Investment Securities - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) positions	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) positions
Investment Identifier [Line Items]
Securities with carrying amounts were pledged	$ 2,200.0	$ 778.0
Debt Securities, Held-to-maturity, Credit Loss Expense (Reversal)	$ (1.6)	$ 4.1
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Unrealized Loss Position, Number of Positions \| positions	179	49
Accrued Investment Income Receivable	$ 3.0	$ 2.0

Interest, dividends, rents, ancillary and other revenues earned but not yet received by the entity on its investments.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(4))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(10))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedInvestmentIncomeReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of investments in debt securities measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), in unrealized loss position, without allowance for credit loss. Includes beneficial interest in securitized financial asset.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27290-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922888-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleUnrealizedLossPositionNumberOfPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for expected credit loss on investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919249-210447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesHeldToMaturityCreditLossExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the date of the latest financial statement presented of other securities classified as available for sale or held for investment which are owned but transferred to another party to serve as collateral to partially or fully secure a debt obligation, repurchase agreement or other current or potential obligation, and for which the transferee does not have the right by contract or custom to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedOtherDebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleOrHeldForInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent reporting concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wal_InvestmentIdentifierLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	wal_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration