Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flow (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	$ 91,324	$ 92,945
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	0	0
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	71,063	40,698
Amortization of intangibles	2,325	2,345
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	12,836	11,799
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(7,006)	(6,463)
Stock Based Compensation	3,112	0
Impairment losses on long-lived assets	272	0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	4,307	5,954
FDIC loss share (income) expense	8,027	8,257
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	2,926	1,966
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions	(7,370)	(9,213)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	10,758	25,060
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	(72)	6,466
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	(1,116)	(5,381)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	(99)	4,512
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(47,335)	(73,043)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	12,036	29,364
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	(48,375)	(123,336)
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	93,998	176,937
Equity securities	(130)	435
Accrued income receivable	56,504	10,024
Other assets	36,014	11,995
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(10,614)	(11,281)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	1,225	331
Other liabilities	(94,529)	(13,654)
Total adjustments	98,757	93,772
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	190,081	186,717
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(1,728,858)	(766,208)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(1,311,382)	(1,216,880)
Equity	(9,730)	(225)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	1,016,203	222,677
Held-to-maturity	2,639	2,184
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity	9,745	1,757
Net repayments on loans	93,482	99,306
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(161,295)	(109,098)
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	(1,263)	(23,574)
Return of capital from equity method investments	0	3,362
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries	0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(13,046)	(18,646)
Proceeds from insurance claims	258	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	3,033	3,011
Foreclosed assets	25,746	27,547
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(2,074,468)	(1,774,787)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	1,678,029	1,715,958
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	(10,860)	(44,711)
Other short-term borrowings	89,992	0
Payments of notes payable	(12,680)	(17,408)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	40,000	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, including reissuance of treasury shares	4,712	1,806
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	(26,138)	(16,499)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(193)	(75,604)
Return Of Capital To Parent Company	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	(1,223)	(719)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,761,639	1,562,823
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(122,748)	(25,247)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period	412,629	374,196
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	289,881	348,949
Elimination
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	(117,155)	(108,833)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	92,496	(19,827)
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	0	0
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	0	0
Stock Based Compensation	0
Impairment losses on long-lived assets	0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions	0	0
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	231	210
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	(101)	0
Equity securities	0	(6)
Accrued income receivable	34	(28)
Other assets	758	307
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(34)	28
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	(1,350)	(846)
Total adjustments	92,034	(20,162)
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	(25,121)	(128,995)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(30,748)	23,147
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Equity	123	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity	0	0
Net repayments on loans	4,301	0
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments		0
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries	10,000
Acquisition of premises and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from insurance claims	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(16,324)	23,147
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	39,076	(9,308)
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings	(4,301)
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, including reissuance of treasury shares	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	25,000	129,000
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(2)	(5)
Return Of Capital To Parent Company	(10,000)
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	49,773	119,687
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	8,328	13,839
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period	(48,178)	(48,081)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	(39,850)	(34,242)
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	91,324	92,945
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	(76,644)	28,460
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	(21)	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	187	163
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	521	521
Stock Based Compensation	2,361
Impairment losses on long-lived assets	0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions	(3,745)	(2,986)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	(5)	(17)
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	0	0
Equity securities	(443)	(355)
Accrued income receivable	(34)	5
Other assets	(2,287)	(1,422)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(7,875)	(7,875)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	(3,434)	(2,413)
Total adjustments	(91,419)	14,081
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	(95)	107,026
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	29,000	(30,000)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Equity	0	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity	0	0
Net repayments on loans	(4,168)	7
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments		0
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries	(10,000)
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(143)	(39)
Proceeds from insurance claims	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	18
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	14,689	(30,014)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	0	0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings	0
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, including reissuance of treasury shares	4,712	1,806
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	(26,138)	(16,499)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(191)	(75,599)
Return Of Capital To Parent Company	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	(1,223)	(719)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(22,840)	(91,011)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(8,246)	(13,999)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period	48,120	48,130
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	39,874	34,131
PNA Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	13,397	7,808
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	(15,852)	(8,633)
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	0	0
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	7	7
Stock Based Compensation	0
Impairment losses on long-lived assets	0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions	(751)	(809)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	(282)	(445)
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	0	0
Equity securities	0	0
Accrued income receivable	81	104
Other assets	28	22
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(2,680)	(2,685)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	3	(551)
Total adjustments	(19,446)	(12,990)
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	(6,049)	(5,182)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	1,748	5,053
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Equity	0	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity	0	0
Net repayments on loans	0	0
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments		0
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries	0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from insurance claims	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	1,748	5,053
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	0	0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings	4,301
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, including reissuance of treasury shares	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	0	0
Return Of Capital To Parent Company	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	4,301	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	0	(129)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period	462	591
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	462	462
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	103,758	101,025
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	0	0
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	71,084	40,698
Amortization of intangibles	2,325	2,345
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	12,649	11,636
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(7,534)	(6,991)
Stock Based Compensation	751
Impairment losses on long-lived assets	272
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	4,307	5,954
FDIC loss share (income) expense	8,027	8,257
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	2,926	1,966
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions	(2,874)	(5,418)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	10,809	25,295
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	(67)	6,483
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	(1,116)	(5,381)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	(99)	4,512
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(47,335)	(73,043)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	12,036	29,364
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	(48,375)	(123,336)
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	94,099	176,937
Equity securities	313	796
Accrued income receivable	56,423	9,943
Other assets	37,515	13,088
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(25)	(749)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	1,225	331
Other liabilities	(89,748)	(9,844)
Total adjustments	117,588	112,843
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	221,346	213,868
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(1,728,858)	(764,408)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(1,311,382)	(1,216,880)
Equity	(9,853)	(225)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	1,016,203	222,677
Held-to-maturity	2,639	2,184
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity	9,745	1,757
Net repayments on loans	93,349	99,299
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(161,295)	(109,098)
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	(1,263)	(23,574)
Return of capital from equity method investments		3,362
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries	0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(12,903)	(18,607)
Proceeds from insurance claims	258
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	3,033	2,993
Foreclosed assets	25,746	27,547
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(2,074,581)	(1,772,973)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	1,638,953	1,725,266
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	(10,860)	(44,711)
Other short-term borrowings	89,992
Payments of notes payable	(12,680)	(17,408)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	40,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, including reissuance of treasury shares	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	(25,000)	(129,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	0	0
Return Of Capital To Parent Company	10,000
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,730,405	1,534,147
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(122,830)	(24,958)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period	412,225	373,556
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	$ 289,395	$ 348,598