Net Income Per LP Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions				3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 09, 2013	Jun. 12, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	[1]	Sep. 30, 2015	[1]	Jun. 30, 2015	[1]	Mar. 31, 2015	[1]	Dec. 31, 2014	[1]	Sep. 30, 2014	[1]	Jun. 30, 2014	[1]	Mar. 31, 2014	[1]	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises																				$ (1,194)	$ (373)	$ 1,025
Limited partners																				$ (1,170)	$ (366)	$ 1,005
Basic (loss) income per LP unit				$ (8.56)		$ (3.40)		$ 1.68		$ 1.28		$ (3.84)		$ (2.90)		$ 4.06		$ (0.24)		$ (9.29)	$ (3.08)	$ 9.14
Basic weighted average LP units outstanding																				126,000,000	119,000,000	110,000,000
Dilutive securities, effect on earnings per unit from converison of debt securities																						$ 2
Dilutive effect of variable rate convertible notes, Units																						1,000,000
Diluted (loss) income per LP unit				$ (8.56)		$ (3.40)		$ 1.68		$ 1.27		$ (3.84)		$ (2.90)		$ 4.06		$ (0.24)		$ (9.29)	$ (3.08)	$ 9.07
Diluted weighted average LP units outstanding																				126,000,000	119,000,000	111,000,000
Partnership contributions																				$ 0	$ 0	$ 593
Common Stock [Member]
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
Unit distribution declared per share																					$ 6.00
Units distributed to LP unitholders																				8,337,645
Icahn Enterprises G.P. [Member]
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
General partner ownership percentage in Icahn Enterprises																				1.00%		1.00%
Principal Owners and Affiliates [Member]
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
Affiliate ownership interest in Icahn Enterprises																				89.00%
Limited partners | Common Stock [Member]
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
Newly issued depositary units	2,000,000	1,600,000	3,174,604
Equity issuance, per unit amount	$ 135.00	$ 75.54	$ 63.00
Underwriter option to purchase additional depositary units	300,000	240,000	476,191
Proceeds from Issuance or Sale of Equity																					$ 581
General partner
Earnings Per LP Unit [Line Items]
Partnership contributions																					$ 12

[1] Basic and diluted income (loss) per LP unit is computed separately for each quarter and therefore, the sum of such quarterly per LP unit amounts may differ from the total for the year.