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-redeemable Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities [Member]	General Partner's Capital [Member]	Limited Partners' Capital [Member]
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2014		$ (16,359)	$ (36,351)	$ (79,843)		$ 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							0	2,100
Capital contributions from General Partner	1,600	1,551
Compensation plan accrual		(187)
Capital contributions from 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)
Purchase of non-controlling interest						0
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	2,207			2,207
Net income	6,375					6,375
Distributions (to) from 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							0	3,214
Capital contributions from General Partner	1,200	1,200
Compensation plan accrual		313
Capital contributions from 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)
Purchase of non-controlling interest						0
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	(2,972)			(2,972)
Net income	21,488					11,398
Distributions (to) from 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	720,800						6,624	655,779
Cash distributions							(6,449)	(637,690)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity							211	20,859
(Retirement) issuance of AB Units, net			26,603				(266)	(27,339)
Other							1	2,422
Capital contributions from General Partner	300	344
Compensation plan accrual		156
Capital contributions from AB Holding		836
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(219,627)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			185,234
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(1,931)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax				9
Foreign currency translation adjustment	28,123			27,140		983
Purchase of non-controlling interest						(2,006)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	(3,193)			(3,193)
Net income	58,397					9,632
Distributions (to) from non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						(43,217)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 4,063,304	$ (11,494)	$ (42,688)	$ (94,140)	$ 4,061,740	$ 1,564	$ 41,221	$ 4,168,841