Employee Benefit Obligations - Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2016
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			$ 72	$ 67	$ 60
Interest cost			154	75	88
Expected return on plan assets			(176)	(99)	(100)
Amortization of prior service cost			(1)	(1)	(1)
Recognized net actuarial loss			38	48	38
Curtailment and settlement losses (gains) including special termination benefits			80	5	45
Net periodic benefit cost			167	95	130
Multi-employer plans:
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans			2	1	2
Total net periodic benefit cost			169	96	132
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			72	67
Interest cost			154	75
Multi-employer plans:
Estimated actuarial net gain (loss) that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost during next fiscal year			(38)
Estimated prior service cost (benefit) that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) into net periodic benefit cost during next fiscal year			2
U.S.
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			58	52	46
Interest cost			96	57	62
Expected return on plan assets			(106)	(79)	(83)
Amortization of prior service cost			(1)	(1)
Recognized net actuarial loss			32	39	30
Curtailment and settlement losses (gains) including special termination benefits				5	45
Noncash charge for settlement					(45)
Net periodic benefit cost			79	73	100
Multi-employer plans:
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans			2	1	2
Total net periodic benefit cost			81	74	102
Noncash charge for settlement					(45)
U.S. | Funded plans
Expected benefit payments
2017			230
2018			230
2019			230
2020			230
2021			230
Years 2022 through 2026			1,116
U.S. | Forecast | Funded plans
Multi-employer plans:
Contributions to pension plans		$ 180
Foreign Pension Plans Excluding German And Swedish Plans Defined Benefit | Funded plans
Expected benefit payments
2017			128
2018			132
2019			136
2020			140
2021			144
Years 2022 through 2026			794
Foreign Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			14	15	14
Interest cost			58	18	26
Expected return on plan assets			(70)	(20)	(17)
Amortization of prior service cost					(1)
Recognized net actuarial loss			6	9	8
Curtailment and settlement losses (gains) including special termination benefits			80
Net periodic benefit cost			88	22	30
Multi-employer plans:
Total net periodic benefit cost			88	22	30
Foreign Plans | unfunded plan
Expected benefit payments
Years 2022 through 2026			87
Foreign Plans | unfunded plan | Minimum
Expected benefit payments
2017			20
2018			20
2019			20
2020			20
2021			20
Foreign Plans | unfunded plan | Maximum
Expected benefit payments
2017			22
2018			22
2019			22
2020			22
2021			22
Foreign Plans | Forecast | Funded plans
Multi-employer plans:
Contributions to pension plans		10
Other post retirement benefits
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			3	2	2
Interest cost			8	6	7
Amortization of prior service cost			(1)	(1)	(1)
Recognized net actuarial loss			(3)	(2)	(1)
Multi-employer plans:
Total net periodic benefit cost			7	$ 7	$ 7
Estimated actuarial net gain (loss) that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic benefit cost during next fiscal year			4
Estimated prior service cost (benefit) that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) into net periodic benefit cost during next fiscal year			(1)
Expected benefit payments
Years 2022 through 2026			94
Other post retirement benefits | Minimum
Expected benefit payments
2017			22
2018			22
2019			22
2020			22
2021			22
Other post retirement benefits | Maximum
Expected benefit payments
2017			24
2018			24
2019			24
2020			24
2021			$ 24
Other post retirement benefits | Forecast
Multi-employer plans:
Contributions to pension plans		$ 24
Rexam U K Pension Plan | Rexam
Expected benefit payments
Rexam escrow cash account						$ 171
Divestment Business
Ball-sponsored plans:
Noncash charge for settlement	$ 80
Multi-employer plans:
Noncash charge for settlement	$ 80