Note 46 - Provisions or reversal provisions (Details) - EUR (€) € in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Provisions or reversal of provisions Abstract
Pensions and other post employment defined benefit obligations	€ 343	€ 332	€ 592
Other long term benefits	0	0	0
Commitments and guarantees given	(313)	56	10
Pending legal issues and tax litigation	318	76	(25)
Other Provisions Or Reversal Provisions	397	722	154
Total Provisions	€ (745)	€ (1,186)	€ (731)

The amount of expenses associated to provisions for commitments and guarantees given.

No definition available.

Name:	bbva_Commitmentsandguaranteesgiven
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expenses associated to other provisions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Otherprovisionsorreversalofprovisions
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expenses associated to provisions for pending legal issues and tax litigation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Pendinglegalissuesandtaxlitigation
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of provisions recognized in the income statement related to benefit commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Pensionsandotherpostemploymentdefinedbenefitobligationsprovisions
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of expenses associated to provisions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bbva_Totalprovisionsorreversalofprovisions
Namespace Prefix:	bbva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of long-term employee benefits other than post-employment benefits and termination benefits. Such benefits may include long-term paid absences, jubilee or other long-service benefits, long-term disability benefits, long-term profit-sharing and bonuses and long-term deferred remuneration. [Refer: Employee benefits expense]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 19
-IssueDate 2016-01-13
-Paragraph 158
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2016-03-30&anchor=para_158&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2016-03-31

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_OtherLongtermBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ProvisionsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration