Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Loans	453,315	430,637	1,355,232	1,190,498
Money market investments	19,119	27,581	70,873	86,258
Investment securities	99,542	70,147	274,819	185,537
Total interest and dividend income	571,976	528,365	1,700,924	1,462,293
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	78,760	55,134	228,035	139,050
Short-term borrowings	1,572	1,622	4,828	5,387
Long-term debt	14,653	20,140	43,791	59,204
Total interest expense	94,985	76,896	276,654	203,641
Net interest income	476,991	451,469	1,424,270	1,258,652
Provision for loan losses	36,539	54,387	118,555	185,504
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	440,452	397,082	1,305,715	1,073,148
Mortgage banking activities	10,492	11,269	18,645	33,408
Net loss on sale of debt securities	(20)	0	(20)	0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	213	370	2,174	(42)
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	295	(122)	977	(299)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(3,411)	(3,029)	(1,664)	(6,482)
FDIC loss-share expense	0	0	0	94,725
Other operating income	22,865	40,070	68,432	78,519
Total non-interest income	142,712	151,021	417,468	499,327
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	147,682	139,757	432,298	389,941
Net occupancy expenses	24,595	18,602	71,431	63,829
Equipment expenses	21,596	18,303	62,624	53,284
Other taxes	14,028	11,923	38,267	33,701
Professional fees	98,561	83,860	281,275	260,748
Communications	5,881	6,054	17,685	17,342
Business promotion	18,365	15,478	52,158	44,265
FDIC deposit insurance	2,923	8,610	13,007	22,534
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	(185)	7,950	3,729	21,028
Other operating expenses	40,630	52,576	107,354	111,462
Amortization of intangibles	2,399	2,324	7,082	6,973
Total opearating expense	376,475	365,437	1,086,910	1,025,107
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	206,689	182,666	636,273	547,368
Income tax expense (benefit)	41,370	42,018	131,923	35,613
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	165,319	140,648	504,350	511,755
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	165,319	140,648	504,350	511,755
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	217,652	103,251	793,444	328,218
Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	40,969	38,147	119,277	111,704
Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	71,309	64,316	209,647	187,794
Elimination
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	(102,000)	(52,000)	(356,300)	(402,000)
Loans	0	(22)	0	(49)
Money market investments	(814)	(2,446)	(2,659)	(4,285)
Investment securities	0	0	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	(102,814)	(54,468)	(358,959)	(406,334)
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	(814)	(2,446)	(2,659)	(4,285)
Short-term borrowings	0	(22)	0	(49)
Long-term debt	0	0	0	0
Total interest expense	(814)	(2,468)	(2,659)	(4,334)
Net interest income	(102,000)	(52,000)	(356,300)	(402,000)
Provision for loan losses	0	0	0	0
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(102,000)	(52,000)	(356,300)	(402,000)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	1	(18)	(21)	(48)
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Other operating income	(21)	(6)	(41)	(31)
Total non-interest income	(104)	(90)	(1,982)	(1,538)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0	(43)	0
Equipment expenses	0	0	0	0
Other taxes	0	0	0	0
Professional fees	(85)	(66)	(414)	(389)
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(690)	(591)	(1,908)	(1,796)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total opearating expense	(775)	(657)	(2,365)	(2,185)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(101,329)	(51,433)	(355,917)	(401,353)
Income tax expense (benefit)	261	228	140	271
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(101,590)	(51,661)	(356,057)	(401,624)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(84,352)	(114,298)	(199,261)	(177,893)
Net income	(185,942)	(165,959)	(555,318)	(579,517)
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(248,464)	(123,139)	(895,748)	(362,123)
Elimination | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
Elimination | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	(84)	(66)	(1,920)	(1,459)
Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	36,539	54,387	118,555	183,774
Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Elimination
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				0
Covered loans
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0	0	1,730
Covered loans | Elimination
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	102,000	52,000	356,300	402,000
Loans	576	537	1,661	1,601
Money market investments	758	2,429	2,498	4,267
Investment securities	160	150	473	447
Total interest and dividend income	103,494	55,116	360,932	408,315
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	0	0	0
Long-term debt	9,632	14,045	28,896	40,280
Total interest expense	9,632	14,045	28,896	40,280
Net interest income	93,862	41,071	332,036	368,035
Provision for loan losses	(2)	(34)	257	(75)
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	93,864	41,105	331,779	368,110
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	64	172	934	176
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Other operating income	4,626	3,643	13,431	11,139
Total non-interest income	4,690	3,815	14,367	11,315
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	14,207	15,803	46,910	43,365
Net occupancy expenses	1,006	984	3,231	3,081
Equipment expenses	917	1,037	2,616	2,581
Other taxes	61	71	185	168
Professional fees	6,370	3,889	13,780	13,245
Communications	150	144	483	380
Business promotion	754	520	2,435	1,323
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	(24,112)	(23,600)	(69,904)	(64,352)
Amortization of intangibles	24	0	73	0
Total opearating expense	(623)	(1,152)	(191)	(209)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	99,177	46,072	346,337	379,634
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	99,177	46,072	346,337	379,634
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	66,142	94,576	158,013	132,121
Net income	165,319	140,648	504,350	511,755
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	217,652	103,251	793,444	328,218
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	2	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				(75)
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Covered loans
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				0
PNA Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	0	0	0	0
Money market investments	55	16	161	18
Investment securities	46	72	139	233
Total interest and dividend income	101	88	300	251
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	22	0	49
Long-term debt	1,556	2,390	4,671	7,773
Total interest expense	1,556	2,412	4,671	7,822
Net interest income	(1,455)	(2,324)	(4,371)	(7,571)
Provision for loan losses	0	0	0	0
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(1,455)	(2,324)	(4,371)	(7,571)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net loss on sale of debt securities	0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	0	0	0	0
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss-share expense				0
Other operating income	(350)	(118)	(984)	278
Total non-interest income	(350)	(118)	(984)	278
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0	0	0
Equipment expenses	1	0	3	2
Other taxes	0	0	1	1
Professional fees	13	20	68	128
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	14	13	43	67
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total opearating expense	28	33	115	198
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(1,833)	(2,475)	(5,470)	(7,491)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(385)	(520)	(1,149)	372
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(1,448)	(1,955)	(4,321)	(7,863)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	18,210	19,722	41,248	45,772
Net income	16,762	17,767	36,927	37,909
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	25,872	11,770	85,389	3,755
PNA Holding Co. | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	0	0	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				0
PNA Holding Co. | Covered loans
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				0
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	452,739	430,122	1,353,571	1,188,946
Money market investments	19,120	27,582	70,873	86,258
Investment securities	99,336	69,925	274,207	184,857
Total interest and dividend income	571,195	527,629	1,698,651	1,460,061
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	79,574	57,580	230,694	143,335
Short-term borrowings	1,572	1,622	4,828	5,387
Long-term debt	3,465	3,705	10,224	11,151
Total interest expense	84,611	62,907	245,746	159,873
Net interest income	486,584	464,722	1,452,905	1,300,188
Provision for loan losses	36,541	54,421	118,298	185,579
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	450,043	410,301	1,334,607	1,114,609
Mortgage banking activities	10,492	11,269	18,645	33,408
Net loss on sale of debt securities	(20)		(20)
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	148	216	1,261	(170)
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	295	(122)	977	(299)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(3,411)	(3,029)	(1,664)	(6,482)
FDIC loss-share expense				94,725
Other operating income	18,610	36,551	56,026	67,133
Total non-interest income	138,476	147,414	406,067	489,272
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	133,475	123,954	385,388	346,576
Net occupancy expenses	23,589	17,618	68,243	60,748
Equipment expenses	20,678	17,266	60,005	50,701
Other taxes	13,967	11,852	38,081	33,532
Professional fees	92,263	80,017	267,841	247,764
Communications	5,731	5,910	17,202	16,962
Business promotion	17,611	14,958	49,723	42,942
FDIC deposit insurance	2,923	8,610	13,007	22,534
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	(185)	7,950	3,729	21,028
Other operating expenses	65,418	76,754	179,123	177,543
Amortization of intangibles	2,375	2,324	7,009	6,973
Total opearating expense	377,845	367,213	1,089,351	1,027,303
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	210,674	190,502	651,323	576,578
Income tax expense (benefit)	41,494	42,310	132,932	34,970
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	169,180	148,192	518,391	541,608
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income	169,180	148,192	518,391	541,608
Comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	222,592	111,369	810,359	358,368
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Service charges on deposit accounts
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	40,969	38,147	119,277	111,704
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Other services
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Revenue from contract with customer	$ 71,393	$ 64,382	$ 211,565	189,253
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				183,849
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Covered loans
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses				$ 1,730