Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 3,903	$ 3,613	$ 2,767
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(124)	(105)	(168)
Other	(5)	2	115
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	1,049	490	312
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	920	387	259
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	2,787	1,494	1,007
Long-term debt repaid	(2,600)	0	(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(1,082)	(1,327)	0
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,400)	(3,222)	(2,958)
Issuances of common stock	0	29	104
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(22)	(24)	(6)
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(864)	0	0
Other	(12)	6	45
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(5,193)	(3,044)	(2,583)
(Decrease) Increase	(370)	956	443
Balance at beginning of year	3,270	2,314	1,871
Balance at end of year	2,900	3,270	2,314
Consolidated [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	3,903	3,613	2,767
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(124)	(105)	(168)
Other	(5)	2	115
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	1,049	490	312
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	920	387	259
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	2,787	1,494	1,007
Long-term debt repaid	(2,600)		(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(1,082)	(1,327)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,400)	(3,222)	(2,958)
Issuances of common stock		29	104
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0	0
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(22)	(24)	(6)
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(864)
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other	(12)	6	45
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(5,193)	(3,044)	(2,583)
(Decrease) Increase	(370)	956	443
Balance at beginning of year	3,270	2,314	1,871
Balance at end of year	2,900	3,270	2,314
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	3,059	3,515	2,726
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0	0
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	2,787	1,494	1,007
Long-term debt repaid	(2,000)		(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(1,082)	(1,327)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,400)	(3,222)	(2,958)
Issuances of common stock		29	104
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	1,128	441	279
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(22)	(24)	(6)
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(864)
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other	11	41	59
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(3,442)	(2,568)	(2,290)
(Decrease) Increase	(383)	947	436
Balance at beginning of year	3,245	2,298	1,862
Balance at end of year	2,862	3,245	2,298
PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	4,206	3,775	3,172
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(35)	(26)	(54)
Other	0	1	3
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(35)	(25)	(51)
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	0	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	0		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0	0
Issuances of common stock		0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(475)	(28)	325
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	(3,690)	(3,666)	(3,438)
Other	(6)	(56)	(8)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(4,171)	(3,750)	(3,121)
(Decrease) Increase	0	0	0
Balance at beginning of year	0	0	0
Balance at end of year	0	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	565	202	486
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(89)	(79)	(114)
Other	(5)	1	112
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	1,049	490	312
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	955	412	310
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	0	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	(600)		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0	0
Issuances of common stock		0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(653)	(413)	(604)
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	(237)	(213)	(179)
Other	(17)	21	(6)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,507)	(605)	(789)
(Decrease) Increase	13	9	7
Balance at beginning of year	25	16	9
Balance at end of year	38	25	16
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(3,927)	(3,879)	(3,617)
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Other	0	0	0
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0	0
Consumer products
Long-term debt issued	0	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	0		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0	0
Issuances of common stock		0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0	0
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	3,927	3,879	3,617
Other	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	3,927	3,879	3,617
(Decrease) Increase	0	0	0
Balance at beginning of year	0	0	0
Balance at end of year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0