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, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018		Jun. 30, 2018		Mar. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2017		Mar. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues	$ 4,344,204		$ 4,770,799		$ 4,471,236		$ 4,128,427		$ 3,992,705		$ 3,719,247		$ 3,458,864		$ 3,080,483		$ 17,714,666		$ 14,251,299		$ 10,535,700
Operating costs and expenses	4,126,552		4,267,282		3,964,259		3,732,580		3,627,875		3,270,834		3,338,034		3,114,019		16,090,673		13,350,762		10,638,282
Income (loss) from operations	217,652	[1]	503,517	[1]	506,977	[1]	395,847	[1]	364,830	[2],[3]	448,413	[2],[3]	120,830	[2],[3]	(33,536)	[2],[3]	1,623,993	[1]	900,537	[2],[3]	(102,582)
Income (loss) before income taxes	191,818		478,390		480,360		373,899		371,262		446,103		106,069		(54,571)		1,524,467		868,863		(171,534)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	$ 141,896		$ 342,466		$ 345,507		$ 268,091		$ 521,082		$ 272,014		$ 57,767		$ (45,468)		$ 1,097,960		$ 805,395		$ (260,453)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.82		$ 1.95		$ 1.96		$ 1.51		$ 2.94		$ 1.53		$ 0.33		$ (0.26)		$ 6.25		$ 4.54		$ (1.48)
Net income (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	0.81		1.93		1.94		1.50		2.92		1.53		0.33		(0.26)		6.19		4.52		$ (1.48)
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 0.33		$ 1.32		$ 1.32
Basic	172,485		175,097		175,899		176,617		176,265		176,149		176,147		176,210		175,009		176,174		176,101
Diluted	174,259		176,927		177,586		177,954		177,457		176,530		176,302		176,210		176,661		177,196		176,101
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment					$ (106,900)		$ (103,800)				$ (111,100)						$ (136,305)		$ 108,685		$ 291,938
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment	$ (329,200)		$ (17,800)						$ (93,400)				$ 84,000		$ 11,800		(136,305)		108,685		291,938
Asset Impairment Charges																			23,200
Refining
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales and other revenues																	15,806,304		12,579,672		10,002,831
Income (loss) from operations																	1,336,120		595,336		(335,171)
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment																	$ (136,305)		$ 107,479		$ 287,848

[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.