Contingencies (2003-2014 NPM Adjustment Disputes - Settlement with 24 States and Territories and Settlement with New York) (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			36 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 state	Nov. 30, 1998 state	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) state	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) state plantiff	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) state
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount											$ 84	$ 90	$ 664
Earnings (loss) before income taxes											8,078	7,774	6,942
Litigation settlement interest expense (income)											$ 13	(47)	0
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of states with settled litigation | state		46
Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of states | plantiff											52
Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of states with settled litigation | plantiff											24
Litigation settlement, amount												599	599	$ 599
Earnings (loss) before income taxes							$ 36	$ 483
Pending Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of states with filed motion | state											14			14
Pending Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of states | state	15
Litigation settlement, amount						$ 145
Litigation settlement interest expense (income)					$ (64)
Cost of Sales [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount											$ (4,500)	(4,600)	(4,200)
Cost of Sales [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount									$ 519
Cost of Sales [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2013 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount					$ 35								3
Cost of Sales [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2014 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount											41
Cost of Sales [Member] | Pending Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount						145
Indiana and Kentucky [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of states with settled litigation | state				2
Litigation settlement, amount				$ 80
Earnings (loss) before income taxes				26		54
Litigation settlement interest expense (income)				17		(17)
Indiana and Kentucky [Member] | Cost of Sales [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2003 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount				$ 43		$ 37
NEW YORK | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2004-2014 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount										$ 126	$ 126	$ 43	$ 664
NEW YORK | Cost of Sales [Member] | Settled Litigation [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Actions, 2004-2014 NPM Adjustment [Member] | Philip Morris USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, amount			$ 126