CONTRACT & OTHER DEFERRED ASSETS AND PROGRESS COLLECTIONS & DEFERRED INCOME - Schedule of Contract Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		$ 3,240	$ 3,579
Nonrecurring engineering costs		2,007	1,905
Customer advances and other		1,136	1,098
Contract and other deferred assets		20,780	20,356
Billings in excess of revenues		5,098	5,498
GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		14,396	13,775
Contract and other deferred assets	[1]	20,780	20,356
GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		7,124	6,902
GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		7,272	6,874
GE | Equipment upgrades
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		751	748
Power
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		1,090	1,304
Nonrecurring engineering costs		147	122
Customer advances and other		1	0
Contract and other deferred assets		9,343	9,539
Power | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		8,104	8,115
Power | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		3,359	3,357
Power | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		4,745	4,757
Aviation
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		563	564
Nonrecurring engineering costs		1,765	1,696
Customer advances and other		1,095	1,098
Contract and other deferred assets		6,635	6,251
Aviation | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		3,213	2,893
Aviation | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		2,795	2,614
Aviation | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		418	280
Oil & Gas
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		208	358
Nonrecurring engineering costs		0	0
Customer advances and other		0	0
Contract and other deferred assets		1,836	1,971
Oil & Gas | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		1,628	1,612
Oil & Gas | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		520	517
Oil & Gas | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		1,108	1,095
Renewable Energy
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		1,008	950
Nonrecurring engineering costs		0	0
Customer advances and other		19	0
Contract and other deferred assets		1,371	1,246
Renewable Energy | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		344	296
Renewable Energy | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		0	1
Renewable Energy | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		344	295
Transportation
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		40	43
Nonrecurring engineering costs		95	87
Customer advances and other		1	0
Contract and other deferred assets		718	619
Transportation | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		582	488
Transportation | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		450	413
Transportation | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		132	76
Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Deferred inventory costs		331	359
Nonrecurring engineering costs		0	0
Customer advances and other		20	0
Contract and other deferred assets		877	729
Other | GE
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		526	371
Other | GE | Long-term product service agreements
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		0	0
Other | GE | Equipment contract revenue
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Total contract assets		$ 526	$ 371

[1] Represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except GE Capital, which is presented on a one-line basis. See Note 1.