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)	General Partner’s Capital	Limited Partners’ Capital
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2020		$ (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
AB Holding Units issued to fund CarVal acquisition					0
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)		(4,360)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	5,553		5,553
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2021	1,621,624	(43,309)	(32,705)	1,439	1,696,199
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	274,165			270	273,895
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(354)	(360,670)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(114,794)				(114,794)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	76,230				76,230
AB Holding Units issued to fund CarVal acquisition	589,169				589,169
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					178
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB for long-term incentive compensation plans		5,758
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(19,556)		(19,556)
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	1,253		1,253
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2022	2,073,003	(37,551)	(51,008)	1,355	2,160,207
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net income	264,184			234	263,950
Cash distributions to Unitholders				(262)	(295,877)
Retirement of AB Holding Units	(85,300)				(85,300)
Issuance of AB Holding Units to fund long-term incentive compensation plan awards	104,167				104,167
AB Holding Units issued to fund CarVal acquisition	0				0
Exercise of compensatory options to buy AB Holding Units					0
Change in AB Holding Units held by AB for long-term incentive compensation plans		7,366
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	5,426		5,426
Changes in employee benefit related items, net of tax	3,538		3,538
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 2,076,245	$ (30,185)	$ (42,044)	$ 1,327	$ 2,147,147