Employee Benefit Obligations - Asset Categories (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Target asset allocations
Weighted average asset allocations (as a percent)	100.00%	100.00%
Fixed Income Securities And Cash And Cash Equivalents Combined
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	50.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	80.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Cash and cash equivalents
Target asset allocations
Weighted average asset allocations (as a percent)	6.00%	2.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Weighted average asset allocations (as a percent)	68.00%	52.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Weighted average asset allocations (as a percent)	18.00%	37.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Alternative investments
Target asset allocations
Weighted average asset allocations (as a percent)	8.00%	9.00%
U.S. | Cash and cash equivalents
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	0.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
U.S. | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	25.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	70.00%
U.S. | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	75.00%
U.S. | Alternative investments
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	0.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	35.00%
U.S. | Large-cap equities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	25.00%
U.S. | Mid-cap equities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
U.S. | Small-cap equities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
U.S. | Foreign equities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	35.00%
U.S. | Special equities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	35.00%
U.S. | Holdings in Ball Corporation common stock or Ball bonds
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	5.00%
U.S. | Non-investment grade bonds
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
U.S. | Bank loans
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
U.S. | International bonds
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	15.00%
U.S. Rexam | Cash and cash equivalents
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	0.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	2.00%
U.S. Rexam | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	75.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	95.00%
U.S. Rexam | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	13.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	18.00%
U.S. Rexam | Completion
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	10.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	20.00%
Canada. | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	95.00%
Canada. | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	5.00%
Ireland | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	37.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	47.00%
Ireland | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	44.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	52.00%
Ireland | Alternative investments
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	9.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	11.00%
United Kingdom. | Cash and cash equivalents
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	50.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	80.00%
United Kingdom. | Fixed income securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	50.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	80.00%
United Kingdom. | Corporate equity securities
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	5.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	40.00%
United Kingdom. | Alternative investments
Target asset allocations
Target asset allocations, low end of range (as a percent)	0.00%
Target asset allocations, high end of range (as a percent)	20.00%