Statements of Changes in Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners’ Capital
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016		$ (11,731)	$ (42,025)	$ 1,405	$ 1,592,240
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	$ 207,422			219	207,203
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(213)	(202,175)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(162,206)				(162,206)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	135,604				135,604
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					20,110
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		(3,443)
Other			0		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			9,674
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(1,116)
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax	4		4
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2017	1,543,550	(15,174)	(33,463)	1,411	1,590,776
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	242,397			250	242,147
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(288)	(280,434)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(194,544)				(194,544)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	168,955				168,955
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					16,589
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans	(12,585)	(12,585)
Other			133		(133)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(6,631)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			500
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax	0		0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2018	1,490,057	(27,759)	(39,461)	1,385	1,555,892
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	238,563			249	238,314
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(232)	(222,253)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(110,752)				(110,752)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	146,488				146,488
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					11,511
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		323
Other			0		0
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			1,739
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(2,906)
Unrealized gain on investments, net of tax	0		0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 1,552,538	$ (27,436)	$ (40,628)	$ 1,402	$ 1,619,200