Long-Term Debt - Carrying Amounts and Effective Interest Rates (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 22,823	$ 23,769
BB&T Corporation fixed rate senior notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 6,830	$ 7,831
Effective Rate	2.09%	2.35%
BB&T Corporation floating rate senior notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 1,049	$ 1,050
Effective Rate	1.45%	1.20%
BB&T Corporation fixed rate subordinated notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 1,391	$ 1,382
Effective Rate	1.07%	1.52%
Branch Bank fixed rate senior notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 4,008	$ 4,071
Effective Rate	1.37%	1.62%
Branch Bank floating rate senior notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 375	$ 375
Effective Rate	1.15%	0.92%
Branch Bank fixed rate subordinated notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 2,643	$ 2,562
Effective Rate	2.67%	3.13%
Branch Bank floating rate subordinated notes
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 612	$ 612
Effective Rate	3.44%	3.24%
Federal Home Loan Bank Advances
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 5,773	$ 5,732
Effective Rate	4.08%	4.02%
Weighted average maturity of FHLB advances	4 years 6 months
Other long-term debt
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 142	$ 154