Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		18 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	$ 44,835	$ 40,035
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(4,098)	(4,526)
Operating expenses:
Amortization of intangibles	3,114	2,104
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Net Income	84,999	74,826
Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax	160,135	110,298
Continuing Operations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0
Loans	363,197	355,631
Money market investments	2,863	1,446
Investment securities	36,271	30,301
Trading account securities	1,689	2,696
Total interest and dividend income	404,020	390,074
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	29,874	25,864
Short-term borrowings	1,861	1,734
Interest Expense Long Term Debt	19,873	19,281
Total interest expense	51,608	46,879
Net interest income	352,412	343,195
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	307,577	303,160
Service charges on deposit accounts	39,862	39,017
Other service fees	53,382	53,626
Mortgage banking activities	10,551	12,852
Trading account profit	(162)	414
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	(304)	(79)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(4,098)	(4,526)
FDIC loss share (expense) income	(3,146)	4,139
Other operating income	15,545	9,792
Total non-interest income	111,630	115,235
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	127,091	116,458
Net occupancy expenses	20,430	21,709
Equipment expenses	14,548	13,411
Other taxes	10,195	8,574
Professional fees	75,459	75,528
Communications	6,320	6,176
Business promotion	11,110	10,813
FDIC deposit insurance	7,370	6,398
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	9,141	23,069
Other operating expenses	17,165	17,349
Amortization of intangibles	3,114	2,104
Restructuring Costs	0	10,753	$ 45,100
Total operating expenses	301,943	312,342
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	117,264	106,053
Income tax expense	32,265	32,568
Income Loss Before Equity In Undistributed Earnings Of Subsidiaries	84,999	73,485
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	84,999	73,485
Continuing Operations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	47,940	29,711
Continuing Operations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	(3,105)	10,324
Discontinued Operations
Operating expenses:
Income Loss From Discontinued Operations Net Of Tax	0	1,341
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	(34)	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
Operating expenses:
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	64,477	81,565
Net Income	84,999	74,826
Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax	160,135	110,298
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Continuing Operations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	29,700	1,500
Loans	19	140
Money market investments	255	2
Investment securities	238	143
Trading account securities	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	30,212	1,785
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	0
Interest Expense Long Term Debt	13,117	13,118
Total interest expense	13,117	13,118
Net interest income	17,095	(11,333)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	17,129	(11,333)
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0
Other service fees	0	0
Mortgage banking activities	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on investment securities	0	0
Trading account profit	24	40
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
FDIC loss share (expense) income	0	0
Other operating income	3,256	2,968
Total non-interest income	3,280	3,008
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	15,421	11,908
Net occupancy expenses	916	980
Equipment expenses	445	545
Other taxes	47	(1,458)
Professional fees	2,881	2,774
Communications	137	117
Business promotion	465	436
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0
Other operating expenses	(20,428)	(16,935)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Restructuring Costs	0	0
Total operating expenses	(116)	(1,633)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	20,525	(6,692)
Income tax expense	3	47
Income Loss Before Equity In Undistributed Earnings Of Subsidiaries	20,522	(6,739)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	64,477	80,224
Income (loss) from continuing operations	84,999	73,485
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Continuing Operations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	(34)	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Continuing Operations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Discontinued Operations
Operating expenses:
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		1,341
Income Loss From Discontinued Operations Net Of Tax		0
PNA Holding Co.
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
Operating expenses:
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	8,923	2,610
Net Income	6,346	(1,450)
Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax	27,295	11,841
PNA Holding Co. | Continuing Operations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0
Loans	0	0
Money market investments	21	2
Investment securities	80	81
Trading account securities	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	101	83
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	101
Interest Expense Long Term Debt	2,693	2,695
Total interest expense	2,693	2,796
Net interest income	(2,592)	(2,713)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(2,592)	(2,713)
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0
Other service fees	0	0
Mortgage banking activities	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on investment securities	0	0
Trading account profit	0	0
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
FDIC loss share (expense) income	0	0
Other operating income	(1,303)	(828)
Total non-interest income	(1,303)	(828)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0
Equipment expenses	0	0
Other taxes	0	0
Professional fees	30	410
Communications	0	0
Business promotion	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0
Other operating expenses	39	109
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Restructuring Costs	0	0
Total operating expenses	69	519
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	(3,964)	(4,060)
Income tax expense	(1,387)	0
Income Loss Before Equity In Undistributed Earnings Of Subsidiaries	(2,577)	(4,060)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	8,923	1,269
Income (loss) from continuing operations	6,346	(2,791)
PNA Holding Co. | Continuing Operations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Continuing Operations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Discontinued Operations
Operating expenses:
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		1,341
Income Loss From Discontinued Operations Net Of Tax		0
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	44,869	40,035
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(4,098)	(4,526)
Operating expenses:
Amortization of intangibles	3,114	2,104
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Net Income	96,422	86,742
Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax	172,035	122,078
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Continuing Operations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0
Loans	363,178	355,613
Money market investments	2,863	1,444
Investment securities	35,953	30,077
Trading account securities	1,689	2,696
Total interest and dividend income	403,683	389,830
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	30,150	25,866
Short-term borrowings	1,861	1,755
Interest Expense Long Term Debt	4,063	3,468
Total interest expense	36,074	31,089
Net interest income	367,609	358,741
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	322,740	318,706
Service charges on deposit accounts	39,862	39,017
Other service fees	53,439	53,714
Mortgage banking activities	10,551	12,852
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on investment securities	0	0
Trading account profit	(186)	374
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	(304)	(79)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(4,098)	(4,526)
FDIC loss share (expense) income	(3,146)	4,139
Other operating income	13,599	7,668
Total non-interest income	109,717	113,159
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	111,670	104,550
Net occupancy expenses	19,514	20,729
Equipment expenses	14,103	12,866
Other taxes	10,148	10,032
Professional fees	72,605	72,432
Communications	6,183	6,059
Business promotion	10,645	10,377
FDIC deposit insurance	7,370	6,398
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	9,141	23,069
Other operating expenses	38,106	34,819
Amortization of intangibles	3,114	2,104
Restructuring Costs	0	10,753
Total operating expenses	302,599	314,188
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	129,858	117,677
Income tax expense	33,436	32,276
Income Loss Before Equity In Undistributed Earnings Of Subsidiaries	96,422	85,401
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	96,422	85,401
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Continuing Operations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	47,974	29,711
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Continuing Operations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	(3,105)	10,324
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Discontinued Operations
Operating expenses:
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		0
Income Loss From Discontinued Operations Net Of Tax		1,341
Elimination
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
Operating expenses:
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(73,400)	(84,175)
Net Income	(102,768)	(85,292)
Comprehensive Income Net Of Tax	(199,330)	(133,919)
Elimination | Continuing Operations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	(29,700)	(1,500)
Loans	0	(122)
Money market investments	(276)	(2)
Investment securities	0	0
Trading account securities	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	(29,976)	(1,624)
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	(276)	(2)
Short-term borrowings	0	(122)
Interest Expense Long Term Debt	0	0
Total interest expense	(276)	(124)
Net interest income	(29,700)	(1,500)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(29,700)	(1,500)
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0
Other service fees	(57)	(88)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on investment securities	0	0
Trading account profit	0	0
Net gain on sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0
FDIC loss share (expense) income	0	0
Other operating income	(7)	(16)
Total non-interest income	(64)	(104)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0
Equipment expenses	0	0
Other taxes	0	0
Professional fees	(57)	(88)
Communications	0	0
Business promotion	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0
Other operating expenses	(552)	(644)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Restructuring Costs	0	0
Total operating expenses	(609)	(732)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax	(29,155)	(872)
Income tax expense	213	245
Income Loss Before Equity In Undistributed Earnings Of Subsidiaries	(29,368)	(1,117)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(73,400)	(81,493)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(102,768)	(82,610)
Elimination | Continuing Operations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0
Elimination | Continuing Operations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	$ 0	0
Elimination | Discontinued Operations
Operating expenses:
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries		(2,682)
Income Loss From Discontinued Operations Net Of Tax		$ 0