Loan Servicing - Residential Mortgage Banking Activities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Transfers and Servicing [Abstract]
UPB of residential mortgage and home equity loan servicing portfolio	$ 117,827	$ 118,424
UPB of residential mortgage loans serviced for others, primarily agency conforming fixed rate	88,746	89,124
Mortgage loans sold with recourse	473	490
Maximum recourse exposure from mortgage loans sold with recourse liability	245	251
Indemnification, recourse and repurchase reserves	$ 36	$ 37

Represents the total exposure to the Registrant from residential mortgage loans sold with recourse liability.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents the reserve recorded for expected losses related to indemnification, recourse and representations & warranties residential mortgage loans sold.

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No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the carrying amount of residential mortgage loans sold with recourse.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Represents the unpaid principal balance of total residential mortgage servicing portfolio. This includes the unpaid principal balances held for investment included on the balance sheet as well as the portion serviced for others representing the balances sold to third-party investors.

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No definition available.

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

- Definition

Represents the unpaid principal balance of residential mortgage loans serviced for others that were previously sold to third-party investors.

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No definition available.

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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