Supplemental Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Income (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 5,317,555	$ 5,327,122	$ 15,481,208	$ 15,333,759
Cost of products sold	4,625,893	4,809,990	13,439,359	13,059,333
Operating expenses	280,957	256,318	826,577	798,959
General and administrative	27,149	28,937	82,437	92,135
Depreciation and amortization	80,945	82,127	262,883	224,381
Total operating costs and expenses	5,014,944	5,177,372	14,611,256	14,174,808
Income (loss) from operations	302,611	149,750	869,952	1,158,951
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(1,247)	159	(2,956)	(871)
Interest income (expense)	(10,034)	(12,472)	(29,928)	(51,277)
Loss on sale of assets	(556)	0	(556)	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	0	(7,677)	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(11,837)	(12,313)	(41,117)	(74,257)
Income before income taxes	290,774	137,437	828,835	1,084,694
Income tax provision	103,216	48,528	292,162	386,665
Net income	187,558	88,909	536,673	698,029
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	12,552	6,619	33,177	25,089
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	175,006	82,290	503,496	672,940
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	169,577	85,258	572,685	717,540
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	103	146	383	777
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	24,904	25,995	70,354	80,368
Depreciation and amortization	2,055	1,496	5,855	3,822
Total operating costs and expenses	26,959	27,491	76,209	84,190
Income (loss) from operations	(26,856)	(27,345)	(75,826)	(83,413)
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	305,736	158,437	871,883	1,178,587
Interest income (expense)	(1,227)	(782)	(2,024)	(15,459)
Loss on sale of assets	0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	304,509	157,655	869,859	1,141,019
Income before income taxes	277,653	130,310	794,033	1,057,606
Income tax provision	103,174	48,488	292,017	386,225
Net income	174,479	81,822	502,016	671,381
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	174,479	81,822	502,016	671,381
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	169,050	84,790	571,205	715,981
Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,303,131	5,315,037	15,440,531	15,294,447
Cost of products sold	4,692,587	4,874,603	13,640,897	13,246,883
Operating expenses	255,871	234,987	754,798	730,284
General and administrative	530	422	4,038	2,827
Depreciation and amortization	66,832	65,195	221,999	182,858
Total operating costs and expenses	5,015,820	5,175,207	14,621,732	14,162,852
Income (loss) from operations	287,311	139,830	818,799	1,131,595
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	17,021	16,207	47,589	40,413
Interest income (expense)	1,962	2,400	6,051	6,579
Loss on sale of assets	(556)		(556)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	18,427	18,607	53,084	46,992
Income before income taxes	305,738	158,437	871,883	1,178,587
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	305,738	158,437	871,883	1,178,587
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	305,738	158,437	871,883	1,178,587
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	296,622	163,317	984,562	1,220,890
Non Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	0	28	935	91
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	36	105	112	193
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	36	105	112	193
Income (loss) from operations	(36)	(77)	823	(102)
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	19,040	16,822	51,455	43,215
Interest income (expense)	144	138	417	409
Loss on sale of assets	0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	19,184	16,960	51,872	43,624
Income before income taxes	19,148	16,883	52,695	43,522
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	19,148	16,883	52,695	43,522
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	19,148	16,883	52,695	43,522
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	19,584	16,450	52,875	45,181
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	0	0	0	0
General and administrative	(587)	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	587	0	0	0
Total operating costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(324,884)	(175,320)	(924,578)	(1,222,109)
Interest income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Loss on sale of assets	0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(324,884)	(175,320)	(924,578)	(1,222,109)
Income before income taxes	(324,884)	(175,320)	(924,578)	(1,222,109)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(324,884)	(175,320)	(924,578)	(1,222,109)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(324,884)	(175,320)	(924,578)	(1,222,109)
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(316,206)	(179,767)	(1,037,437)	(1,266,071)
Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation Of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	5,303,234	5,315,211	15,441,849	15,295,315
Cost of products sold	4,692,587	4,874,603	13,640,897	13,246,883
Operating expenses	255,871	234,987	754,798	730,284
General and administrative	24,883	26,522	74,504	83,388
Depreciation and amortization	69,474	66,691	227,854	186,680
Total operating costs and expenses	5,042,815	5,202,803	14,698,053	14,247,235
Income (loss) from operations	260,419	112,408	743,796	1,048,080
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	16,913	16,146	46,349	40,106
Interest income (expense)	879	1,756	4,444	(8,471)
Loss on sale of assets	(556)		(556)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	(22,109)
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	17,236	17,902	50,237	9,526
Income before income taxes	277,655	130,310	794,033	1,057,606
Income tax provision	103,174	48,488	292,017	386,225
Net income	174,481	81,822	502,016	671,381
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	174,481	81,822	502,016	671,381
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	169,050	84,790	571,205	715,981
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	82,141	77,625	244,177	229,230
Cost of products sold	0	0	0	0
Operating expenses	25,456	21,687	72,835	69,726
General and administrative	2,266	2,415	7,933	8,747
Depreciation and amortization	15,078	19,042	45,739	48,410
Total operating costs and expenses	42,800	43,144	126,507	126,883
Income (loss) from operations	39,341	34,481	117,670	102,347
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	880	835	2,150	2,238
Interest income (expense)	(8,585)	(11,812)	(27,365)	(35,818)
Loss on sale of assets	0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			(7,677)	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(7,705)	(10,977)	(32,892)	(33,580)
Income before income taxes	31,636	23,504	84,778	68,767
Income tax provision	42	40	145	440
Net income	31,594	23,464	84,633	68,327
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,509	1,172	6,562	5,192
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	30,085	22,292	78,071	63,135
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	30,520	21,859	78,250	64,794
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	(67,820)	(65,714)	(204,818)	(190,786)
Cost of products sold	(66,694)	(64,613)	(201,538)	(187,550)
Operating expenses	(370)	(356)	(1,056)	(1,051)
General and administrative	0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	(3,607)	(3,606)	(10,710)	(10,709)
Total operating costs and expenses	(70,671)	(68,575)	(213,304)	(199,310)
Income (loss) from operations	2,851	2,861	8,486	8,524
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	(19,040)	(16,822)	(51,455)	(43,215)
Interest income (expense)	(2,328)	(2,416)	(7,007)	(6,988)
Loss on sale of assets	0		0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt			0	0
Nonoperating Income (Expense)	(21,368)	(19,238)	(58,462)	(50,203)
Income before income taxes	(18,517)	(16,377)	(49,976)	(41,679)
Income tax provision	0	0	0	0
Net income	(18,517)	(16,377)	(49,976)	(41,679)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	11,043	5,447	26,615	19,897
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	(29,560)	(21,824)	(76,591)	(61,576)
Comprehensive income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ (29,993)	$ (21,391)	$ (76,770)	$ (63,235)