Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	$ 52.0	$ 31.0	$ 307.0	$ (127.0)	$ 55.0	$ 45.0	$ 160.0	$ 21.0	$ 263.0	$ 281.0	$ 470.0
Basic weighted average common shares									158,271,000	137,300,000	138,508,000
Effect of dilutive securities (in shares)									3,171,000	3,684,000	3,922,000
Weighted average shares applicable to diluted earnings per share									161,442,000	140,984,000	142,430,000
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.30	$ 0.18	$ 2.16	$ (0.90)	$ 0.40	$ 0.32	$ 1.16	$ 0.15	$ 1.66	$ 2.05	$ 3.39
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.29	$ 0.17	$ 2.11	$ (0.90)	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 1.13	$ 0.15	$ 1.63	$ 1.99	$ 3.30
Number of outstanding options excluded from computation of diluted earnings per share									1	1	0
Dividends paid (in dollars per share)									$ 0.52	$ 0.52	$ 0.52