Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 2,665	$ 2,718
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(33)	(26)
Proceeds from finance assets	2	56
Other	(199)	4
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(230)	34
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	(551)	(168)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,187)	(1,108)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(38)	(30)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(1,776)	(1,306)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	659	1,446
Balance at beginning of period	4,569	2,369
Balance at end of period	5,228	3,815
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,469	1,462
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	(551)	(168)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,187)	(1,108)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	952	1,279
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(34)	(29)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(820)	(26)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	649	1,436
Balance at beginning of period	4,521	2,313
Balance at end of period	5,170	3,749
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	3,007	2,780
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(8)	(7)
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(8)	(7)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(1,675)	(1,374)
Cash dividends paid to parent	(1,325)	(1,399)
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(3,000)	(2,773)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	(1)	0
Balance at beginning of period	1	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	14	108
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(25)	(19)
Proceeds from finance assets	2	56
Other	(199)	4
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(222)	41
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	723	95
Cash dividends paid to parent	(500)	(233)
Other	(4)	(1)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	219	(139)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	11	10
Balance at beginning of period	47	56
Balance at end of period	58	66
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(1,825)	(1,632)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
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
Cash dividends paid to parent	1,825	1,632
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,825	1,632
Cash and cash equivalents:
Increase (decrease)	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0