Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees - Narrative (Details)	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016 security_offering	Jun. 30, 2013 patent	May 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual				$ 3,000,000
Financial Standby Letter of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Letters of credit, deferred fees				7,000,000	$ 8,000,000
Maximum potential amount of future undiscounted payments Company could be required to make on outstanding standby letters of credit				$ 1,500,000,000
Financial Standby Letter of Credit | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Standby and commercial letters of credit expiration term				1 year
Financial Standby Letter of Credit | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Standby and commercial letters of credit expiration term				4 years
Potential Recourse Related To FNMA Securitizations | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss sharing agreement, amount owed to FDIC				$ 19,000,000	19,000,000
FDIC Loss Sharing Agreement
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Covered loans				$ 9,700,000,000
Loan losses reimbursable by FDIC, percentage of loss reimbursable				80.00%
FDIC indemnification asset, threshold loss amount				$ 2,300,000,000.0
FDIC indemnification asset, percentage of incurred losses above threshold, amount reimbursed				95.00%
FDIC loss sharing agreement, term				10 years
Loss sharing agreement, percentage owed by company to FDIC if terms are met				60.00%
Loss sharing agreement, threshold amount				$ 457,000,000
Loss sharing agreement, percentage of net amount paid to company, subject to repayment to FDIC				25.00%
Loss sharing agreement, administration costs for loans, percentage subject to repayment to FDIC				20.00%
Loss sharing agreement, average administration cost percentage				2.00%
Loss sharing agreement, amount owed to FDIC				$ 147,000,000	147,000,000
FDIC Loss Sharing Agreement | Commercial Loan
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
FDIC loss sharing agreement, term				5 years
FDIC Loss Sharing Agreement | Single Family Residential Loan
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
FDIC loss sharing agreement, term				10 years
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
FDIC indemnification expense				$ 135,000,000	136,000,000
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities | Financial Standby Letter of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual				79,000,000	77,000,000
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities | Potential Recourse Related To FNMA Securitizations
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual				665,000	681,000
Accrued Expenses and Other Liabilities | Standard Representations And Warranties Related To Loan Sales To Government-Sponsored Agencies [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency Accrual				$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000
Pending Litigation | Morris Cerullo World Evangelism v. BBVA Compass and Jack Wilkinson
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages sought			$ 5,200,000
Pending Litigation | Morris Cerullo World Evangelism v. BBVA Compass and Jack Wilkinson | Financial Standby Letter of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit			$ 5,200,000
Pending Litigation | Intellectual Ventures II, LLC vs BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, patents allegedly infringed | patent		5
Pending Litigation | In re Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. Securities Litigation | BSI
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of security offers challenged | security_offering	8