<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-07-19</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001275283</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RAI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001303209</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Brown &amp; Williamson Holdings, Inc.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>103 FOULK ROAD, SUITE 117</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILMINGTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>DE</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19803</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2017-07-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>154700133</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>601368171</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">In connection with an internal restructuring as further described in Schedule 13D Amendment No. 6, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 19, 2017 (&quot;Schedule 13D Amendment No. 6&quot;), on July 19, 2017, BATUS Holdings Inc. (&quot;BATUS&quot;) contributed 154,700,133 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Reynolds American Inc. to its wholly owned subsidiary Brown &amp; Williamson Holdings, Inc. (&quot;B&amp;W&quot;), pursuant to a Contribution Agreement, dated July 19, 2017, by and between BATUS and B&amp;W. Please refer to Schedule 13D Amendment No. 6 for more information.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Timothy J. Hazlett, Director, on behalf of Brown &amp; Williamson Holdings, Inc.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-07-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
