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, 2018		$ (11,430)	$ (77,990)	$ (110,866)		$ 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)				357	35,259
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)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	5,603			5,455		147
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(7,593)
Other			6,692					844
Net income	(29,641)					91
Purchase of non-controlling interest						(1,187)
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
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	861,783						8,660	857,292
Cash distributions							(8,376)	(828,503)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		802					(23)	(2,147)
Issuance of AB Units, net			(28,696)				290	28,642
Capital contributions from AB Holding		(107)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(148,624)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			194,840
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			1,556
Foreign currency translation adjustment	23,244			23,244		0
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				(4,443)
Other			15					0
Net income	4,169					0
Purchase of non-controlling interest						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2020	4,111,523	(8,316)	(57,219)	(94,203)	4,111,523	0	41,776	4,229,485
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	1,153,734						11,486	1,137,137
Cash distributions							(10,605)	(1,049,287)
Long-term incentive compensation plans activity		941					117	11,586
Issuance of AB Units, net			(7,348)				76	7,290
Capital contributions from AB Holding		(958)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(261,825)
Long-term incentive compensation awards expense			215,484
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(9,690)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	(11,840)			(11,840)		0
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax				15,708
Other			1,128					0
Net income	(5,111)					0
Purchase of non-controlling interest						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 4,160,923	$ (8,333)	$ (119,470)	$ (90,335)	$ 4,160,923	$ 0	$ 42,850	$ 4,336,211