Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 2,689	$ 2,498
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(26)	(48)
Proceeds from finance assets	56	147
Other	4	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	34	99
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt repaid	0	(793)
Repurchases of common stock	(168)	(192)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,108)	(1,026)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Premium and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0	(226)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(1)	(7)
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,277)	(2,244)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	1,446	353
Balance at beginning of period	2,369	3,321
Balance at end of period	3,815	3,674
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,433	845
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt repaid		(793)
Repurchases of common stock	(168)	(192)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,108)	(1,026)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	1,279	1,750
Premium and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		(226)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	3	(487)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	1,436	358
Balance at beginning of period	2,313	3,281
Balance at end of period	3,749	3,639
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,780	2,696
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(7)	(15)
Proceeds from finance assets	0
Other	0	10
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(7)	(5)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt repaid		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(1,374)	(1,634)
Premium and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(1,399)	(1,060)
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,773)	(2,694)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	0	(3)
Balance at beginning of period	0	3
Balance at end of period	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	108	136
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(19)	(33)
Proceeds from finance assets	56	147
Other	4	(10)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	41	104
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt repaid		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	95	(116)
Premium and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(233)	(119)
Other	(1)	(7)
Net cash used in financing activities	(139)	(242)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	10	(2)
Balance at beginning of period	56	37
Balance at end of period	66	35
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(1,632)	(1,179)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt repaid		0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Premium and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		0
Cash dividends paid to parent	1,632	1,179
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	1,632	1,179
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0