Supplemental Financial Information (Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 710,579	$ 66,533	$ 567,985	$ 940,103
Marketable securities	424,148	144,019
Accounts receivable, net	479,199	351,978
Inventories	1,135,676	841,869
Income tax receivable	68,371	0
Prepayments and other	33,036	43,666
Total current assets	2,851,009	1,448,065
Properties, plants and equipment, net	4,008,448	4,115,662
Intangibles and other assets	2,576,204	2,824,572
Total assets	9,435,661	8,388,299	9,230,047
Accounts payable	935,387	716,490
Income taxes payable	0	8,142
Accrued liabilities	147,842	135,983
Total current liabilities	1,083,229	860,615
Long-term debt	2,235,137	1,040,040
Liability to HEP	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	620,414	497,906
Other long-term liabilities	194,896	179,965
Investment in HEP	0	0
Equity – HollyFrontier	4,681,394	5,253,415
Equity – noncontrolling interest	620,591	556,358
Total liabilities and equity	9,435,661	8,388,299
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	706,922	51,520	565,155	933,751
Marketable securities	424,148	144,019
Accounts receivable, net	487,693	355,020
Inventories	1,134,274	839,897
Income tax receivable	68,371
Prepayments and other	37,379	48,288
Total current assets	2,858,787	1,438,744
Properties, plants and equipment, net	2,874,041	3,027,614
Intangibles and other assets	2,077,683	2,410,879
Total assets	7,810,511	6,877,237
Accounts payable	967,347	738,024
Income taxes payable		8,142
Accrued liabilities	115,878	117,346
Total current liabilities	1,083,225	863,512
Long-term debt	991,225	31,288
Liability to HEP	208,603	220,998
Deferred income tax liabilities	619,905	497,475
Other long-term liabilities	132,515	125,614
Investment in HEP	136,435	129,961
Equity – HollyFrontier	4,638,603	5,008,389
Equity – noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	7,810,511	6,877,237
HEP Subsidiary
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	3,657	15,013	2,830	6,352
Marketable securities	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	50,408	41,075
Inventories	1,402	1,972
Income tax receivable	0
Prepayments and other	1,486	3,082
Total current assets	56,953	61,142
Properties, plants and equipment, net	1,365,568	1,333,563
Intangibles and other assets	497,966	417,574
Total assets	1,920,487	1,812,279
Accounts payable	26,942	22,583
Income taxes payable		0
Accrued liabilities	37,793	26,341
Total current liabilities	64,735	48,924
Long-term debt	1,243,912	1,008,752
Liability to HEP	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	509	431
Other long-term liabilities	62,971	59,376
Investment in HEP	0	0
Equity – HollyFrontier	454,803	600,367
Equity – noncontrolling interest	93,557	94,429
Total liabilities and equity	1,920,487	1,812,279
Consolidations and Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Marketable securities	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(58,902)	(44,117)
Inventories	0	0
Income tax receivable	0
Prepayments and other	(5,829)	(7,704)
Total current assets	(64,731)	(51,821)
Properties, plants and equipment, net	(231,161)	(245,515)
Intangibles and other assets	555	(3,881)
Total assets	(295,337)	(301,217)
Accounts payable	(58,902)	(44,117)
Income taxes payable		0
Accrued liabilities	(5,829)	(7,704)
Total current liabilities	(64,731)	(51,821)
Long-term debt	0	0
Liability to HEP	(208,603)	(220,998)
Deferred income tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(590)	(5,025)
Investment in HEP	(136,435)	(129,961)
Equity – HollyFrontier	(412,012)	(355,341)
Equity – noncontrolling interest	527,034	461,929
Total liabilities and equity	$ (295,337)	$ (301,217)