Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Schedule Of Quarterly Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Sep. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2016		Mar. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Sales and other revenues	$ 2,955,068		$ 2,847,270		$ 2,714,638		$ 2,018,724		$ 2,943,559		$ 3,585,823		$ 3,701,912		$ 3,006,626		$ 10,535,700		$ 13,237,920		$ 19,764,327
Operating costs and expenses	2,842,776		2,722,505		3,135,180		1,935,126		3,000,265		3,263,218		3,112,080		2,618,004		10,635,587		11,993,567		19,248,793
Income (loss) from operations	112,292	[1],[2]	124,765	[1],[2]	(420,542)	[1],[2]	83,598	[1],[2]	(56,706)	[3]	322,605	[3]	589,832	[3]	388,622	[3]	(99,887)	[1],[2]	1,244,353	[3]	515,534
Income (loss) before income taxes	83,416		109,867		(430,515)		65,698		(64,671)		320,673		580,177		372,389		(171,534)		1,208,568		467,500
Net Income (loss) attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ 53,165		$ 74,497		$ (409,368)		$ 21,253		$ (43,921)		$ 196,322		$ 360,824		$ 226,876		$ (260,453)		$ 740,101		$ 281,292
Net income (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30		$ 0.42		$ (2.33)		$ 0.12		$ (0.24)		$ 1.05		$ 1.88		$ 1.16		$ (1.48)		$ 3.91		$ 1.42
Net income (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.30		0.42		(2.33)		0.12		(0.24)		1.04		1.88		1.16		(1.48)		3.90		$ 1.42
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.32		$ 1.32		$ 1.31
Average number of shares of common stock outstanding - Basic	175,936		175,871		175,865		176,737		181,460		187,208		191,355		195,069		176,101		188,731		197,243
Average number of shares of common stock outstanding - Diluted	176,137		175,993		175,865		176,784		181,460		187,344		191,454		195,121		176,101		188,940		197,428
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment	$ 97,700		$ 300		$ 138,500		$ 56,100		$ 143,600		$ 225,500		$ 135,500		$ 6,500		$ (291,938)		$ 226,979		$ 397,478
Goodwill and Intangible Asset Impairment																	$ 654,084		$ 0		$ 0

[1] For 2016, income from operations reflects non-cash goodwill and long-lived asset impairment charges of $654.1 million in the second quarter.

[2] For 2016, income from operations reflects non-cash lower of cost or market inventory valuation reductions of $56.1 million and $138.5 million for the first and second quarters, respectively, and a charge of $0.3 million for the third quarter and a reduction of $97.7 million for the fourth quarter.

[3] ) For 2015, income from operations reflects non-cash lower of cost or market inventory valuation reductions of $6.5 million and $135.5 million for the first and second quarters, respectively, and increases of $225.5 million and $143.6 million for the third and fourth quarters, respectively.