Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 5,298,848	$ 4,806,681	$ 10,006,637	$ 9,738,419
Cost of products sold	4,456,808	3,681,764	8,249,343	7,868,681
Operating expenses	277,542	222,726	542,641	464,353
General and administrative	34,000	32,106	63,198	59,634
Depreciation and amortization	70,492	56,948	142,254	113,050
Total operating costs and expenses	4,838,842	3,993,544	8,997,436	8,505,718
Income (loss) from operations	460,006	813,137	1,009,201	1,232,701
Earnings of equity method investments	(1,089)	886	(1,030)	1,603
Interest income (expense)	(19,016)	(26,261)	(38,805)	(59,116)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	(22,109)	0	(22,109)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)	0	326	0	326
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(42,214)	(25,049)	(61,944)	(57,187)
Income before income taxes	417,792	788,088	947,257	1,175,514
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	152,043	285,718	338,137	426,124
Net income	265,749	502,370	609,120	749,390
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	8,768	8,871	18,470	14,195
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	256,981	493,499	590,650	735,195
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	286,854	516,495	632,282	662,897
Parent [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	100	100	631	199
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	30,242	29,451	54,373	54,424
Depreciation and amortization	1,400	876	2,326	1,979
Total operating costs and expenses	31,642	30,327	56,699	56,403
Income (loss) from operations	(31,542)	(30,227)	(56,068)	(56,204)
Earnings of equity method investments	469,228	822,160	1,020,119	1,243,221
Interest income (expense)	(7,456)	(13,424)	(14,677)	(27,447)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	(22,109)		(22,109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	439,663	808,736	983,333	1,215,774
Income before income taxes	408,121	778,509	927,265	1,159,570
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	151,698	285,643	337,737	425,974
Net income	256,423	492,866	589,528	733,596
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	256,423	492,866	589,528	733,596
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	286,296	515,862	631,160	661,298
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,286,984	4,795,647	9,979,410	9,715,384
Cost of products sold	4,518,737	3,737,228	8,371,865	7,978,529
Operating expenses	255,874	202,222	495,297	424,337
General and administrative	630	138	2,405	639
Depreciation and amortization	57,043	47,325	117,663	92,499
Total operating costs and expenses	4,832,284	3,986,913	8,987,230	8,496,004
Income (loss) from operations	454,700	808,734	992,180	1,219,380
Earnings of equity method investments	12,592	11,395	24,206	19,897
Interest income (expense)	1,936	1,705	3,733	3,618
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		326		326
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	14,528	13,426	27,939	23,841
Income before income taxes	469,228	822,160	1,020,119	1,243,221
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	469,228	822,160	1,020,119	1,243,221
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	469,228	822,160	1,020,119	1,243,221
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	489,146	852,772	1,057,542	1,117,681
Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	31	45	63	102
Cost of products sold	92	0	0	0
Operating expenses	19	0	0	0
General and administrative	28	31	88	46
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	139	31	88	46
Income (loss) from operations	(108)	14	(25)	56
Earnings of equity method investments	14,401	11,114	26,393	19,489
Interest income (expense)	134	175	271	374
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	14,535	11,289	26,664	19,863
Income before income taxes	14,427	11,303	26,639	19,919
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	14,427	11,303	26,639	19,919
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	14,427	11,303	26,639	19,919
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	15,900	11,204	28,731	20,204
Eliminations From Consolidation Of Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	282	489	415	980
Operating expenses	0	(336)	0	(721)
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	282	153	415	259
Income (loss) from operations	(282)	(153)	(415)	(259)
Earnings of equity method investments	(483,655)	(833,463)	(1,046,758)	(1,263,140)
Interest income (expense)	294	224	446	728
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(483,361)	(833,239)	(1,046,312)	(1,262,412)
Income before income taxes	(483,643)	(833,392)	(1,046,727)	(1,262,671)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(483,643)	(833,392)	(1,046,727)	(1,262,671)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(483,643)	(833,392)	(1,046,727)	(1,262,671)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	(505,034)	(863,905)	(1,086,242)	(1,137,416)
Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,287,115	4,795,792	9,980,104	9,715,685
Cost of products sold	4,519,111	3,737,717	8,372,280	7,979,509
Operating expenses	255,893	201,886	495,297	423,616
General and administrative	30,900	29,620	56,866	55,109
Depreciation and amortization	58,443	48,201	119,989	94,478
Total operating costs and expenses	4,864,347	4,017,424	9,044,432	8,552,712
Income (loss) from operations	422,768	778,368	935,672	1,162,973
Earnings of equity method investments	12,566	11,206	23,960	19,467
Interest income (expense)	(5,092)	(11,320)	(10,227)	(22,727)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	(22,109)		(22,109)
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		326		326
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(14,635)	212	(8,376)	(2,934)
Income before income taxes	408,133	778,580	927,296	1,160,039
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	151,698	285,643	337,737	425,974
Net income	256,435	492,937	589,559	734,065
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	256,435	492,937	589,559	734,065
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	286,308	515,933	631,191	661,767
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	75,121	67,103	151,605	134,680
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	22,010	20,371	48,039	40,401
General and administrative	3,100	2,486	6,332	4,525
Depreciation and amortization	15,619	12,317	29,368	25,712
Total operating costs and expenses	40,729	35,174	83,739	70,638
Income (loss) from operations	34,392	31,929	67,866	64,042
Earnings of equity method investments	746	794	1,403	1,625
Interest income (expense)	(11,624)	(12,664)	(24,006)	(31,834)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(10,878)	(11,870)	(22,603)	(30,209)
Income before income taxes	23,514	20,059	45,263	33,833
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	345	75	400	150
Net income	23,169	19,984	44,863	33,683
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,130	(683)	4,020	(1,240)
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	22,039	20,667	40,843	34,923
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	23,512	20,568	42,935	35,208
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(63,388)	(56,214)	(125,072)	(111,946)
Cost of products sold	(62,303)	(55,953)	(122,937)	(110,828)
Operating expenses	(361)	469	(695)	336
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(3,570)	(3,570)	(7,103)	(7,140)
Total operating costs and expenses	(66,234)	(59,054)	(130,735)	(117,632)
Income (loss) from operations	2,846	2,840	5,663	5,686
Earnings of equity method investments	(14,401)	(11,114)	(26,393)	(19,489)
Interest income (expense)	(2,300)	(2,277)	(4,572)	(4,555)
Gains (Losses) on Extinguishment of Debt	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Realized Gain (Loss)		0		0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(16,701)	(13,391)	(30,965)	(24,044)
Income before income taxes	(13,855)	(10,551)	(25,302)	(18,358)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(13,855)	(10,551)	(25,302)	(18,358)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	7,638	9,554	14,450	15,435
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(21,493)	(20,105)	(39,752)	(33,793)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	$ (22,966)	$ (20,006)	$ (41,844)	$ (34,078)