Condensed Statement 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	Limited Partner
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2018		$ (27,759)	$ (39,461)	$ 1,385	$ 1,555,892
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 46,439			48	46,391
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(63)	(60,744)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(69,653)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards					11,313
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					7,382
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		3,295
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			1,150
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			293
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2019	1,429,469	(24,464)	(38,018)	1,370	1,490,581
Balance, beginning of period at Dec. 31, 2019	1,552,538	(27,436)	(40,628)	1,402	1,619,200
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	62,259			62	62,197
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(84)	(83,621)
Retirement of AB Holding Units					(14,220)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	8,458				8,458
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					147
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		(1,566)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(7,621)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			144
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2020	$ 1,516,434	$ (29,002)	$ (48,105)	$ 1,380	$ 1,592,161