Commitments and Contingencies (Schedule of Commitments and Contingencies) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies
Letters of credit and financial guarantees	$ 3,462bbt_StandbyAndCommercialLettersOfCredit	$ 4,355bbt_StandbyAndCommercialLettersOfCredit
Carrying amount of the liability for letter of credit guarantees	22	39
Investments related to affordable housing and historic building rehabilitation projects	1,416	1,302
Amount of future funding commitments included in investments related to affordable housing and historic rehabilitation projects	459bbt_CommitmentsToFundAffordableHousing	464bbt_CommitmentsToFundAffordableHousing
Lending exposure to these affordable housing projects	169	151
Tax credits subject to recapture related to affordable housing projects	300	250
Investments in private equity and similar investments	329	291
Future funding commitments to consolidated private equity funds	$ 202	$ 245

Carrying amount of the liability for letters of credit

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_CarryingAmountLiabilityForLettersOfCreditAndFinancialGuaranteesWritten
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Outstanding commitments to fund affordable housing investments

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_CommitmentsToFundAffordableHousing
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Future funding commitments to venture capital funds

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_FutureFundingCommitmentsToConsolidatedPrivateEquityFunds
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Investments in affordable housing and historic building rehabilitation projects

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_InvestmentsInAffordableHousingProjects
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Investments in venture capital and similar investments at fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_InvestmentsInVentureCapitalFundsAndSimilarInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Outstanding loan commitments to affordable housing investments

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_OutstandingLoanCommitmentsToTheseAffordableHousingInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Represents financial standby letters of credit, performance standby letters of credit, and commercial and similar letters of credit.

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_StandbyAndCommercialLettersOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Tax Credits Subject To Recapture Related To Affordable Housing Projects

No definition available.

Name:	bbt_TaxCreditsSubjectToRecaptureRelatedToAffordableHousingProjects
Namespace Prefix:	bbt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration