Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	$ 171,106,000	$ 279,783,000	$ 339,031,000	$ 371,107,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions			0	0
Dividends receivable form subsidiaries				0
Provision for loan losses	40,191,000	60,054,000	82,016,000	131,117,000
Amortization of intangibles			4,683,000	4,649,000
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment			28,724,000	25,575,000
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees			(82,053,000)	(15,246,000)
Share-based compensation			10,408,000	5,445,000
Impairment losses on long-lived assets			0	272,000
FDIC loss-share expense			0	(94,725,000)
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights			21,011,000	8,929,000
Adjustments to indemnity reserves on loans sold	(1,840,000)	527,000	(1,747,000)	3,453,000
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions			(7,257,000)	(5,400,000)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			75,083,000	(141,066,000)
Loss (gain) on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets			(4,141,000)	(680,000)
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities			(5,939,000)	(3,602,000)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs			(9,826,000)	566,000
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale			(103,233,000)	(112,687,000)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale			31,063,000	29,519,000
Net originations on loans held-for-sale			(125,707,000)	(112,975,000)
Net decrease (increase) in:
Trading debt securities			215,569,000	218,904,000
Equity securities			(5,911,000)	(1,124,000)
Accrued income receivable			(4,864,000)	48,252,000
Other assets			(3,563,000)	189,540,000
Net (decrease) increase in:
Interest payable			913,000	50,000
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation			10,399,000	2,363,000
Other liabilities			(125,317,000)	(181,094,000)
Total adjustments			311,000	35,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			339,342,000	371,142,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease in money market investments			997,694,000	(3,371,774,000)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			(9,684,912,000)	(2,767,257,000)
Equity			(12,706,000)	(11,176,000)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			6,789,265,000	2,291,230,000
Held-to-maturity			2,980,000	3,030,000
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			0	0
Equity			6,047,000	18,387,000
Net (disbursements) repayments on loans			(324,067,000)	61,890,000
Proceeds from sale of loans			29,943,000	0
Acquisition of loan portfolios			(312,752,000)	(326,503,000)
Payments to acquire other intangible			(793,000)	0
Net payments (to) from FDIC under loss sharing agreements			0	(25,012,000)
Return of capital from equity method investments			1,397,000	1,519,000
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries				0
Return of capital from wholly owned subsidiaries				0
Acquisition of premises and equipment			(37,926,000)	(31,690,000)
Proceeds from insurance claims			0	720,000
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets			14,815,000	5,222,000
Foreclosed assets			59,304,000	59,497,000
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(2,471,711,000)	(4,091,917,000)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits			2,348,495,000	3,921,033,000
Assets sold under agreements to repurchase			(48,439,000)	(84,010,000)
Other short-term borrowings			159,959,000	(95,008,000)
Payments of notes payable			(99,758,000)	(115,749,000)
Principal payments of finance leases			(837,000)	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable			75,000,000	140,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			4,650,000	8,818,000
Dividends paid to parent company			0	0
Dividends paid			(55,631,000)	(52,617,000)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock			(250,410,000)	(270,000)
Return of capital to parent company				0
Capital contribution from parent				0
Payments related to tax witholding for share-based compensation			(4,229,000)	(2,162,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			2,128,800,000	3,720,035,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash			(3,569,000)	(740,000)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period			403,251,000	412,629,000
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	399,682,000	411,889,000	399,682,000	411,889,000
Elimination
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	(185,185,000)	(296,403,000)	(369,376,000)	(413,558,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions			114,909,000	63,595,000
Dividends receivable form subsidiaries				300,000,000
Provision for loan losses	0	0	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
Share-based compensation			0	0
Impairment losses on long-lived assets				0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights			0	0
Adjustments to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions			0	0
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			(121,000)	43,000
Loss (gain) 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 decrease (increase) in:
Trading debt securities			0	(101,000)
Equity securities			0	0
Accrued income receivable			(55,000)	189,000
Other assets			7,739,000	849,000
Net (decrease) increase in:
Interest payable			55,000	(189,000)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation			0	0
Other liabilities			(7,472,000)	(958,000)
Total adjustments			115,055,000	363,428,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(254,321,000)	(50,130,000)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease in money market investments			(78,043,000)	(35,888,000)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			0	0
Equity			41,000	133,000
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 (disbursements) repayments on loans			0	4,301,000
Proceeds from sale of loans			0
Acquisition of loan portfolios			0	0
Payments to acquire other intangible			0
Net payments (to) from FDIC under loss sharing agreements				0
Return of capital from equity method investments			0	0
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries				10,000,000
Return of capital from wholly owned subsidiaries				(13,000,000)
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			(78,002,000)	(34,454,000)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits			67,140,000	21,629,000
Assets sold under agreements to repurchase			0	0
Other short-term borrowings			0	(4,301,000)
Payments of notes payable			0	0
Principal payments of finance leases			0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable			0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			0	0
Dividends paid to parent company			254,300,000	50,000,000
Dividends paid			0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock			(20,000)	(3,000)
Return of capital to parent company				13,000,000
Capital contribution from parent				(10,000,000)
Payments related to tax witholding for share-based compensation			0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			321,420,000	70,325,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash			(10,903,000)	(14,259,000)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period			(68,022,000)	(48,178,000)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	(78,925,000)	(62,437,000)	(78,925,000)	(62,437,000)
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	171,106,000	279,783,000	339,031,000	371,107,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions			(91,871,000)	(37,545,000)
Dividends receivable form subsidiaries				(300,000,000)
Provision for loan losses	153,000	(20,000)	259,000	(41,000)
Amortization of intangibles			49,000	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment			373,000	360,000
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees			624,000	1,043,000
Share-based compensation			6,925,000	3,711,000
Impairment losses on long-lived assets				0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights			0	0
Adjustments to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions			(7,640,000)	(7,497,000)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			0	0
Loss (gain) on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets			39,000	(5,000)
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 decrease (increase) in:
Trading debt securities			0	0
Equity securities			(2,960,000)	(739,000)
Accrued income receivable			(45,000)	(187,000)
Other assets			81,000	(847,000)
Net (decrease) increase in:
Interest payable			0	0
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation			0	0
Other liabilities			(4,883,000)	(2,082,000)
Total adjustments			(99,049,000)	(343,829,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			239,982,000	27,278,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease in money market investments			75,000,000	35,000,000
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 (disbursements) repayments on loans			394,000	(4,040,000)
Proceeds from sale of loans			0
Acquisition of loan portfolios			0	0
Payments to acquire other intangible			0
Net payments (to) from FDIC under loss sharing agreements				0
Return of capital from equity method investments			0	0
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries				(10,000,000)
Return of capital from wholly owned subsidiaries				13,000,000
Acquisition of premises and equipment			(671,000)	(405,000)
Proceeds from insurance claims				0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets			3,000	9,000
Foreclosed assets			0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			74,726,000	33,564,000
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits			0	0
Assets sold under agreements to repurchase			0	0
Other short-term borrowings			0	0
Payments of notes payable			0	0
Principal payments of finance leases			0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable			0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			6,121,000	9,007,000
Dividends paid to parent company			0	0
Dividends paid			(55,631,000)	(52,617,000)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock			(250,393,000)	(267,000)
Return of capital to parent company				0
Capital contribution from parent				0
Payments related to tax witholding for share-based compensation			(4,077,000)	(2,162,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			(303,980,000)	(46,039,000)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash			10,728,000	14,803,000
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period			68,278,000	48,120,000
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	79,006,000	62,923,000	79,006,000	62,923,000
PNA Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	10,207,000	6,745,000	20,165,000	20,142,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions			(23,038,000)	(26,050,000)
Dividends receivable form subsidiaries				0
Provision for loan losses	0	0	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			13,000	14,000
Share-based compensation			0	0
Impairment losses on long-lived assets				0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights			0	0
Adjustments to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions			634,000	(396,000)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			(764,000)	(933,000)
Loss (gain) 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 decrease (increase) in:
Trading debt securities			0	0
Equity securities			0	0
Accrued income receivable			0	0
Other assets			42,000	44,000
Net (decrease) increase in:
Interest payable			0	25,000
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation			0	0
Other liabilities			(95,000)	1,006,000
Total adjustments			(23,208,000)	(26,290,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(3,043,000)	(6,148,000)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease in money market investments			3,043,000	888,000
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 (disbursements) repayments on loans			0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans			0
Acquisition of loan portfolios			0	0
Payments to acquire other intangible			0
Net payments (to) from FDIC under loss sharing agreements				0
Return of capital from equity method investments			0	497,000
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries				0
Return of capital from wholly owned 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			3,043,000	1,385,000
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits			0	0
Assets sold under agreements to repurchase			0	0
Other short-term borrowings			0	4,301,000
Payments of notes payable			0	0
Principal payments of finance leases			0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable			0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			0	0
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
Capital contribution from parent				0
Payments related to tax witholding for share-based compensation			0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			0	4,301,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash			0	(462,000)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period			0	462,000
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	0	0	0	0
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	174,978,000	289,658,000	349,211,000	393,416,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions			0	0
Dividends receivable form subsidiaries				0
Provision for loan losses	40,038,000	60,074,000	81,757,000	131,158,000
Amortization of intangibles			4,634,000	4,649,000
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment			28,351,000	25,215,000
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees			(82,690,000)	(16,303,000)
Share-based compensation			3,483,000	1,734,000
Impairment losses on long-lived assets				272,000
FDIC loss-share expense				(94,725,000)
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights			21,011,000	8,929,000
Adjustments to indemnity reserves on loans sold	(1,840,000)	527,000	(1,747,000)	3,453,000
Earnings from investments under the equity method, net of dividends or distributions			(251,000)	2,493,000
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense			75,968,000	(140,176,000)
Loss (gain) on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets			(4,180,000)	(675,000)
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities			(5,939,000)	(3,602,000)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs			(9,826,000)	566,000
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale			(103,233,000)	(112,687,000)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale			31,063,000	29,519,000
Net originations on loans held-for-sale			(125,707,000)	(112,975,000)
Net decrease (increase) in:
Trading debt securities			215,569,000	219,005,000
Equity securities			(2,951,000)	(385,000)
Accrued income receivable			(4,764,000)	48,250,000
Other assets			(11,425,000)	189,494,000
Net (decrease) increase in:
Interest payable			858,000	214,000
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation			10,399,000	2,363,000
Other liabilities			(112,867,000)	(179,060,000)
Total adjustments			7,513,000	6,726,000
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			356,724,000	400,142,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net decrease in money market investments			997,694,000	(3,371,774,000)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			(9,684,912,000)	(2,767,257,000)
Equity			(12,747,000)	(11,309,000)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale			6,789,265,000	2,291,230,000
Held-to-maturity			2,980,000	3,030,000
Proceeds from sale of investment securities:
Equity			6,047,000	18,387,000
Net (disbursements) repayments on loans			(324,461,000)	61,629,000
Proceeds from sale of loans			29,943,000
Acquisition of loan portfolios			(312,752,000)	(326,503,000)
Payments to acquire other intangible			(793,000)
Net payments (to) from FDIC under loss sharing agreements				(25,012,000)
Return of capital from equity method investments			1,397,000	1,022,000
Capital Contribution Subsidiaries				0
Return of capital from wholly owned subsidiaries				0
Acquisition of premises and equipment			(37,255,000)	(31,285,000)
Proceeds from insurance claims				720,000
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets			14,812,000	5,213,000
Foreclosed assets			59,304,000	59,497,000
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities			(2,471,478,000)	(4,092,412,000)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits			2,281,355,000	3,899,404,000
Assets sold under agreements to repurchase			(48,439,000)	(84,010,000)
Other short-term borrowings			159,959,000	(95,008,000)
Payments of notes payable			(99,758,000)	(115,749,000)
Principal payments of finance leases			(837,000)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable			75,000,000	140,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock			(1,471,000)	(189,000)
Dividends paid to parent company			(254,300,000)	(50,000,000)
Dividends paid			0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock			3,000	0
Return of capital to parent company				(13,000,000)
Capital contribution from parent				10,000,000
Payments related to tax witholding for share-based compensation			(152,000)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities			2,111,360,000	3,691,448,000
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash			(3,394,000)	(822,000)
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at beginning of period			402,995,000	412,225,000
Cash and due from banks and restricted cash at end of period	$ 399,601,000	$ 411,403,000	$ 399,601,000	$ 411,403,000