Condensed Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	General partner	Limited partners	Parent [Member]	Non-controlling Interests	Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]	Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] General partner	Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] Limited partners	Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] Parent [Member]	Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] Non-controlling Interests
Equity at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 12,390	$ (229)	$ 5,672	$ 5,443	$ 6,947	$ 12,413	$ (285)	$ 5,751	$ 5,466	$ 6,947
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net loss	422	3	158	161	261	422	2	159	161	261
Other comprehensive income	(105)	(1)	(82)	(83)	(22)	(105)	(1)	(82)	(83)	(22)
Partnership distributions	(188)	(4)	(184)	(188)	0	(188)	(2)	(186)	(188)	0
Investment segment contributions	245	0	0	0	245	245	0	0	0	245
Dividends and distributions to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries	(48)	0	0	0	(48)	(48)	0	0	0	(48)
Proceeds from subsidiary equity offering	20	0	0	0	20	20	0	0	0	20
Changes in subsidiary equity and other	(1)	0	(11)	(11)	10	(1)	0	(11)	(11)	10
Equity at Mar. 31, 2015	12,735	(231)	5,553	5,322	7,413	12,758	(286)	5,631	5,345	7,413
Equity at Dec. 31, 2015	10,033	(257)	4,244	3,987	6,046	10,057	(299)	4,310	4,011	6,046
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net loss	(1,609)	(17)	(820)	(837)	(772)	(1,609)	(8)	(829)	(837)	(772)
Other comprehensive income	53	1	40	41	12	53	0	41	41	12
Partnership distributions	(202)	(4)	(198)	(202)	0	(202)	(2)	(200)	(202)	0
Partnership contribution	1	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	1	0
Investment segment contributions	490	0	0	0	490	490	0	0	0	490
Dividends and distributions to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries	(19)	0	0	0	(19)	(19)	0	0	0	(19)
Acquisitions	(257)	(10)	(497)	(507)	250	(257)	(5)	(502)	(507)	250
LP unit issuance	35	0	35	35	0	35	0	35	35	0
Changes in subsidiary equity and other	(17)	0	(2)	(2)	(15)	(17)	0	(2)	(2)	(15)
Equity at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 8,508	$ (286)	$ 2,802	$ 2,516	$ 5,992	$ 8,532	$ (313)	$ 2,853	$ 2,540	$ 5,992