Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Earnings) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 6,699		$ 6,491	$ 19,116	$ 18,264
Cost of sales	1,932		2,079	5,733	5,799
Excise taxes on products	1,721		1,738	4,991	4,932
Gross profit	3,046		2,674	8,392	7,533
Marketing, administration and research costs	698		663	1,951	1,821
Changes to Mondelēz and PMI tax-related receivables/payables	41		5	41	5
Asset impairment and exit costs	0		7	4	(1)
Operating income (expense)	2,307		1,999	6,396	5,708
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	205		213	609	596
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	$ 228	0	228	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(187)		(328)	(546)	(753)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	2,289		2,114	6,105	5,865
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	761		717	2,110	2,031
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Net earnings	1,528		1,397	3,995	3,834
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	(1)	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,528		1,397	3,994	3,834
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(279)		(225)	(475)	(76)	$ (1,304)
Comprehensive earnings	1,249		1,172	3,520	3,758
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	(1)	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,249		1,172	3,519	3,758
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0		0	0	0
Cost of sales	0		0	0	0
Excise taxes on products	0		0	0	0
Gross profit	0		0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs	46		57	135	161
Changes to Mondelēz and PMI tax-related receivables/payables	41		5	41	5
Asset impairment and exit costs			0	0	0
Operating income (expense)	(87)		(62)	(176)	(166)
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	138		150	430	458
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				228
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(187)		(328)	(546)	(753)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(38)		116	(288)	129
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(55)		(53)	(200)	(118)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	1,511		1,228	4,082	3,587
Net earnings	1,528		1,397	3,994	3,834
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,528		1,397	3,994	3,834
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(279)		(225)	(475)	(76)
Comprehensive earnings	1,249		1,172	3,519	3,758
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,249		1,172	3,519	3,758
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	5,865		5,684	16,743	15,945
Cost of sales	1,671		1,812	4,983	5,059
Excise taxes on products	1,670		1,682	4,834	4,771
Gross profit	2,524		2,190	6,926	6,115
Marketing, administration and research costs	552		495	1,511	1,362
Changes to Mondelēz and PMI tax-related receivables/payables	0		0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs			2	0	(6)
Operating income (expense)	1,972		1,693	5,415	4,759
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	11		1	11	(46)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	1,961		1,692	5,404	4,805
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	685		659	1,959	1,813
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	71		67	197	184
Net earnings	1,347		1,100	3,642	3,176
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,347		1,100	3,642	3,176
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	4		0	11	5
Comprehensive earnings	1,351		1,100	3,653	3,181
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,351		1,100	3,653	3,181
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	845		818	2,405	2,352
Cost of sales	272		278	782	773
Excise taxes on products	51		56	157	161
Gross profit	522		484	1,466	1,418
Marketing, administration and research costs	100		111	305	298
Changes to Mondelēz and PMI tax-related receivables/payables	0		0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs			5	4	5
Operating income (expense)	422		368	1,157	1,115
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	56		62	168	184
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	366		306	989	931
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	131		111	351	336
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	0		0	0	0
Net earnings	235		195	638	595
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	(1)	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	235		195	637	595
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	32		18	102	60
Comprehensive earnings	267		213	740	655
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	(1)	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	267		213	739	655
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(11)		(11)	(32)	(33)
Cost of sales	(11)		(11)	(32)	(33)
Excise taxes on products	0		0	0	0
Gross profit	0		0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs	0		0	0	0
Changes to Mondelēz and PMI tax-related receivables/payables	0		0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs			0	0	0
Operating income (expense)	0		0	0	0
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	0		0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt				0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0		0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	0		0	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0		0	0	0
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	(1,582)		(1,295)	(4,279)	(3,771)
Net earnings	(1,582)		(1,295)	(4,279)	(3,771)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	(1,582)		(1,295)	(4,279)	(3,771)
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(36)		(18)	(113)	(65)
Comprehensive earnings	(1,618)		(1,313)	(4,392)	(3,836)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	$ (1,618)		$ (1,313)	$ (4,392)	$ (3,836)

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as research and development costs and all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. Research and development costs represent the aggregate costs incurred during an accounting period to research and develop new products/technologies when the technological feasibility has not been reached. General and administrative expenses include salaries of nonsales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

No definition available.