Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by reportable segment and source of revenue (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	$ 65,383	$ 52,933	$ 125,128	$ 102,359
Other revenues	27,120	23,268	52,768	44,685
Total revenues	92,503	76,201	177,896	147,044
Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,275	6,190	14,569	12,171
Building Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,178	5,970	9,936	11,389
Consumer Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,343	5,509	8,378	10,602
Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,535	7,979	15,328	15,685
Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,902	5,002	9,664	9,564
Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	2,789	2,675	5,354	5,202
Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,633	5,083	11,084	9,980
Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	9,046	9,785	17,827	18,312
Electricity and Natural Gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		4,740		9,454
Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	18,682		32,988
Manufacturing Businesses [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	17,903	18,741	35,078	36,171
Other revenues	1,171	995	2,261	1,950
Total revenues	19,074	19,736	37,339	38,121
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,221	6,142	14,450	12,074
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Building Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,178	5,970	9,936	11,389
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Consumer Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,343	5,509	8,378	10,602
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	814	818	1,613	1,540
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	347	302	701	566
McLane [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	12,650	13,229	25,489	25,711
Other revenues	47	33	89	65
Total revenues	12,697	13,262	25,578	25,776
McLane [Member] | Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,535	7,979	15,328	15,685
McLane [Member] | Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,902	5,002	9,664	9,564
McLane [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	213	248	497	462
Service and Retailing [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	8,371	8,066	16,557	15,823
Other revenues	1,738	1,527	3,454	2,861
Total revenues	10,109	9,593	20,011	18,684
Service and Retailing [Member] | Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	54	48	119	97
Service and Retailing [Member] | Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	2,789	2,675	5,354	5,202
Service and Retailing [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,138	4,265	8,368	8,440
Service and Retailing [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,390	1,078	2,716	2,084
BNSF [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,791	6,596	11,776	12,527
Other revenues	17	16	33	29
Total revenues	5,808	6,612	11,809	12,556
BNSF [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,791	6,596	11,776	12,527
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,996	6,301	12,098	12,127
Other revenues	354	239	691	428
Total revenues	6,350	6,540	12,789	12,555
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,217	1,561	2,028	2,673
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Electricity and Natural Gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers		4,740		9,454
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,779		10,070
Pilot [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	14,672		24,130
Other revenues	61		99
Total revenues	14,733		24,229
Pilot [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	681		1,103
Pilot [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	88		109
Pilot [Member] | Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	13,903		22,918
Insurance, Corporate and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Other revenues	23,732	20,458	46,141	39,352
Total revenues	$ 23,732	$ 20,458	$ 46,141	$ 39,352