Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales and other revenues	$ 17,714,666		$ 14,251,299		$ 10,535,700
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of products sold (exclusive of lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment)	13,940,782		11,467,873		8,766,027
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment	136,305		(108,685)		(291,938)
Cost of products sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	14,077,087		11,359,188		8,474,089
Operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	1,285,838		1,296,669		1,021,152
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	290,424		265,721		125,930
Depreciation and amortization	437,324		409,937		363,027
Goodwill and long-lived asset impairment	0		19,247		654,084
Total operating costs and expenses	16,090,673		13,350,762		10,638,282
Income (loss) from operations	1,623,993	[1]	900,537	[2],[3]	(102,582)
Other income (expense):
Earnings of equity method investments	5,825		12,510		14,213
Interest income	16,892		3,736		2,491
Interest expense	(131,363)		(117,597)		(72,192)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0		(12,225)		(8,718)
Gain on foreign currency transactions	6,197		16,921		0
Gain (loss) on foreign currency swap contracts	0		24,545		(6,520)
Remeasurement gain on HEP pipeline interest acquisitions	0		36,254		0
Other, net	2,923		4,182		1,774
Other income (expense) total	(99,526)		(31,674)		(68,952)
Income (loss) before income taxes	1,524,467		868,863		(171,534)
Income tax expense (benefit):
Current	270,274		125,143		(79,181)
Deferred	76,969		(137,522)		98,592
Income tax expense (benefit) total	347,243		(12,379)		19,411
Net income (loss)	1,177,224		881,242		(190,945)
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	79,264		75,847		69,508
Net income (loss) attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ 1,097,960		$ 805,395		$ (260,453)
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders:
Basic	$ 6.25		$ 4.54		$ (1.48)
Diluted	$ 6.19		$ 4.52		$ (1.48)
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	175,009		176,174		176,101
Diluted	176,661		177,196		176,101

[1] For 2018, income from operations reflects non-cash lower of cost or market inventory valuation reductions of $103.8 million and $106.9 million for the first and second quarters, respectively, and a charge of $17.8 million and $329.2 million for the third and fourth quarters, respectively.

[2] For 2017, income from operations reflects long-lived asset impairment charges of $23.2 million in the second quarter.

[3] For 2017, income from operations reflects non-cash lower of cost or market inventory valuation charges of $11.8 million and $84.0 million for the first and second quarters, respectively, and a reduction of $111.1 million and $93.4 million for the third and fourth quarters, respectively.