Operating Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		$ 1,610	$ 1,464	$ 4,756	$ 4,088
Allocated provision for credit losses		148	103	443	299
Noninterest income		1,164	988	3,310	3,004
Amortization of intangibles		38	29	112	73
Income before income taxes		915	755	2,570	2,124
Provision for income taxes		273	222	771	543
Net income		642	533	1,799	1,581
Identifiable assets (period end)		222,622		222,622		$ 209,947
Community Banking
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		570	449	1,631	1,306
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		402	323	1,182	910
Segment net interest income		972	772	2,813	2,216
Allocated provision for credit losses		(3)	4	10	28
Noninterest income		317	303	910	864
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		41	35	111	105
Noninterest expense		446	379	1,302	1,110
Amortization of intangibles		16	9	53	26
Allocated corporate expenses		338	305	1,000	916
Income before income taxes		533	413	1,469	1,105
Provision for income taxes		195	153	535	407
Net income		338	260	934	698
Identifiable assets (period end)		71,034	57,364	71,034	57,364
Residential Mortgage Banking
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		344	337	1,009	1,021
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		(225)	(221)	(675)	(680)
Segment net interest income		119	116	334	341
Allocated provision for credit losses		9	10	30	1
Noninterest income		116	93	269	277
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		0	1	1	1
Noninterest expense		10	85	173	243
Amortization of intangibles		0	0	0	0
Allocated corporate expenses		28	22	79	68
Income before income taxes		188	93	322	307
Provision for income taxes		71	35	122	116
Net income		117	58	200	191
Identifiable assets (period end)		34,266	32,973	34,266	32,973
Dealer Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		229	221	684	650
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		(39)	(38)	(118)	(114)
Segment net interest income		190	183	566	536
Allocated provision for credit losses		76	67	210	176
Noninterest income		1	0	2	0
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		0	0	0	0
Noninterest expense		39	38	110	111
Amortization of intangibles		0	0	0	0
Allocated corporate expenses		11	10	33	29
Income before income taxes		65	68	215	220
Provision for income taxes		25	26	82	84
Net income		40	42	133	136
Identifiable assets (period end)		15,090	13,794	15,090	13,794
Specialized Lending
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		194	171	558	470
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		(72)	(60)	(209)	(170)
Segment net interest income		122	111	349	300
Allocated provision for credit losses		23	8	58	31
Noninterest income		83	58	221	190
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		0	0	0	0
Noninterest expense		73	62	210	183
Amortization of intangibles		2	1	4	3
Allocated corporate expenses		22	17	59	47
Income before income taxes		85	81	239	226
Provision for income taxes		21	20	58	54
Net income		64	61	181	172
Identifiable assets (period end)		20,418	17,669	20,418	17,669
Insurance Holdings
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		1	1	2	2
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		1	2	3	5
Segment net interest income		2	3	5	7
Allocated provision for credit losses		0	0	0	0
Noninterest income		412	353	1,298	1,220
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		0	0	0	0
Noninterest expense		332	284	981	896
Amortization of intangibles		15	12	44	35
Allocated corporate expenses		28	25	84	75
Income before income taxes		39	35	194	221
Provision for income taxes		16	14	74	75
Net income		23	21	120	146
Identifiable assets (period end)		3,343	2,668	3,343	2,668
Financial Services
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		65	54	196	159
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		96	81	275	228
Segment net interest income		161	135	471	387
Allocated provision for credit losses		32	22	128	69
Noninterest income		226	226	633	640
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		7	4	15	11
Noninterest expense		191	176	562	515
Amortization of intangibles		1	1	3	2
Allocated corporate expenses		38	34	112	102
Income before income taxes		132	132	314	350
Provision for income taxes		49	50	117	132
Net income		83	82	197	218
Identifiable assets (period end)		17,760	15,680	17,760	15,680
Other, Treasury and Corporate
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)	[1]	207	231	676	480
Net intersegment interest income (expense)	[1]	(163)	(87)	(458)	(179)
Segment net interest income	[1]	44	144	218	301
Allocated provision for credit losses	[1]	11	(8)	7	(6)
Noninterest income	[1]	9	(45)	(23)	(187)
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)	[1]	(48)	(40)	(127)	(117)
Noninterest expense	[1]	582	541	1,603	1,538
Amortization of intangibles	[1]	4	6	8	7
Allocated corporate expenses	[1]	(465)	(413)	(1,367)	(1,237)
Income before income taxes	[1]	(127)	(67)	(183)	(305)
Provision for income taxes	[1]	(104)	(76)	(217)	(325)
Net income	[1]	(23)	9	34	20
Identifiable assets (period end)	[1]	60,711	68,661	60,711	68,661
Total BB&T Corporation
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items]
Net interest income (expense)		1,610	1,464	4,756	4,088
Net intersegment interest income (expense)		0	0	0	0
Segment net interest income		1,610	1,464	4,756	4,088
Allocated provision for credit losses		148	103	443	299
Noninterest income		1,164	988	3,310	3,004
Intersegment net referral fees (expense)		0	0	0	0
Noninterest expense		1,673	1,565	4,941	4,596
Amortization of intangibles		38	29	112	73
Allocated corporate expenses		0	0	0	0
Income before income taxes		915	755	2,570	2,124
Provision for income taxes		273	222	771	543
Net income		642	533	1,799	1,581
Identifiable assets (period end)		$ 222,622	$ 208,809	$ 222,622	$ 208,809

[1] (1) Includes financial data from business units below the quantitative and qualitative thresholds requiring disclosure.