Loss Contingency, Claims Decided

No definition available.

Name:	mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecided
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Claims Decided Favorable, Number

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedFavorableNumber
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Claims Decided Unfavorable, Number

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyClaimsDecidedUnfavorableNumber
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Compensatory Damages Awarded, Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyCompensatoryDamagesAwardedValue
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Number of Individual Plaintiffs Reinstated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyNumberofIndividualPlaintiffsReinstated
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Period for Decertified Class Members to File Individual Actions Against Defendants

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyPeriodforDecertifiedClassMemberstoFileIndividualActionsAgainstDefendants
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Loss Contingency, Punitive Damages Awarded, Value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LossContingencyPunitiveDamagesAwardedValue
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The increase (decrease) during the reporting period in moneys or securities given as security including, but not limited to, contract, escrow, or earnest money deposits, retainage (if applicable), deposits with clearing organizations and others, collateral, or margin deposits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInDepositOtherAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow reducing loss contingency liability.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of claims settled.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsSettledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of damages awarded to the plaintiff in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=mo_PhilipMorrisUSAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesFederalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesStateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesReiderandBanksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesWeingartandHancockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=stpr_FL
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Contingencies (Engle Class Action And Engle Progeny Trial Results) (Details)		1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	150 Months Ended
	Apr. 27, 2017 USD ($) case	Feb. 29, 2008 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2006 USD ($) plantiff	May 31, 2001 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) case	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2000 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments made related to litigation \| $					$ 1,000,000	$ 17,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded \| $									$ 145,000,000,000
Engle Progeny Cases [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Punitive damages awarded \| $									$ 74,000,000,000
Amounts placed in escrow \| $				$ 500,000,000
Period for members of decertified class to file individual actions against defendants			1 year
Engle Progeny Cases [Member] \| PM USA [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending	3
Number of verdicts returned	108
Number of unfavorable verdicts	60
Number of favorable verdicts	45
Engle Progeny Cases, Federal [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amounts placed in escrow \| $							$ 43,000,000	$ 43,000,000
Number of claims resolved							415
Engle Progeny Cases, Federal [Member] \| PM USA [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending	13
Number of favorable verdicts	9
Engle Progeny Cases, State [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of cases pending	2,600
Number of plaintiffs	3,400
Engle Progeny Cases, State [Member] \| PM USA [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of favorable verdicts	36
Engle Progeny Cases, Reider and Banks [Member] \| PM USA [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded, value \| $	$ 0
Engle Progeny Cases, Weingart and Hancock [Member] \| PM USA [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded, value \| $	$ 0
Florida [Member] \| Engle Progeny Cases, State [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Compensatory damages awarded \| $			$ 6,900,000
Number of individual plaintiffs reinstated \| plantiff			2
Payments made related to litigation \| $		$ 3,000,000