Consolidated Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Receivables from Affiliates	AB Holding Units held for Long-term Incentive Compensation Plans	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total Partners' Capital attributable to AB Unitholders	Non-redeemable Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners' Capital
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016		$ (12,830)	$ (32,967)	$ (118,096)		$ 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		0					211	20,859
Retirement of AB Units, net			26,603				(266)	(27,339)
Other			0	0			1	2,422
Capital contributions from General Partner		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)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	(3,193)			(3,193)
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax				9
Net income	58,397					9,632
Foreign currency translation adjustment	28,123			27,140		983
Purchase of non-controlling interest						(2,006)
Distributions (to) 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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	779,498						7,576	750,012
Cash distributions							(8,608)	(849,585)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		0					(39)	(3,880)
Retirement of AB Units, net			25,589				(256)	(25,486)
Other			0	374			(3)	803
Capital contributions from General Partner		19
Compensation plan accrual		352
Capital contributions from AB Holding		(307)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(267,427)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			187,514
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			19,022
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	1,471			1,471
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax				0
Net income	21,910					69
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(18,617)			(18,571)		(46)
Purchase of non-controlling interest						0
Distributions (to) non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						(638)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2018	3,916,209	(11,430)	(77,990)	(110,866)	3,915,260	949	40,240	4,075,306
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	781,683						7,521	744,521
Cash distributions							(7,042)	(696,470)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		1,125					149	14,741
Issuance of AB Units, net			(35,736)
Retirement of AB Units, net							357	35,259
Other			6,692	0			0	844
Capital contributions from General Partner		0
Compensation plan accrual		0
Capital contributions from AB Holding		1,294
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(171,930)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			207,057
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(4,403)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	(7,593)			(7,593)
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax				0
Net income	29,641					91
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5,603			5,455		147
Purchase of non-controlling interest						(1,187)
Distributions (to) non-controlling interests of our consolidated venture capital fund activities						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 4,017,101	$ (9,011)	$ (76,310)	$ (113,004)	$ 4,017,101	$ 0	$ 41,225	$ 4,174,201