Business Segment Information (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) segment	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Business Segment Information
Number of reportable segments | segment			4
Business Segment Information
Net sales	$ 2,172.3	$ 2,291.9	$ 4,095.4	$ 4,298.7
Business consolidation and other activities	65.6	(8.6)	13.6	(8.6)
Earnings before interest and taxes	273.8	255.9	399.7	473.3
Interest expense	(31.0)	(40.6)	(69.5)	(80.8)
Debt refinancing and other costs	(5.0)		(64.9)	(33.1)
Total interest expense	(36.0)	(40.6)	(134.4)	(113.9)
Tax provision	(78.4)	(60.2)	(78.9)	(99.8)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	1.4	1.2	1.9	1.6
Net earnings	160.8	156.3	188.3	261.2
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(0.4)	(3.2)	(7.2)	(14.6)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation	160.4	153.1	181.1	246.6
Segment Assets
Assets	7,852.9		7,852.9		$ 7,571.0
Operating Segments
Business Segment Information
Earnings before interest and taxes	228.0	272.2	428.3	513.7
Segment Assets
Assets	7,970.9		7,970.9		7,617.0
Operating Segments | Metal beverage packaging, Americas and Asia
Business Segment Information
Net sales	1,131.6	1,130.1	2,154.6	2,127.7
Earnings before business consolidation and other activities, and before interest and taxes	126.5	142.0	251.5	267.1
Business consolidation and other activities	(0.3)	(3.0)	(2.6)	1.8
Earnings before interest and taxes	126.2	139.0	248.9	268.9
Segment Assets
Assets	3,554.2		3,554.2		3,422.8
Operating Segments | Metal beverage packaging, Europe
Business Segment Information
Net sales	481.0	558.4	860.2	1,008.6
Earnings before business consolidation and other activities, and before interest and taxes	59.6	73.7	88.5	129.2
Business consolidation and other activities	(5.3)	(1.1)	(7.3)	(2.3)
Earnings before interest and taxes	54.3	72.6	81.2	126.9
Segment Assets
Assets	2,372.6		2,372.6		2,274.5
Operating Segments | Metal food & household products packaging
Business Segment Information
Net sales	332.0	367.7	640.3	708.8
Earnings before business consolidation and other activities, and before interest and taxes	28.7	39.8	58.9	76.1
Business consolidation and other activities	(0.7)	(4.0)	(0.9)	(7.1)
Earnings before interest and taxes	28.0	35.8	58.0	69.0
Segment Assets
Assets	1,644.1		1,644.1		1,508.1
Operating Segments | Aerospace & technologies
Business Segment Information
Net sales	230.2	241.1	445.0	461.8
Earnings before business consolidation and other activities, and before interest and taxes	19.5	24.8	39.5	48.9
Business consolidation and other activities			0.7
Earnings before interest and taxes	19.5	24.8	40.2	48.9
Segment Assets
Assets	400.0		400.0		411.6
Corporate and intercompany eliminations
Business Segment Information
Net sales	(2.5)	(5.4)	(4.7)	(8.2)
Undistributed corporate expenses and intercompany eliminations, net	(26.1)	(15.8)	(52.3)	(39.4)
Business consolidation and other activities	71.9	(0.5)	23.7	(1.0)
Total undistributed corporate expenses and intercompany eliminations, net	45.8	$ (16.3)	(28.6)	$ (40.4)
Segment Assets
Assets	$ (118.0)		$ (118.0)		$ (46.0)