Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 2,078	$ 2,908	$ 3,257	$ 3,102
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		1,282	1,439
Investments		15,351	14,480
Accounts receivable, net		1,685	1,691
Inventories, net		2,259	1,879
Property, plant and equipment, net		9,535	8,812
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		2,612	3,088
Other assets		1,640	1,493
Total Assets		36,442	35,790
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		4,441	4,890
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		794	334
Due to brokers		7,317	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability		1,224	1,391
Debt		12,633	11,588
Total liabilities		26,409	23,400
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		3,987	5,443
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		6,046	6,947
Total equity		10,033	12,390	13,309	9,816
Total Liabilities and Equity		36,442	35,790
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		10	2
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		1,199	1,366
Investments		14,553	13,941
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Inventories, net		0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0	0
Other assets		378	161
Total Assets		16,140	15,470
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		488	877
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		794	334
Due to brokers		7,317	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		0	0
Total liabilities		8,599	6,408
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		3,428	4,284
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		4,113	4,778
Total equity		7,541	9,062
Total Liabilities and Equity		16,140	15,470
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		201	332
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		0	0
Investments		296	269
Accounts receivable, net		1,418	1,356
Inventories, net		1,656	1,215
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,386	2,160
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		1,556	1,744
Other assets		440	453
Total Assets		7,953	7,529
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		2,061	1,933
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		1,163	1,328
Debt		3,145	2,690
Total liabilities		6,369	5,951
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		1,270	1,231
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		314	347
Total equity		1,584	1,578
Total Liabilities and Equity		7,953	7,529
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		765	754
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		0	0
Investments		0	77
Accounts receivable, net		96	137
Inventories, net		290	330
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,698	2,692
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		911	1,184
Other assets		134	160
Total Assets		4,894	5,334
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		1,366	1,471
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		673	675
Total liabilities		2,039	2,146
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		1,508	1,612
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		1,347	1,576
Total equity		2,855	3,188
Total Liabilities and Equity		4,894	5,334
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		217	196
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		14	16
Investments		26	33
Accounts receivable, net		9	9
Inventories, net		0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		740	719
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		74	75
Other assets		204	212
Total Assets		1,284	1,260
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		118	130
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		292	295
Total liabilities		410	425
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		604	578
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		270	257
Total equity		874	835
Total Liabilities and Equity		1,284	1,260
Mining Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		14
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		0
Investments		0
Accounts receivable, net		4
Inventories, net		32
Property, plant and equipment, net		134
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0
Other assets		19
Total Assets		203
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		30
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0
Due to brokers		0
Post-employment benefit liability		0
Debt		50
Total liabilities		80
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		95
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		28
Total equity		123
Total Liabilities and Equity		203
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		623	408
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		53	39
Investments		27	29
Accounts receivable, net		36	41
Inventories, net		97	117
Property, plant and equipment, net		2,767	2,376
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		7	7
Other assets		84	103
Total Assets		3,694	3,120
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		299	294
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		8	9
Debt		2,684	2,133
Total liabilities		2,991	2,436
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		742	711
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		(39)	(27)
Total equity		703	684
Total Liabilities and Equity		3,694	3,120
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		37	39
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		1	1
Investments		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		60	63
Inventories, net		77	77
Property, plant and equipment, net		152	154
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		8	9
Other assets		84	93
Total Assets		419	436
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		62	64
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		51	52
Debt		270	274
Total liabilities		383	390
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		23	30
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		13	16
Total equity		36	46
Total Liabilities and Equity		419	436
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		12	19
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		4	4
Investments		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		26	51
Inventories, net		39	67
Property, plant and equipment, net		116	144
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		5	8
Other assets		13	22
Total Assets		215	315
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		30	60
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		2	2
Debt		1	3
Total liabilities		33	65
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		182	250
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0
Total equity		182	250
Total Liabilities and Equity		215	315
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		19	24
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		2	2
Investments		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		2	4
Inventories, net		0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		467	490
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		48	58
Other assets		163	167
Total Assets		701	745
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		17	20
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		28	32
Total liabilities		45	52
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		656	693
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0
Total equity		656	693
Total Liabilities and Equity		701	745
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		14	11
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		6	8
Investments		0	0
Accounts receivable, net		34	30
Inventories, net		68	73
Property, plant and equipment, net		72	74
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		3	3
Other assets		9	9
Total Assets		206	208
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		30	28
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		0	0
Total liabilities		30	28
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		176	180
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0
Total equity		176	180
Total Liabilities and Equity		206	208
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		166	1,123
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		3	3
Investments		449	131
Accounts receivable, net		0	0
Inventories, net		0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net		3	3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		0	0
Other assets		112	113
Total Assets		733	1,373
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		(60)	13
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		0	0
Due to brokers		0	0
Post-employment benefit liability		0	0
Debt		5,490	5,486
Total liabilities		5,430	5,499
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(4,697)	(4,126)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0
Total equity		(4,697)	(4,126)
Total Liabilities and Equity		733	1,373
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents		2,078	2,908	3,257	3,102
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash		1,282	1,439
Investments		15,351	14,480
Accounts receivable, net		1,685	1,691
Inventories, net		2,259	1,879
Property, plant and equipment, net		9,535	8,812
Total Assets		36,466	35,813
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value		794	334
Due to brokers		7,317	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability		1,224	1,391
Debt		12,633	11,588
Total liabilities		26,409	23,400
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises		4,011	5,466
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests		6,046	6,947
Total equity		10,057	12,413	$ 13,331	$ 9,838
Total Liabilities and Equity		36,466	35,813
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		16,140	15,470
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		7,953	7,529
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		4,894	5,334
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		1,284	1,260
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Mining Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	[1]	203	0
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		3,694	3,120
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		419	436
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		215	315
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		701	745
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		206	208
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets		$ 757	$ 1,396

[1] We consolidated Ferrous Resources effective June 1, 2015.