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 (Loss)	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners' Capital
Partners' capital, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020		$ (8,316)	$ (57,219)	$ (94,203)	$ 41,776	$ 4,229,485
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 514,982				5,117	506,584
Cash distributions					(5,319)	(526,491)
Long-term incentive compensation		159	27,507		11	1,151
Retirement of AB Units, net			(36,498)
Issuance of AB Units, net					368	36,331
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		358
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(75,468)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			1,474
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(5,002)			(5,002)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	415			415
Partners' capital, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2021	4,042,220	(7,799)	(140,204)	(98,790)	41,953	4,247,060
Partners' capital, beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2021		(1,725)	(143,807)	(101,232)	42,022	4,253,904
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	271,143				2,676	264,894
Cash distributions					(2,421)	(239,678)
Long-term incentive compensation		17	9,505		18	1,859
Retirement of AB Units, net					(342)	(33,919)
Issuance of AB Units, net			34,515
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		(6,091)
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(39,614)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(803)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	2,114			2,114
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	328			328
Partners' capital, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2021	4,042,220	(7,799)	(140,204)	(98,790)	41,953	4,247,060
Partners' capital, beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2021	4,160,923	(8,333)	(119,470)	(90,335)	42,850	4,336,211
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	417,680				4,695	464,801
Cash distributions					(6,496)	(641,728)
Long-term incentive compensation		340	26,776		30	2,914
Retirement of AB Units, net					(809)	(80,089)
Issuance of AB Units, net			81,615
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		1,758
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(106,457)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(4,161)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(45,473)			(45,473)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	644			644
Partners' capital, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2022	3,859,283	(6,235)	(121,697)	(135,164)	40,270	4,082,109
Partners' capital, beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2022		(8,126)	(130,914)	(101,736)	41,832	4,235,643
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	181,998				2,088	206,681
Cash distributions					(2,715)	(267,699)
Long-term incentive compensation		166	8,334		31	3,071
Retirement of AB Units, net					(966)	(95,587)
Issuance of AB Units, net			97,270
Capital contributions from (to) AB Holding		1,725
Purchases of AB Holding Units to fund long-term compensation plans, net			(92,635)
Re-valuation of AB Holding Units held in rabbi trust			(3,752)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(33,752)			(33,752)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	324			324
Partners' capital, ending balance at Jun. 30, 2022	$ 3,859,283	$ (6,235)	$ (121,697)	$ (135,164)	$ 40,270	$ 4,082,109