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	General Partner’s Capital Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Limited Partners’ Capital	Limited Partners’ Capital Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2017		$ (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)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(6,631)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			500
Other			133			(133)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2018	1,490,057	(27,759)	(39,461)	1,385		1,555,892
Balance, end of year (ASU 2014-09) at Dec. 31, 2018					$ 12		$ 12,536
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
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			1,739
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(2,906)
Other			0			0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2019	1,552,538	(27,436)	(40,628)	1,402		1,619,200
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	279,380			288		279,092
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(280)		(270,601)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(78,388)					(78,388)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	107,366					107,366
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		7,265
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			8,346
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(1,616)
Other			0			0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 1,604,157	$ (20,171)	$ (33,898)	$ 1,410		$ 1,656,816