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, 2018		$ (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
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			1,739
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			(2,906)
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)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2020	1,604,157	(20,171)	(33,898)	1,410	1,656,816
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	385,843			387	385,456
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(358)	(357,097)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(143,460)				(143,460)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	151,082				151,082
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					3,402
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB to fund long-term incentive compensation plans		(23,138)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax			(4,360)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax			5,553
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 1,621,624	$ (43,309)	$ (32,705)	$ 1,439	$ 1,696,199