<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2023"
  xmlns:hwm="http://howmet.com/20231228"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
  xmlns:us-gaap="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2023"
  xmlns:xbrldi="http://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldi"
  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
    <link:schemaRef xlink:href="hwm-20231228.xsd" xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="c20231228to20231228">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000004281</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2023-12-28</startDate>
            <endDate>2023-12-28</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NewYorkStockExchangeMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000004281</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">us-gaap:CommonStockMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="dei:EntityListingsExchangeAxis">hwm:NewYorkStockExchangeMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
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        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2023-12-28</startDate>
            <endDate>2023-12-28</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NYSEAmericanLLCMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_PreferredStockMember">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0000004281</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="us-gaap:StatementClassOfStockAxis">us-gaap:PreferredStockMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
                <xbrldi:explicitMember dimension="dei:EntityListingsExchangeAxis">hwm:NYSEAmericanLLCMember</xbrldi:explicitMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2023-12-28</startDate>
            <endDate>2023-12-28</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <dei:AmendmentFlag
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_839b7190bcdf489699ab110ff683e56e">false</dei:AmendmentFlag>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_d34aa3759cc4436abad8a3e195716c5a">0000004281</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:DocumentType
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_43d532fd965d4ee793434d6078efa673">8-K</dei:DocumentType>
    <dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_151a4f53be674661ade5a365d657d74a">2023-12-28</dei:DocumentPeriodEndDate>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_8706de911c50454b842c077e7ae93e0f">Howmet Aerospace Inc.</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_5b58855b31dd420686cab7d9fa42203c">DE</dei:EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode>
    <dei:EntityFileNumber
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_d10f286b123a4d0b8d9cf3c44f4dcd4f">1-3610</dei:EntityFileNumber>
    <dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_d27055626bad441ca162643928404e26">25-0317820</dei:EntityTaxIdentificationNumber>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_a470b860b30548b2a6cff5a719b48ace">201 Isabella Street</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine1>
    <dei:EntityAddressAddressLine2
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_b9f1222067534e308a1a69d2910a52a1">Suite 200</dei:EntityAddressAddressLine2>
    <dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_e52c266e420740e3855ed7667ca016ed">Pittsburgh</dei:EntityAddressCityOrTown>
    <dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_45f181b362c1423e89abad7b3d790fba">PA</dei:EntityAddressStateOrProvince>
    <dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_49c5390c027e49ce963d4d0a1a02d2d4">15212-5872</dei:EntityAddressPostalZipCode>
    <dei:CityAreaCode
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_0849fbc9295c41af891c7df12cf00776">412</dei:CityAreaCode>
    <dei:LocalPhoneNumber
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_30a13910eafa47d8ab8dddaaf25e8ce6">553-1940</dei:LocalPhoneNumber>
    <dei:WrittenCommunications
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_52c4fb7cdbc34323bbe5f51842990aff">false</dei:WrittenCommunications>
    <dei:SolicitingMaterial
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_5ec6c239dfd0413b9795a270376c9dce">false</dei:SolicitingMaterial>
    <dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_3ab2c967d1654c07813bc15cfa6f2c00">false</dei:PreCommencementTenderOffer>
    <dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_3541307964664b988e5ae3b3e4728f9c">false</dei:PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NewYorkStockExchangeMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_6f203a3da2a343ad9e83f6c0e773db66">Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NewYorkStockExchangeMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_829517cb5ace499391455c6a3732f8ad">HWM</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NewYorkStockExchangeMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_CommonStockMember"
      id="Fact_fde34fd3c321426e9b35c8535cce77c2">NYSE</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:Security12bTitle
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NYSEAmericanLLCMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_PreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_3b670c92d2ee48168056d46f067fcf65">3.75 Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $100 per share</dei:Security12bTitle>
    <dei:TradingSymbol
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NYSEAmericanLLCMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_PreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_f82e036cdfa84e3aaba872efc16cb954">HWM PR</dei:TradingSymbol>
    <dei:SecurityExchangeName
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228_EntityListingsExchangeAxis_NYSEAmericanLLCMember_StatementClassOfStockAxis_PreferredStockMember"
      id="Fact_b6a373a3c5f14bb59e6ae2d47ddf047e">NYSEAMER</dei:SecurityExchangeName>
    <dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany
      contextRef="c20231228to20231228"
      id="Fact_61f77547d92e413994a02a64f9debbef">false</dei:EntityEmergingGrowthCompany>
</xbrl>
