Quarterly Results of Operations (Unaudited) - Revision (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								6 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	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Net sales	$ 2,523.0	$ 2,752.0	$ 2,030.0	$ 1,756.0	$ 1,805.0	$ 2,097.0	$ 2,172.0	$ 1,923.0		$ 9,061.0	$ 7,997.0	$ 8,570.0
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		(2,275.0)								(7,296.0)	(6,460.0)	(6,903.0)
Business consolidation and other activities		(63.0)	28.0							337.0	195.0	81.0
Earnings before interest and taxes		132.0	279.0							463.0	606.0	839.0
Earnings before taxes	92.0	50.0	192.0	(209.0)	63.0	17.0	238.0	28.0		125.0	346.0	646.0
Tax (provision) benefit		(23.0)	114.0							126.0	(47.0)	(150.0)
Net earnings		34.0	307.0							266.0	303.0	498.0
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 (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
As Previously reported
Net sales		$ 2,815.0
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		(2,338.0)
Business consolidation and other activities		(79.0)	$ 27.0
Earnings before interest and taxes		116.0	278.0
Earnings before taxes		34.0	191.0
Tax (provision) benefit		(38.0)	146.0
Net earnings		3.0	338.0
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation			$ 338.0
Basic (in dollars per share)			$ 2.38
Diluted (in dollars per share)			$ 2.33
Restatement adjustment
Net sales		(63.0)
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		63.0
Business consolidation and other activities		16.0	$ 1.0
Earnings before interest and taxes		16.0	1.0
Earnings before taxes		16.0	1.0
Tax (provision) benefit		15.0	(32.0)
Net earnings		31.0	(31.0)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		$ 31.0	$ (31.0)
Basic (in dollars per share)		$ 0.18	$ (0.22)
Diluted (in dollars per share)		$ 0.17	$ (0.22)
Rexam
Net sales										$ 2,300.0
Rexam | Restatement adjustment
Tax (provision) benefit		$ 16.0
Business consolidation and other activities | Restatement adjustment
Tax (provision) benefit		1.0
Business consolidation and other activities | Rexam | Restatement adjustment
Business consolidation and other activities		(13.0)	$ 13.0
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Restatement adjustment
Tax (provision) benefit			2.0
Divestment Business | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Business consolidation and other activities
Gain (loss) on dispositions									$ 344.0
Divestment Business | Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Business consolidation and other activities | Restatement adjustment
Tax (provision) benefit			30.0
Gain (loss) on dispositions		$ (3.0)	$ 14.0