefalse< DisplayDateInUSFormat>falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe amount of the change in the period in the valuation allowance for a specified deferred tax asset.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 43 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 26 falsefalse8false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://www.mastercard.com/taxonomy/role/disclosureincometaxnarrativedetails1falsefalse< /IsRatio>false00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse5falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAxis} : Investments in Foreign Subsidiaries and Foreign Corporate Joint Ventures that are Essentially Permanent in Duration [Member] 12/31/2010 USD ($) $As_Of_12_31_2010235http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001141391instant2010-12-31T00:00:000001-01-01T00:00:00falsefalseInvestments in Foreign Subsidiaries and Foreign Corporate Joint Ventures that are Essentially Permanent in Duration [Member]us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_InvestmentsInForeignSubsidiariesAndForeignCorporateJointVenturesThatAreEssentiallyPermanentInDurationMemberus-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAxisexplicitMemberUnit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse9false0us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedCumulativeAmountOfTemporaryDifferenceus-gaaptruecreditinstantNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1truefalsefalse15000000001500000000falsetruefalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse3falsefa lsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseMonetaryxbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryThe cumulative amount of the temporary difference for which a deferred tax liability has not been provided because of the exceptions to comprehensive recognition of deferred taxes.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 44 -Subparagraph b falsefalse38Income Tax (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruetrue