| **Related Party Transaction**                                                | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
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| **Condensed Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| Related Party Transaction Disclosure Text Block                              | (8)       Related Party Transaction

In January 2001 we entered into an aircraft operating lease agreement with a company owned by GCI's President and CEO. The lease was amended several times, most recently on May 9, 2011.  The amended lease agreement added the lease of a second aircraft.  The lease term of the original aircraft may be terminated at any time upon 90 days written notice. The monthly lease rate of the original aircraft is $45,000. The lease term of the second aircraft may be terminated at any time upon 12 months' written notice. The monthly lease rate of the second aircraft is $132,000.  In 2001, we paid a deposit of $1.5 million in connection with the lease. The deposit will be repaid to us no later than six months after the agreement terminates. 

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| - Details**Name:**gciinc_CondensedNotesToInterimConsolidatedFinancialStatementsUnaudited**Namespace Prefix:**gciinc**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
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| - Definition
This element may be used for the entire related party transactions disclosure as a single block of text. Disclosure may include:  the nature of the relationship(s), a description of the transactions, the amount of the transactions, the effects of any change in the method of establishing the terms of the transaction from the previous period, stated interest rate, expiration date, terms and manner of settlement per the agreement with the related party, and amounts due to or from related parties. If the entity and one or more other entities are under common ownership or management control and this control affects the operating results or financial position, disclosure includes the nature of the control relationship even if there are no transactions between the entities. Disclosure may also include the aggregate amount of current and deferred tax expense for each statement of earnings presented where the entity is a member of a group that files a consolidated tax return, the amount of any tax related balances due to or from affiliates as of the date of each statement of financial position presented, the principal provisions of the method by which the consolidated amount of current and deferred tax expense is allocated to the members of the group and the nature and effect of any changes in that method. Examples of related party transactions include transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiary; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) and entity and its principal owners; and (d) affiliates.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph b -Article 3AReference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph k -Article 4Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 57 -Paragraph 1-4
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