CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
SALES AND OPERATING REVENUES:
Coal sales		$ 2,158,006	$ 2,208,611	$ 2,137,449
Transportation revenues		33,597	26,021	32,642
Other sales and operating revenues		81,708	65,692	35,108
Total revenues	[1]	2,273,311	2,300,324	2,205,199
EXPENSES:
Operating expenses (excluding depreciation, depletion and amortization)		1,377,053	1,383,360	1,398,763
Transportation expenses		33,597	26,021	32,642
Outside coal purchases		327	14	2,030
General and administrative		69,076	76,699	65,231
Depreciation, depletion and amortization		333,713	274,566	264,911
Asset impairment - (Note 4)		100,130
Total operating expenses		1,913,896	1,760,660	1,763,577
INCOME FROM OPERATIONS		359,415	539,664	441,622
Interest expense (net of interest capitalized of $695, $833 and $8,992, respectively)		(31,153)	(33,584)	(27,044)
Interest income		1,460	1,671	963
Equity in loss of affiliates, net		(49,046)	(16,648)	(24,441)
Acquisition gain, net - (Note 3)		22,548
Other income		955	1,566	1,891
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES		304,179	492,669	392,991
INCOME TAX EXPENSE		21		1,397
NET INCOME		304,158	492,669	391,594
LESS: NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS		(92,846)	(208,318)	(157,721)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO ALLIANCE HOLDINGS GP, L.P. ("NET INCOME OF AHGP")		$ 211,312	$ 284,351	$ 233,873
BASIC NET INCOME OF AHGP PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT (in dollars per unit)		$ 3.53	$ 4.75	$ 3.91
DISTRIBUTIONS PAID PER LIMITED PARTNER UNIT (in dollars per unit)		$ 3.7725	$ 3.4375	$ 3.095
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF UNITS OUTSTANDING - BASIC (in units)		59,863,000	59,863,000	59,863,000

[1] Revenues included in Other and Corporate column are primarily attributable to the Matrix Group revenues, Mt. Vernon transloading revenues, administrative service revenues from affiliates, MAC revenues, Wildcat Insurance revenues, brokerage sales and Pontiki’s coal sales revenue (2013 only).