Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	$ 516,881	$ 509,029
Allocated provision for loan losses	113,245	42,031
Noninterest income	226,579	249,270
Noninterest expense	573,119	522,719
Net income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	57,096	193,549
Income tax expense (benefit)	22,618	51,782
Net income	34,478	141,767
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	528	657
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	33,950	141,110
Average assets	92,249,072	85,087,155
Operating Segments | Consumer and Commercial Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	541,391	484,160
Allocated provision for loan losses	58,187	30,524
Noninterest income	178,913	171,908
Noninterest expense	460,848	426,070
Net income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	201,269	199,474
Income tax expense (benefit)	70,444	69,816
Net income	130,825	129,658
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	105	228
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	130,720	129,430
Average assets	55,963,143	52,627,209
Operating Segments | Corporate and Investment Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	40,908	39,886
Allocated provision for loan losses	53,427	10,973
Noninterest income	41,522	49,486
Noninterest expense	78,677	39,436
Net income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	(49,674)	38,963
Income tax expense (benefit)	(17,386)	13,637
Net income	(32,288)	25,326
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	(32,288)	25,326
Average assets	12,707,022	11,834,345
Operating Segments | Treasury
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	(2,372)	18,382
Allocated provision for loan losses	0	0
Noninterest income	11,387	33,856
Noninterest expense	5,237	5,097
Net income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	3,778	47,141
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,322	16,500
Net income	2,456	30,641
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	423	429
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	2,033	30,212
Average assets	16,283,929	13,572,927
Corporate, Non-Segment | Corporate Support and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	(63,046)	(33,399)
Allocated provision for loan losses	1,631	534
Noninterest income	(5,243)	(5,980)
Noninterest expense	28,357	52,116
Net income (loss) before income tax expense (benefit)	(98,277)	(92,029)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(31,762)	(48,171)
Net income	(66,515)	(43,858)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	(66,515)	(43,858)
Average assets	$ 7,294,978	$ 7,052,674