Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AB Holding Units Held by AB to Fund Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plans [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	General Partner's Capital [Member]	Limited Partners' Capital [Member]
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2013		$ (14,045)	$ (12,534)	$ 1,369	$ 1,549,003
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	$ 178,468			183	178,285
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(189)	(182,535)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(14,577)				(14,577)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	108,034				108,034
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					18,955
AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		765
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax			312
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(7,733)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(9,214)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2014	1,616,079	(13,280)	(29,169)	1,363	1,657,165
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	185,764			187	185,577
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(193)	(192,106)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(155,073)				(155,073)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	115,045				115,045
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					9,233
AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	2,611	2,611
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax			(333)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(6,058)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			877
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2015	1,575,846	(10,669)	(34,683)	1,357	1,619,841
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	216,586			223	216,363
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(175)	(169,556)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(184,336)				(184,336)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	103,820				103,820
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					6,108
AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	(1,062)	(1,062)
Unrealized gain (loss) on investments, net of tax			6
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(6,639)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(709)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 1,539,889	$ (11,731)	$ (42,025)	$ 1,405	$ 1,592,240