Segment Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	$ 551,433	$ 516,882
Provision (credit) for loan losses	80,139	113,245
Noninterest income	244,687	253,205
Noninterest expense	549,312	592,144
Net income before income tax expense	166,669	64,698
Income tax expense (benefit)	45,846	25,431
Net income	120,823	39,267
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	443	528
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	120,380	38,739
Average assets	87,676,882	92,305,106
Operating Segments | Consumer and Commercial Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	508,884	499,812
Provision (credit) for loan losses	63,305	61,011
Noninterest income	190,376	196,032
Noninterest expense	473,326	481,897
Net income before income tax expense	162,629	152,936
Income tax expense (benefit)	56,920	53,527
Net income	105,709	99,409
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	23	105
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	105,686	99,304
Average assets	54,346,358	54,581,856
Operating Segments | Corporate and Investment Banking
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	35,345	47,516
Provision (credit) for loan losses	5,720	53,427
Noninterest income	49,360	43,526
Noninterest expense	38,760	78,497
Net income before income tax expense	40,225	(40,882)
Income tax expense (benefit)	14,079	(14,309)
Net income	26,146	(26,573)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	26,146	(26,573)
Average assets	11,009,451	14,464,503
Operating Segments | Treasury
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	14,268	(5,140)
Provision (credit) for loan losses	0	0
Noninterest income	1,888	11,387
Noninterest expense	6,308	5,238
Net income before income tax expense	9,848	1,009
Income tax expense (benefit)	3,446	353
Net income	6,402	656
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	416	423
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	5,986	233
Average assets	15,180,526	16,283,929
Corporate, Non-Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	(7,064)	(25,306)
Provision (credit) for loan losses	11,114	(1,193)
Noninterest income	3,063	2,260
Noninterest expense	30,918	26,512
Net income before income tax expense	(46,033)	(48,365)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(28,599)	(14,140)
Net income	(17,434)	(34,225)
Less: net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	4	0
Net income attributable to BBVA Compass Bancshares, Inc.	(17,438)	(34,225)
Average assets	$ 7,140,547	$ 6,974,818