Income Taxes Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Book basis of net assets		$ 3,987	$ 5,443
Book/tax basis difference		(88)	(1,566)
Tax basis of net assets		3,899	3,877
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(72)	(80)	$ (39)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		4	183	157
Income tax benefit (expense)		(68)	103	118
Deferred tax assets, Property, pland and equipment		341	144
Deferred tax asset, net operating loss		1,511	1,348
deferred tax asset, Tax credits		133	149
Deferred tax asset, Post-employment benefits, including pensions		347	388
Deferred tax asset, Reoganization costs		5	11
Deferred tax asset, Other		418	231
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross		2,755	2,271
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance		(1,444)	(1,059)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance		1,311	1,212
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment		(354)	(239)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Intangible Assets		(163)	(177)
Deferred tax liability, Investment in partnerships		(1,376)	(1,349)
Deferred tax liabilities, Investment in subsidiaries		(307)	(307)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other		(13)	(6)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross		(2,213)	(2,078)
deferred tax liabilities, net of deferred tax assets		(902)	(866)
Deferred tax asset		295	389
Deferred tax liability		1,197	1,255
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets		385	157
Cash and cash equivalents		2,078	2,908	3,257	$ 3,102
Income tax expense related to interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits		(4)	(11)	8
ARI [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries		3	3
American Entertainment Properties Corp. [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance		(61)
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets		7	(3)
Deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwrds and credits, subject to expiration		1,500
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Book basis of net assets		4,011	5,446
Book/tax basis difference		(88)	(1,545)
Tax basis of net assets		3,923	3,901
Income tax benefit (expense)		(68)	103	118
Deferred tax liability		1,197	1,255
Cash and cash equivalents		2,078	2,908	3,257	$ 3,102
Federal-Mogul [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance		(801)
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries		879
Cash and cash equivalents		194
Deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwrds and credits, subject to expiration		894
Domestic deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwards and credits, subject to expiration		495
Tropicana [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwrds and credits, subject to expiration		156
Viskase [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets		55
Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries		66
Domestic deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwards and credits, subject to expiration		93
United Kingdom | Federal-Mogul [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Foreign deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwards and credits, subject to expiration		132
Other foreign jurisdictions [Member] | Federal-Mogul [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Foreign deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwards and credits, subject to expiration		267
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Viskase [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Foreign deferred tax asst for tax loss carryforwards and credits, subject to expiration		16
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(55)	(35)	(61)
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		19	(18)	11
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Current Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(17)	(45)	22
Deferred Income Tax Expense (Benefit)		(15)	201	146
Mining Segment [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income tax benefit (expense)	[1]	1
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets		394
Cash and cash equivalents		14
Gaming Segment [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income tax benefit (expense)		27	147	(3)
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets			193
Cash and cash equivalents		217	196
Valuation allowance, deferred tax asset, change in balance		196
Energy Segment [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income tax benefit (expense)		59	73	195
Cash and cash equivalents		765	754
Energy Segment [Member] | Oklahoma | American Entertainment Properties Corp. [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Domestic tax credits		26
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income tax benefit (expense)		10	(3)	51
Cash and cash equivalents		37	39
Automotive Segment [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Income tax benefit (expense)		50	(91)	$ 180
Changes in valuation allowance on deferred tax assets		(16)	(33)
Cash and cash equivalents		201	332
Cash and cash equivalents held by foreign subsidiaries		95
Release of deferred tax allowance		$ 18	$ 287
Minimum [Member] | American Entertainment Properties Corp. [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2026
Minimum [Member] | Tropicana [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2028
Minimum [Member] | United States | Federal-Mogul [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2016
Minimum [Member] | United States | Viskase [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2024
Maximum [Member] | American Entertainment Properties Corp. [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2035
Maximum [Member] | United States | Federal-Mogul [Member]
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]
Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiration Dates		2035

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