Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries (as a percent)	100.00%
Net sales	$ 2,473	$ 1,756
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,975)	(1,416)
Depreciation and amortization	(148)	(75)
Selling, general and administrative	(143)	(108)
Business consolidation and other activities	(55)	(267)
Total costs and expenses	(2,321)	(1,866)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	152	(110)
Interest expense	(68)	(38)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(61)
Total interest expense	(68)	(99)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	84	(209)
Tax (provision) benefit	(22)	83
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	8	(1)
Net earnings (loss)	70	(127)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	68	(127)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	196	(96)
Eliminating Adjustments
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	(15)	(25)
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	15	25
Equity in results of subsidiaries	(127)	(120)
Total costs and expenses	(112)	(95)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	(127)	(120)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	(127)	(120)
Net earnings (loss)	(127)	(120)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	(127)	(120)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	(305)	(166)
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	2,473	1,756
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,975)	(1,416)
Depreciation and amortization	(148)	(75)
Selling, general and administrative	(143)	(108)
Business consolidation and other activities	(55)	(267)
Total costs and expenses	(2,321)	(1,866)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	152	(110)
Interest expense	(68)	(38)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(61)
Total interest expense	(68)	(99)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	84	(209)
Tax (provision) benefit	(22)	83
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	8	(1)
Net earnings (loss)	70	(127)
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	68	(127)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	196	(96)
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes | Eliminating Adjustments
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	(15)	(25)
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	15	25
Equity in results of subsidiaries	(119)	(120)
Total costs and expenses	(104)	(95)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	(119)	(120)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	(119)	(120)
Net earnings (loss)	(119)	(120)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	(119)	(120)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	(312)	(166)
Ball Corporation
Costs and expenses
Depreciation and amortization	(2)	(1)
Selling, general and administrative	(45)	(20)
Business consolidation and other activities	(51)	(260)
Equity in results of subsidiaries	123	84
Intercompany	81	52
Total costs and expenses	106	(145)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	106	(145)
Interest expense	(65)	(38)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(59)
Total interest expense	(65)	(97)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	41	(242)
Tax (provision) benefit	27	115
Net earnings (loss)	68	(127)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	68	(127)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	196	(96)
Ball Corporation | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Costs and expenses
Depreciation and amortization	(2)	(1)
Selling, general and administrative	(45)	(20)
Business consolidation and other activities	(51)	(260)
Equity in results of subsidiaries	123	84
Intercompany	81	52
Total costs and expenses	106	(145)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	106	(145)
Interest expense	(65)	(38)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(59)
Total interest expense	(65)	(97)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	41	(242)
Tax (provision) benefit	27	115
Net earnings (loss)	68	(127)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	68	(127)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	196	(96)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	1,115	1,075
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(903)	(886)
Depreciation and amortization	(36)	(36)
Selling, general and administrative	(41)	(40)
Business consolidation and other activities	6	(17)
Equity in results of subsidiaries	4	36
Intercompany	(43)	(41)
Total costs and expenses	(1,013)	(984)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	102	91
Interest expense	1
Total interest expense	1
Earnings (loss) before taxes	103	91
Tax (provision) benefit	(37)	(19)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		(1)
Net earnings (loss)	66	71
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	66	71
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	159	100
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	1,115	1,075
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(903)	(886)
Depreciation and amortization	(36)	(36)
Selling, general and administrative	(41)	(40)
Business consolidation and other activities	5	(4)
Equity in results of subsidiaries	3	36
Intercompany	(41)	(41)
Total costs and expenses	(1,013)	(971)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	102	104
Interest expense	1
Total interest expense	1
Earnings (loss) before taxes	103	104
Tax (provision) benefit	(37)	(19)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		(1)
Net earnings (loss)	66	84
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	66	84
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	168	113
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	1,373	706
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,087)	(555)
Depreciation and amortization	(110)	(38)
Selling, general and administrative	(57)	(48)
Business consolidation and other activities	(10)	10
Intercompany	(38)	(11)
Total costs and expenses	(1,302)	(642)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	71	64
Interest expense	(4)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(2)
Total interest expense	(4)	(2)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	67	62
Tax (provision) benefit	(12)	(13)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	8
Net earnings (loss)	63	49
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	61	49
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	146	66
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales	1,373	706
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)	(1,087)	(555)
Depreciation and amortization	(110)	(38)
Selling, general and administrative	(57)	(48)
Business consolidation and other activities	(9)	(3)
Equity in results of subsidiaries	(7)
Intercompany	(40)	(11)
Total costs and expenses	(1,310)	(655)
Earnings (loss) before interest and taxes	63	51
Interest expense	(4)
Debt refinancing and other costs		(2)
Total interest expense	(4)	(2)
Earnings (loss) before taxes	59	49
Tax (provision) benefit	(12)	(13)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	8
Net earnings (loss)	55	36
Less net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	53	36
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation	$ 144	$ 53