ACQUISITIONS (Pro Forma Information) (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Pro forma revenues	$ 7,904.2	$ 7,936.0
Pro forma net income attributable to American Tower Corporation common stockholders	$ 1,844.9	$ 1,122.6
Pro forma net income per common share amounts:
Basic net income attributable to American Tower Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 4.17	$ 2.55
Diluted net income attributable to American Tower Corporation (in dollars per share)	$ 4.14	$ 2.53

The pro forma basic net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
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The pro forma diluted net income per share for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

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The pro forma net Income or Loss for the period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of a period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

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The pro forma revenue for a period as if the business combination or combinations had been completed at the beginning of the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=79982066&loc=d3e1392-128463

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