Condensed Statement of Operations By Reporting Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		$ 32,550		$ 32,550		$ 36,403
Revenues:
Net sales		4,094	$ 3,979	7,642	$ 7,544
Other revenues from operations		523	347	969	676
Net gain from investment activities		(308)	592	(1,244)	1,183
Interest and dividend income		28	47	70	100
Other (loss) income, net		13	19	40	(8)
Total Revenues		4,350	4,984	7,477	9,495
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		3,448	3,324	6,571	6,449
Other expenses from operations		314	161	560	316
Selling, general and administrative		615	528	1,133	1,005
Restructuring		6	27	21	39
Impairment		0	3	577	4
Interest expense		202	287	443	557
Total Expenses		4,585	4,330	9,305	8,370
Income before income tax expense		(235)	654	(1,828)	1,125
Income tax expense		(50)	(113)	(66)	(162)
Net (loss) income		(285)	541	(1,894)	963
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		216	(329)	988	(590)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(69)	212	(906)	373
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		211	366	421	729
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	251	209	481	413
Amortization included in interest expense		4	3	8	6
Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,193		10,193		16,140
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		(308)	609	(1,253)	1,179
Interest and dividend income		22	44	60	93
Other (loss) income, net		(1)	0	(2)	0
Total Revenues		(287)	653	(1,195)	1,272
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		19	130	7	230
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		45	141	132	264
Total Expenses		64	271	139	494
Income before income tax expense		(351)	382	(1,334)	778
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income		(351)	382	(1,334)	778
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		244	(206)	777	(418)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(107)	176	(557)	360
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	0	0	0	0
Automotive Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,103		10,103		7,943
Revenues:
Net sales		2,473	2,016	4,794	3,851
Other revenues from operations		118	0	198	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		1	2	2	3
Other (loss) income, net		22	26	46	35
Total Revenues		2,614	2,044	5,040	3,889
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,986	1,706	3,898	3,290
Other expenses from operations		125	0	201	0
Selling, general and administrative		399	236	749	453
Restructuring		6	27	21	39
Impairment		0	3	3	4
Interest expense		38	34	77	70
Total Expenses		2,554	2,006	4,949	3,856
Income before income tax expense		60	38	91	33
Income tax expense		18	8	21	(23)
Net (loss) income		42	30	70	10
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		(7)	(5)	(14)	(3)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		35	25	56	7
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		109	109	208	217
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	113	85	217	168
Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		5,036		5,036		4,888
Revenues:
Net sales		1,283	1,624	2,189	3,013
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	1	0	36
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	1
Other (loss) income, net		(7)	(13)	(8)	(64)
Total Revenues		1,276	1,612	2,181	2,986
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,175	1,332	2,102	2,569
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		33	33	68	65
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	574	0
Interest expense		19	12	30	24
Total Expenses		1,227	1,377	2,774	2,658
Income before income tax expense		49	235	(593)	328
Income tax expense		15	52	(13)	(70)
Net (loss) income		34	183	(580)	258
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		(12)	(95)	249	(127)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		22	88	(331)	131
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		35	41	83	87
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	67	58	123	116
Metals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		213		213		215
Revenues:
Net sales		76	103	134	209
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		1	3	1	3
Total Revenues		77	106	135	212
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		75	110	139	226
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		6	5	10	10
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Total Expenses		81	115	149	236
Income before income tax expense		(4)	(9)	(14)	(24)
Income tax expense		(3)	(4)	(7)	10
Net (loss) income		(1)	(5)	(7)	(14)
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(1)	(5)	(7)	(14)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		1	4
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	5	7	11	14
Railcar Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		3,392		3,392		3,681
Revenues:
Net sales		97	86	221	189
Other revenues from operations		133	124	265	241
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		1	0	2	1
Other (loss) income, net		1	2	3	2
Total Revenues		232	212	491	433
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		82	57	184	139
Other expenses from operations		52	52	106	100
Selling, general and administrative		10	8	22	19
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		21	21	44	41
Total Expenses		165	138	356	299
Income before income tax expense		67	74	135	134
Income tax expense		15	18	33	(34)
Net (loss) income		52	56	102	100
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		(8)	(20)	(22)	(37)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		44	36	80	63
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		23	168		330
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	34	32	68	61
Gaming Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,533		1,533		1,281
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		254	203	472	396
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		0	0	0	(1)
Total Revenues		254	203	472	395
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		125	97	231	193
Selling, general and administrative		114	87	211	169
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		3	3	6	6
Total Expenses		242	187	448	368
Income before income tax expense		12	16	24	27
Income tax expense		4	7	10	(11)
Net (loss) income		8	9	14	16
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		(2)	(3)	(5)	(5)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		6	6	9	11
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		32	35	48	61
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	18	14	35	29
Mining segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		208		208		203
Revenues:
Net sales		21	6	31	6
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		1	0	1	0
Other (loss) income, net		(5)	(1)	(8)	(1)
Total Revenues		17	5	24	5
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		16	6	30	6
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		4	2	8	2
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		2	1	3	1
Total Expenses		22	9	41	9
Income before income tax expense		(5)	(4)	(17)	(4)
Income tax expense		0	2	1	2
Net (loss) income		(5)	(6)	(18)	(6)
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		1	2	4	2
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(4)	(4)	(14)	(4)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		3	2	5	2
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	0	1	1	1
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		425		425		416
Revenues:
Net sales		85	91	162	176
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		1	0	5	(3)
Total Revenues		86	91	167	173
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		63	67	124	133
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		15	11	27	23
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		3	3	6	6
Total Expenses		81	81	157	162
Income before income tax expense		5	10	10	11
Income tax expense		3	4	4	(5)
Net (loss) income		2	6	6	6
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		0	(2)	(1)	(2)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		2	4	5	4
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		3	5	6	9
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	6	4	11	9
Real Estate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		691		691		701
Revenues:
Net sales		6	1	8	1
Other revenues from operations		18	20	34	39
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		0	2	1	21
Total Revenues		24	23	43	61
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		5	1	6	1
Other expenses from operations		12	12	22	23
Selling, general and administrative		2	2	5	5
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	1	1
Total Expenses		19	15	34	30
Income before income tax expense		5	8	9	31
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income		5	8	9	31
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		5	8	9	31
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		0	1	0	1
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	6	6	11	11
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		208		208		206
Revenues:
Net sales		53	52	103	99
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		0	0	1	0
Total Revenues		53	52	104	99
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		46	45	88	85
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		9	8	18	16
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Total Expenses		55	53	106	101
Income before income tax expense		(2)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income		(2)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(2)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		5	1	7	3
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	2	2	4	4
Holding Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		548		548		729
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	(18)	9	(32)
Interest and dividend income		3	1	5	2
Other (loss) income, net		1	0	1	0
Total Revenues		4	(17)	15	(30)
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		4	6	8	13
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		71	72	144	144
Total Expenses		75	78	152	157
Income before income tax expense		(71)	(95)	(137)	(187)
Income tax expense		(2)	26	17	(27)
Net (loss) income		(69)	(121)	(154)	(214)
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(69)	(121)	(154)	(214)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		0	0	0	0
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	0	0	0	0
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		32,575		32,575		36,427
Revenues:
Net sales		4,094	3,979	7,642	7,544
Other revenues from operations		523	347	969	676
Net gain from investment activities		(308)	592	(1,244)	1,183
Interest and dividend income		28	47	70	100
Other (loss) income, net		13	19	40	(8)
Total Revenues		4,350	4,984	7,477	9,495
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		3,448	3,324	6,571	6,449
Other expenses from operations		314	161	560	316
Selling, general and administrative		615	528	1,133	1,005
Restructuring		6	27	21	39
Impairment		0	3	577	4
Interest expense		201	286	442	556
Total Expenses		4,584	4,329	9,304	8,369
Income before income tax expense		(234)	655	(1,827)	1,126
Income tax expense		(50)	(113)	(66)	(162)
Net (loss) income		(284)	542	(1,893)	964
Less: net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interests		216	(329)	988	(590)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(68)	213	(905)	374
Supplemental information:
Amortization included in interest expense		4	2	8	5
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,193		10,193		16,140
Expenses:
Interest expense		45	141	132	264
Net (loss) income		(351)	382	(1,334)	778
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(107)	176	(557)	360
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,103		10,103		7,943
Expenses:
Interest expense		38	34	77	70
Net (loss) income		42	30	70	10
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		35	25	56	7
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		5,036		5,036		4,888
Expenses:
Interest expense		19	12	30	24
Net (loss) income		34	183	(580)	258
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		22	88	(331)	131
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		213		213		215
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income		(1)	(5)	(7)	(14)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(1)	(5)	(7)	(14)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		3,392		3,392		3,681
Expenses:
Interest expense		21	21	44	41
Net (loss) income		52	56	102	100
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		44	36	80	63
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,533		1,533		1,281
Expenses:
Interest expense		3	3	6	6
Net (loss) income		8	9	14	16
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		6	6	9	11
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Mining segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		208		208		203
Expenses:
Interest expense		2	1	3	1
Net (loss) income		(5)	(6)	(18)	(6)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(4)	(4)	(14)	(4)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		425		425		416
Expenses:
Interest expense		3	3	6	6
Net (loss) income		2	6	6	6
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		2	4	5	4
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		691		691		701
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	0	1	1
Net (loss) income		5	8	9	31
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		5	8	9	31
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		208		208		206
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income		(2)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(2)	(1)	(2)	(2)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		573		573		$ 753
Expenses:
Interest expense		70	71	143	143
Net (loss) income		(68)	(120)	(153)	(213)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		$ (68)	$ (120)	$ (153)	$ (213)

[1] Excludes amounts related to the amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discounts and premiums included in interest expense in the amounts of $4 million and $3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $8 million and $6 million for the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.