Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Receivables from Affiliates [Member]	AB Holding Units Held for Long-tem Incentive Compensation Plans [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Partners' Capital attributable to AB Unitholders [Member]	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities [Member]	General Partner's Capital [Member]	Limited Partners' Capital [Member]
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2013		$ (16,542)	$ (39,649)	$ (35,381)		$ 42,240	$ 40,137	$ 4,054,422
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 564,317						5,639	558,222
Cash distributions							(5,732)	(566,616)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity							92	8,929
(Retirement) issuance of AB Units, net			(93,457)				935	90,969
Other								0
Capital contributions from General Partner	2,300	2,325
Compensation plan accrual		(323)
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		(1,819)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(90,143)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			176,916
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			9,982
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				864
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(20,872)			(20,771)		(101)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(24,555)
Net income	456					456
Distributions from (to) non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						(12,199)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2014	4,084,840	(16,359)	(36,351)	(79,843)	$ 4,054,444	30,396	41,071	4,145,926
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	586,302						5,799	574,128
Cash distributions							(5,986)	(591,886)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity							14	1,598
(Retirement) issuance of AB Units, net			40,028				(400)	(40,433)
Other								2,100
Capital contributions from General Partner	1,600	1,551
Compensation plan accrual		(187)
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		497
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(216,970)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			176,040
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			7,921
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				(912)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(16,938)			(16,805)		(133)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				2,207
Net income	6,375					6,375
Distributions from (to) non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						(12,165)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2015	4,017,221	(14,498)	(29,332)	(95,353)	3,992,748	24,473	40,498	4,091,433
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	694,846						6,733	666,625
Cash distributions							(5,384)	(532,180)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity							58	5,802
(Retirement) issuance of AB Units, net			80,515				(805)	(80,084)
Other								3,214
Capital contributions from General Partner	1,200	1,200
Compensation plan accrual		313
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		155
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(235,893)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			152,012
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(269)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				9
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(19,843)			(19,780)		(63)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(2,972)
Net income	21,488					11,398
Distributions from (to) non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						364
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 4,068,189	$ (12,830)	$ (32,967)	$ (118,096)	$ 4,032,017	$ 36,172	$ 41,100	$ 4,154,810