Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]      
Domestic $ 676us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic $ 575us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic $ 667us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesDomestic
Foreign 160us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign 162us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign 216us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
Total 836us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest 737us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest 883us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesExtraordinaryItemsNoncontrollingInterest
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Abstract]      
Current Federal Tax Expense (Benefit) (157)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit (97)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit (167)us-gaap_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefit
Current State and Local Tax Expense (Benefit) (32)us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit (26)us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit (26)us-gaap_CurrentStateAndLocalTaxExpenseBenefit
Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit) (110)us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit (82)us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit (139)us-gaap_CurrentForeignTaxExpenseBenefit
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit) (299)us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (205)us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (332)us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred Federal Income Tax Expense (Benefit) 59us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (19)us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 19us-gaap_DeferredFederalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred State and Local Income Tax Expense (Benefit) (23)us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 47us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 28us-gaap_DeferredStateAndLocalIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred Foreign Income Tax Expense (Benefit) 5us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (6)us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 7us-gaap_DeferredForeignIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit) 41us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 22us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 54us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Income tax benefit (expense) (258)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (183)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (278)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations, Tax Rate Reconciliation [Abstract]      
Computed expected tax benefit (expense) (293)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate (258)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate (309)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
State and local income taxes, net of federal income taxes (7)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes (15)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes  
Foreign taxes, net of foreign tax credits (2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential (7)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential 5us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Sale of consolidated subsidiary 14linta_IncomeTaxReconciliationSaleOfConsolidatedSubsidiary    
Impairment of intangibles not deductible for tax purposes (3)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses (2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses (16)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseImpairmentLosses
Dividends received deductions 10us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationDeductionsDividends 9us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationDeductionsDividends 13us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationDeductionsDividends
Alternative energy tax credits 58us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits 54us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits 48us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCredits
Change in valuation allowance affecting tax expense (2)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance (27)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance (8)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Impact of change in state rate on deferred taxes (28)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate 66us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate  
Other, net (5)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments (3)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments (11)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Abstract]      
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards, Domestic 90us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic 74us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic  
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Foreign 88us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign 129us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign  
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Share-based Compensation Cost 41us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost 27us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost  
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Accrued Liabilities 143us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsAccruedLiabilities 85us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsAccruedLiabilities  
Deferred Tax Assets, Other 134us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther 119us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther  
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross 496us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross 434us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross  
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance (54)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance (52)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance  
Deferred Tax Assets, Net 442us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet 382us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet  
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Investment in Noncontrolled Affiliates 703us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates 569us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestmentInNoncontrolledAffiliates  
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets 1,284us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets 1,416us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets  
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Discount on exchangeable debentures 1,009linta_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDiscountOnExchangeableDebentures 958linta_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesDiscountOnExchangeableDebentures  
Deferred Tax Liaiblities, Deferred Gain on Debt Retirements 257linta_DeferredTaxLiaiblitiesDeferredGainOnDebtRetirements 313linta_DeferredTaxLiaiblitiesDeferredGainOnDebtRetirements  
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other 10us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther 52us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther  
Deferred Tax Liabilities 3,263us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities 3,308us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities  
Deferred Tax Assets (Liabilities), Net 2,821us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet 2,926us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet  
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Current (972)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent (925)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent  
Deferred income taxes (1,849)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent (2,001)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNoncurrent  
2017 9linta_DeferredTaxAssetCarryforwardsExpiringInYearThree    
Beyond 2020 169linta_DeferredTaxAssetCarryforwardsExpiringBeyondYearFive    
Income Tax Uncertainties [Abstract]      
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increases Resulting from Current Period Tax Positions 16us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions 19us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Increases Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions 20us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions 1us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decreases Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions (3)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions (3)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Reductions Resulting from Lapse of Applicable Statute of Limitations (21)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations (15)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits 136us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 124us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 122us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate 68us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate    
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Accrued 28us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued    
Gross Unrecognized tax benenfit that may decrease within 12 months 23us-gaap_SignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIsReasonablyPossibleAmountOfUnrecordedBenefit    
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount $ 2us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount