Condensed Statement of Operations By Reporting Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		$ 33,085		$ 33,085		$ 36,403
Revenues:
Net sales		3,904	$ 3,720	11,546	$ 11,264
Other revenues from operations		537	366	1,506	1,042
Net gain from investment activities		418	(947)	(826)	236
Interest and dividend income		27	36	97	136
Other (loss) income, net		13	37	53	29
Total Revenues		4,899	3,212	12,376	12,707
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		3,378	3,224	9,949	9,673
Other expenses from operations		342	168	902	484
Selling, general and administrative		603	418	1,736	1,423
Restructuring		8	18	29	57
Impairment		93	6	670	10
Interest expense		222	296	665	853
Total Expenses		4,646	4,130	13,951	12,500
Income before income tax expense		253	(918)	(1,575)	207
Income tax expense		(15)	(22)	(81)	(184)
Net income (loss)		238	(940)	(1,656)	23
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(254)	500	734	(90)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(16)	(440)	(922)	(67)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		194	338	615	1,067
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	253	217	734	630
Amortization included in interest expense		6	5	14	11
Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,923		10,923		16,140
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		412	(948)	(841)	231
Interest and dividend income		24	32	84	125
Other (loss) income, net		(1)	(1)	(3)	(1)
Total Revenues		435	(917)	(760)	355
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		21	(24)	28	206
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		52	148	184	412
Total Expenses		73	124	212	618
Income before income tax expense		362	(1,041)	(972)	(263)
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)		362	(1,041)	(972)	(263)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(251)	562	526	144
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		111	(479)	(446)	(119)
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		10,070		10,070		7,943
Revenues:
Net sales		2,346	1,980	7,140	5,831
Other revenues from operations		116	0	314	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	1	2	4
Other (loss) income, net		14	6	60	41
Total Revenues		2,476	1,987	7,516	5,876
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,899	1,660	5,797	4,950
Other expenses from operations		122	0	323	0
Selling, general and administrative		382	269	1,131	722
Restructuring		7	18	28	57
Impairment		1	6	4	10
Interest expense		41	37	118	107
Total Expenses		2,452	1,990	7,401	5,846
Income before income tax expense		24	(3)	115	30
Income tax expense		(9)	7	12	(30)
Net income (loss)		33	(10)	103	0
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(4)	(1)	(18)	(4)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		29	(11)	85	(4)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		98	111	306	328
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	115	89	332	257
Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		5,031		5,031		4,888
Revenues:
Net sales		1,240	1,409	3,429	4,422
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		5	0	5	36
Interest and dividend income		1	0	1	1
Other (loss) income, net		(2)	13	(10)	(51)
Total Revenues		1,244	1,422	3,425	4,408
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		1,195	1,270	3,297	3,839
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		35	34	103	99
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	574	0
Interest expense		26	12	56	36
Total Expenses		1,256	1,316	4,030	3,974
Income before income tax expense		(12)	106	(605)	434
Income tax expense		(4)	17	(17)	(87)
Net income (loss)		(8)	89	(588)	347
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		10	(39)	259	(166)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		2	50	(329)	181
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		23	55	106	142
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	68	56	191	172
Metals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		202		202		215
Revenues:
Net sales		72	92	206	301
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	3
Total Revenues		72	92	207	304
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		78	102	217	328
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		4	5	14	15
Restructuring		1	0	1	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Total Expenses		83	107	232	343
Income before income tax expense		(11)	(15)	(25)	(39)
Income tax expense		(5)	(7)	(12)	17
Net income (loss)		(6)	(8)	(13)	(22)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(6)	(8)	(13)	(22)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		1	4	3	23
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	6	8	17	22
Railcar Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		3,348		3,348		3,681
Revenues:
Net sales		94	92	315	281
Other revenues from operations		133	126	398	367
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	1	2	2
Other (loss) income, net		1	3	4	5
Total Revenues		228	222	719	655
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		86	69	270	208
Other expenses from operations		80	51	186	151
Selling, general and administrative		10	12	32	31
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		22	20	66	61
Total Expenses		198	152	554	451
Income before income tax expense		30	70	165	204
Income tax expense		9	16	42	(50)
Net income (loss)		21	54	123	154
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(3)	(19)	(25)	(56)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		18	35	98	98
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		42	133	104	463
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	35	32	103	93
Gaming Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,476		1,476		1,281
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		268	219	740	615
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	1	0	1
Other (loss) income, net		3	0	3	(1)
Total Revenues		271	220	743	615
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		127	104	358	297
Selling, general and administrative		118	84	329	253
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		92	0	92	0
Interest expense		3	3	9	9
Total Expenses		340	191	788	559
Income before income tax expense		(69)	29	(45)	56
Income tax expense		14	12	24	(23)
Net income (loss)		(83)	17	(69)	33
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(6)	(5)	(11)	(10)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(89)	12	(80)	23
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		15	16	63	77
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	18	17	53	46
Mining segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		196		196		203
Revenues:
Net sales		18	12	49	18
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	1	1	1
Other (loss) income, net		(1)	(2)	(9)	(3)
Total Revenues		17	11	41	16
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		13	14	43	20
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		4	5	12	7
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		2	0	5	1
Total Expenses		19	19	60	28
Income before income tax expense		(2)	(8)	(19)	(12)
Income tax expense		1	(1)	2	1
Net income (loss)		(3)	(7)	(21)	(13)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		1	1	5	3
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(2)	(6)	(16)	(10)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		7	12	12	14
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	2	3	3	4
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		426		426		416
Revenues:
Net sales		81	86	243	262
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)	(5)	4	(8)
Total Revenues		80	81	247	254
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		61	68	185	201
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		12	14	39	37
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		4	3	10	9
Total Expenses		77	85	234	247
Income before income tax expense		3	(4)	13	7
Income tax expense		1	0	5	(5)
Net income (loss)		2	(4)	8	2
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(1)	1	(2)	(1)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		1	(3)	6	1
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		5	6	11	15
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	4	6	15	15
Real Estate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		684		684		701
Revenues:
Net sales		5	1	13	2
Other revenues from operations		20	21	54	60
Net gain from investment activities		0	0	0	0
Interest and dividend income		0	0	0	0
Other (loss) income, net		0	20	1	41
Total Revenues		25	42	68	103
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		4	0	10	1
Other expenses from operations		13	13	35	36
Selling, general and administrative		4	4	9	9
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	1	1	2
Total Expenses		21	18	55	48
Income before income tax expense		4	24	13	55
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)		4	24	13	55
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		4	24	13	55
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		0	0	0	1
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	4	5	15	16
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		205		205		206
Revenues:
Net sales		48	48	151	147
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	1	1	1
Total Revenues		48	49	152	148
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		42	41	130	126
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		10	9	28	25
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Total Expenses		52	50	158	151
Income before income tax expense		(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)
Income tax expense		0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)		(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)
Supplemental information:
Capital expenditures		3	1	10	4
Depreciation and amortization	[1]	1	1	5	5
Holding Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		524		524		729
Revenues:
Net sales		0	0	0	0
Other revenues from operations		0	0	0	0
Net gain from investment activities		1	1	10	(31)
Interest and dividend income		2	0	7	2
Other (loss) income, net		0	2	1	2
Total Revenues		3	3	18	(27)
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		0	0	0	0
Other expenses from operations		0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative		3	6	11	19
Restructuring		0	0	0	0
Impairment		0	0	0	0
Interest expense		72	72	216	216
Total Expenses		75	78	227	235
Income before income tax expense		(72)	(75)	(209)	(262)
Income tax expense		8	(22)	25	(5)
Net income (loss)		(80)	(53)	(234)	(267)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(80)	(53)	(234)	(267)
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		33,110		33,110		36,427
Revenues:
Net sales		3,904	3,720	11,546	11,264
Other revenues from operations		537	366	1,506	1,042
Net gain from investment activities		418	(947)	(826)	236
Interest and dividend income		27	36	97	136
Other (loss) income, net		13	37	53	29
Total Revenues		4,899	3,212	12,376	12,707
Expenses:
Cost of goods sold		3,378	3,224	9,949	9,673
Other expenses from operations		342	168	902	484
Selling, general and administrative		603	418	1,736	1,423
Restructuring		8	18	29	57
Impairment		93	6	670	10
Interest expense		222	296	664	852
Total Expenses		4,646	4,130	13,950	12,499
Income before income tax expense		253	(918)	(1,574)	208
Income tax expense		(15)	(22)	(81)	(184)
Net income (loss)		238	(940)	(1,655)	24
Less: net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests		(254)	500	734	(90)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(16)	(440)	(921)	(66)
Supplemental information:
Amortization included in interest expense		6	5	14	10
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,923		10,923		16,140
Expenses:
Interest expense		52	148	184	412
Net income (loss)		362	(1,041)	(972)	(263)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		111	(479)	(446)	(119)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		10,070		10,070		7,943
Expenses:
Interest expense		41	37	118	107
Net income (loss)		33	(10)	103	0
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		29	(11)	85	(4)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		5,031		5,031		4,888
Expenses:
Interest expense		26	12	56	36
Net income (loss)		(8)	89	(588)	347
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		2	50	(329)	181
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		202		202		215
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)		(6)	(8)	(13)	(22)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(6)	(8)	(13)	(22)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		3,348		3,348		3,681
Expenses:
Interest expense		22	20	66	61
Net income (loss)		21	54	123	154
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		18	35	98	98
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		1,476		1,476		1,281
Expenses:
Interest expense		3	3	9	9
Net income (loss)		(83)	17	(69)	33
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(89)	12	(80)	23
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Mining segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		196		196		203
Expenses:
Interest expense		2	0	5	1
Net income (loss)		(3)	(7)	(21)	(13)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(2)	(6)	(16)	(10)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		426		426		416
Expenses:
Interest expense		4	3	10	9
Net income (loss)		2	(4)	8	2
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		1	(3)	6	1
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		684		684		701
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	1	1	2
Net income (loss)		4	24	13	55
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		4	24	13	55
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		205		205		206
Expenses:
Interest expense		0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)		(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		(4)	(1)	(6)	(3)
Icahn Enterprises Holdings [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total assets		549		549		$ 753
Expenses:
Interest expense		72	72	215	215
Net income (loss)		(80)	(53)	(233)	(266)
Net (loss) income attributable to Icahn Enterprises		$ (80)	$ (53)	$ (233)	$ (266)

[1] Excludes amounts related to the amortization of deferred financing costs and debt discounts and premiums included in interest expense in the amounts of $6 million and $5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $14 million and $11 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.