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, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 5,372,600	$ 5,298,848	$ 10,163,653	$ 10,006,637
Cost of products sold	4,674,846	4,456,808	8,813,466	8,249,343
Operating expenses	271,654	277,542	545,620	542,641
General and administrative	28,365	34,000	55,288	63,198
Depreciation and amortization	101,390	70,492	181,938	142,254
Total operating costs and expenses	5,076,255	4,838,842	9,596,312	8,997,436
Income (loss) from operations	296,345	460,006	567,341	1,009,201
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(908)	(1,089)	(1,709)	(1,030)
Interest income (expense)	(8,952)	(19,016)	(19,894)	(38,805)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(22,109)	(7,677)	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(9,860)	(42,214)	(29,280)	(61,944)
Income before income taxes	286,485	417,792	538,061	947,257
Income tax provision	101,332	152,043	188,946	338,137
Net income	185,153	265,749	349,115	609,120
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	8,724	8,768	20,625	18,470
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	176,429	256,981	328,490	590,650
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	197,805	286,854	403,108	632,282
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	179	100	280	631
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	24,343	30,242	45,450	54,373
Depreciation and amortization	2,010	1,400	3,800	2,326
Total operating costs and expenses	26,353	31,642	49,250	56,699
Income (loss) from operations	(26,174)	(31,542)	(48,970)	(56,068)
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	303,788	469,228	566,147	1,020,119
Interest income (expense)	(373)	(7,456)	(797)	(14,677)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(22,109)	0	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	303,415	439,663	565,350	983,333
Income before income taxes	277,241	408,121	516,380	927,265
Income tax provision	101,304	151,698	188,843	337,737
Net income	175,937	256,423	327,537	589,528
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	175,937	256,423	327,537	589,528
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	197,313	286,296	402,155	631,160
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,362,277	5,286,984	10,137,400	9,979,410
Cost of products sold	4,738,586	4,518,737	8,948,308	8,371,865
Operating expenses	247,451	255,874	498,927	495,297
General and administrative	1,469	630	4,095	2,405
Depreciation and amortization	87,473	57,043	154,580	117,663
Total operating costs and expenses	5,074,979	4,832,284	9,605,910	8,987,230
Income (loss) from operations	287,298	454,700	531,490	992,180
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	14,546	12,592	30,568	24,206
Interest income (expense)	1,944	1,936	4,089	3,733
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	16,490	14,528	34,657	27,939
Income before income taxes	303,788	469,228	566,147	1,020,119
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	303,788	469,228	566,147	1,020,119
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	303,788	469,228	566,147	1,020,119
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	338,556	489,146	687,940	1,057,542
Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(36)	31	935	63
Cost of products sold	0	92	0	0
Operating expenses	0	19	0	0
General and administrative	37	28	76	88
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	37	139	76	88
Income (loss) from operations	(73)	(108)	859	(25)
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	16,132	14,401	32,415	26,393
Interest income (expense)	143	134	273	271
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	16,275	14,535	32,688	26,664
Income before income taxes	16,202	14,427	33,547	26,639
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	16,202	14,427	33,547	26,639
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	16,202	14,427	33,547	26,639
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	15,909	15,900	33,291	28,731
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	282	0	415
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	0	282	0	415
Income (loss) from operations	0	(282)	0	(415)
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(319,990)	(483,655)	(599,694)	(1,046,758)
Interest income (expense)	0	294	0	446
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(319,990)	(483,361)	(599,694)	(1,046,312)
Income before income taxes	(319,990)	(483,643)	(599,694)	(1,046,727)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(319,990)	(483,643)	(599,694)	(1,046,727)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(319,990)	(483,643)	(599,694)	(1,046,727)
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(354,465)	(505,034)	(721,231)	(1,086,242)
Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,362,420	5,287,115	10,138,615	9,980,104
Cost of products sold	4,738,586	4,519,111	8,948,308	8,372,280
Operating expenses	247,451	255,893	498,927	495,297
General and administrative	25,849	30,900	49,621	56,866
Depreciation and amortization	89,483	58,443	158,380	119,989
Total operating costs and expenses	5,101,369	4,864,347	9,655,236	9,044,432
Income (loss) from operations	261,051	422,768	483,379	935,672
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	14,476	12,566	29,436	23,960
Interest income (expense)	1,714	(5,092)	3,565	(10,227)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	(22,109)	0	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	16,190	(14,635)	33,001	(8,376)
Income before income taxes	277,241	408,133	516,380	927,296
Income tax provision	101,304	151,698	188,843	337,737
Net income	175,937	256,435	327,537	589,559
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	175,937	256,435	327,537	589,559
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	197,313	286,308	402,155	631,191
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	75,024	75,121	162,036	151,605
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	24,567	22,010	47,379	48,039
General and administrative	2,516	3,100	5,667	6,332
Depreciation and amortization	15,477	15,619	30,661	29,368
Total operating costs and expenses	42,560	40,729	83,707	83,739
Income (loss) from operations	32,464	34,392	78,329	67,866
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	748	746	1,270	1,403
Interest income (expense)	(8,329)	(11,624)	(18,780)	(24,006)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	(7,677)	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(7,581)	(10,878)	(25,187)	(22,603)
Income before income taxes	24,883	23,514	53,142	45,263
Income tax provision	28	345	103	400
Net income	24,855	23,169	53,039	44,863
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,416	1,130	5,053	4,020
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	23,439	22,039	47,986	40,843
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	23,145	23,512	47,730	42,935
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(64,844)	(63,388)	(136,998)	(125,072)
Cost of products sold	(63,740)	(62,303)	(134,842)	(122,937)
Operating expenses	(364)	(361)	(686)	(695)
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(3,570)	(3,570)	(7,103)	(7,103)
Total operating costs and expenses	(67,674)	(66,234)	(142,631)	(130,735)
Income (loss) from operations	2,830	2,846	5,633	5,663
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(16,132)	(14,401)	(32,415)	(26,393)
Interest income (expense)	(2,337)	(2,300)	(4,679)	(4,572)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(18,469)	(16,701)	(37,094)	(30,965)
Income before income taxes	(15,639)	(13,855)	(31,461)	(25,302)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(15,639)	(13,855)	(31,461)	(25,302)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	7,308	7,638	15,572	14,450
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(22,947)	(21,493)	(47,033)	(39,752)
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ (22,653)	$ (22,966)	$ (46,777)	$ (41,844)