Condensed 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)	Partners' Capital	Non-redeemable Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Entities	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners' Capital
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		$ (11,430)	$ (77,990)	$ (110,866)		$ 949	$ 40,240	$ 4,075,306
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 159,230					16	1,491	147,623
Cash distributions							(1,917)	(189,568)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		465	18,604				173	16,985
(Retirement) of AB Units, net			58,340				(584)	(57,756)
Other			0
Capital contributions from AB Holding		(701)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(58,452)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(10,005)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	2,553			2,571		(20)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	283			283
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2019	3,843,757	(11,666)	(69,503)	(108,012)	$ 3,842,812	945	39,403	3,992,590
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019		(9,011)	(76,310)	(113,004)		0	41,225	4,174,201
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	168,749					0	1,943	192,377
Cash distributions							(2,542)	(251,261)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		184	7,407				2	335
(Retirement) of AB Units, net			5,763				(57)	(5,706)
Other			12
Capital contributions from AB Holding		(452)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(17,750)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(436)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(21,323)			(21,323)		0
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	254			254
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2020	$ 3,925,851	$ (9,279)	$ (81,314)	$ (134,073)	$ 3,925,851	$ 0	$ 40,571	$ 4,109,946