Long-Term Debt - Schedule of Long Term Debt, Interest Rates and Maturity Dates (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 23,410	$ 23,648
Other long-term debt
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 173	205
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Fixed rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	3.20%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 8,490	8,562
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Fixed rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	2.05%
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Fixed rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	6.85%
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Floating rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	2.60%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 2,547	2,547
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Floating rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	1.99%
BB&T Corporation | Senior notes | Floating rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	2.99%
BB&T Corporation | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	2.33%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 919	933
BB&T Corporation | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	3.95%
BB&T Corporation | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	5.25%
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Fixed rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	2.89%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 5,617	5,653
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Fixed rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	1.45%
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Fixed rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	2.85%
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Floating rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	2.32%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 1,149	1,149
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Floating rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	2.17%
Branch Bank | Senior notes | Floating rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	2.30%
Branch Bank | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	3.96%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 2,064	2,119
Branch Bank | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	3.63%
Branch Bank | Subordinated notes | Fixed rate | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	3.80%
Branch Bank | FHLB advances
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Effective Rate	1.85%
Long-term Debt, Carrying Amount	$ 2,451	$ 2,480
Weighted average maturity of FHLB advances	3 years 7 months 6 days
Branch Bank | FHLB advances | Min
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	0.00%
Branch Bank | FHLB advances | Max
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Stated Rate	5.50%