NOTES PAYABLE AND LONG-TERM DEBT, Revolving Credit Facilities and Secured Term Debt (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Secured Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 A&B Properties, Inc. [Member] Secured Debt [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Loans [Member] A&B (Parent Company) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Revolving Credit Loans [Member] Matson [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Prudential facility [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Prudential facility [Member] A&B (Parent Company) [Member]
Revolving credit and term facilities [Abstract]
Number of revolving senior credit facilities				2
Number of commercial banks				7
Term of facility (in years)							3Y	3Y
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 355	$ 230	$ 125	$ 400	$ 400
Expiration date of facility	August 2016			August 2016	August 2016		April 19, 2012	April 19, 2012
Interest rate description	London Interbank Offered Rate “LIBOR” plus a margin based on a ratio of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization pricing grid			London Interbank Offered Rate “LIBOR” plus a margin based on a ratio of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization pricing grid	London Interbank Offered Rate “LIBOR” plus a margin based on a ratio of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization pricing grid		borrowings under the shelf facility bear interest at rates that are determined at the time of the borrowing	borrowings under the shelf facility bear interest at rates that are determined at the time of the borrowing
Covenant terms	maintenance of minimum shareholders' equity levels, minimum unencumbered property investment values, and a maximum ratio of debt to earnings before interest, depreciation, amortization and taxes			maintenance of minimum shareholders' equity levels, minimum unencumbered property investment values, and a maximum ratio of debt to earnings before interest, depreciation, amortization and taxes	maintenance of minimum shareholders' equity levels, minimum unencumbered property investment values, and a maximum ratio of total debt to earnings before interest, depreciation, amortization, and taxes		restrictive covenants that are substantially the same as the covenants contained in the revolving senior credit facilities
Outstanding letters of credit				19	11
Total remaining capacity available for borrowing	$ 283			$ 163	$ 106		$ 120	$ 120
Secured term debt [Abstract]
Term of debt instrument (in years)		15Y		3Y
Number of notes assumed			2