Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 458	$ 597	$ 205	$ 224
Receivables, net	1,695	1,491
Inventories, net	1,554	1,413
Other Assets, Current	200	152
Total current assets	3,907	3,653
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	4,403	4,387
Goodwill	5,152	5,095
Intangible assets, net	1,917	1,934
Other assets	1,265	1,104
Total assets	16,644	16,173
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	497	222
Accounts payable	1,830	2,033
Accrued employee costs	264	315
Other current liabilities	427	399
Total current liabilities	3,018	2,969
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	7,476	7,310
Employee benefit obligations	1,487	1,497
Deferred taxes	855	759
Other liabilities	85	97
Total liabilities	12,921	12,632
Common stock	1,040	1,038
Retained earnings	4,784	4,739
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(813)	(941)
Treasury stock, at cost	(1,392)	(1,401)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,619	3,435
Noncontrolling interests	104	106
Total shareholders' equity	3,723	3,541
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	16,644	16,173
Eliminating Adjustments
Current assets
Intercompany receivables	(1,099)	(1,127)
Total current assets	(1,099)	(1,127)
Noncurrent assets
Investment in subsidiaries	(10,490)	(10,183)
Total assets	(11,589)	(11,310)
Current liabilities
Intercompany payables	(1,111)	(1,127)
Total current liabilities	(1,111)	(1,127)
Noncurrent liabilities
Intercompany long-term notes	12
Total liabilities	(1,099)	(1,127)
Common stock	(5,061)	(5,061)
Preferred stock	(5)	(5)
Retained earnings	(6,610)	(6,482)
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	1,186	1,365
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	(10,490)	(10,183)
Total shareholders' equity	(10,490)	(10,183)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(11,589)	(11,310)
Ball Corporation
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5	2	3	5
Receivables, net	77	96
Intercompany receivables	41	39
Other Assets, Current	33	40
Total current assets	156	177
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	23	23
Investment in subsidiaries	8,039	7,815
Goodwill	3
Intangible assets, net	18	18
Other assets	80	94
Total assets	8,319	8,127
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	258	141
Accounts payable	15	18
Intercompany payables	1,012	1,010
Accrued employee costs	25	25
Other current liabilities	156	138
Total current liabilities	1,466	1,332
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	6,493	6,337
Employee benefit obligations	331	347
Intercompany long-term notes	(3,370)	(3,142)
Deferred taxes	(227)	(193)
Other liabilities	7	12
Total liabilities	4,700	4,693
Common stock	1,040	1,038
Retained earnings	4,784	4,739
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(813)	(942)
Treasury stock, at cost	(1,392)	(1,401)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,619	3,434
Total shareholders' equity	3,619	3,434
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,319	8,127
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		(11)	23
Receivables, net	551	450
Intercompany receivables	117	125
Inventories, net	565	516
Other Assets, Current	48	33
Total current assets	1,281	1,113
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,116	1,087
Investment in subsidiaries	2,372	2,289
Goodwill	981	990
Intangible assets, net	76	76
Other assets	23	20
Total assets	5,849	5,575
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	679	771
Intercompany payables	39	52
Accrued employee costs	92	135
Other current liabilities	72	65
Total current liabilities	882	1,023
Noncurrent liabilities
Employee benefit obligations	445	440
Intercompany long-term notes	421	178
Deferred taxes	226	218
Other liabilities	(1)
Total liabilities	1,973	1,859
Common stock	635	635
Retained earnings	3,960	3,893
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(719)	(812)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,876	3,716
Total shareholders' equity	3,876	3,716
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	5,849	5,575
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	453	606	179	219
Receivables, net	1,067	945
Intercompany receivables	941	963
Inventories, net	989	897
Other Assets, Current	119	79
Total current assets	3,569	3,490
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,264	3,277
Investment in subsidiaries	79	79
Goodwill	4,168	4,105
Intangible assets, net	1,823	1,840
Other assets	1,162	990
Total assets	14,065	13,781
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	239	81
Accounts payable	1,136	1,244
Intercompany payables	60	65
Accrued employee costs	147	155
Other current liabilities	199	196
Total current liabilities	1,781	1,741
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	983	973
Employee benefit obligations	711	710
Intercompany long-term notes	2,937	2,964
Deferred taxes	856	734
Other liabilities	79	85
Total liabilities	7,347	7,207
Common stock	4,426	4,426
Preferred stock	5	5
Retained earnings	2,650	2,589
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(467)	(552)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	6,614	6,468
Noncontrolling interests	104	106
Total shareholders' equity	6,718	6,574
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	14,065	13,781
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	458	597	205	224
Receivables, net	1,695	1,491
Inventories, net	1,554	1,413
Other Assets, Current	200	152
Total current assets	3,907	3,653
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	4,403	4,387
Goodwill	5,152	5,095
Intangible assets, net	1,917	1,934
Other assets	1,265	1,104
Total assets	16,644	16,173
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	497	222
Accounts payable	1,830	2,033
Accrued employee costs	264	315
Other current liabilities	427	399
Total current liabilities	3,018	2,969
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	7,476	7,310
Employee benefit obligations	1,487	1,497
Deferred taxes	855	759
Other liabilities	85	97
Total liabilities	12,921	12,632
Common stock	1,040	1,038
Retained earnings	4,784	4,739
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(813)	(941)
Treasury stock, at cost	(1,392)	(1,401)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,619	3,435
Noncontrolling interests	104	106
Total shareholders' equity	3,723	3,541
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	16,644	16,173
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes | Eliminating Adjustments
Current assets
Intercompany receivables	(1,447)	(1,469)
Total current assets	(1,447)	(1,469)
Noncurrent assets
Investment in subsidiaries	(12,843)	(12,529)
Total assets	(14,290)	(13,998)
Current liabilities
Intercompany payables	(1,460)	(1,471)
Total current liabilities	(1,460)	(1,471)
Noncurrent liabilities
Intercompany long-term notes	13	2
Total liabilities	(1,447)	(1,469)
Common stock	(7,421)	(7,421)
Preferred stock	(5)	(5)
Retained earnings	(6,613)	(6,493)
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	1,196	1,390
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	(12,843)	(12,529)
Total shareholders' equity	(12,843)	(12,529)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(14,290)	(13,998)
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes | Ball Corporation
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5	2	3	5
Receivables, net	77	96
Intercompany receivables	41	39
Other Assets, Current	33	40
Total current assets	156	177
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	23	23
Investment in subsidiaries	8,039	7,815
Goodwill	3
Intangible assets, net	18	18
Other assets	80	94
Total assets	8,319	8,127
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	258	141
Accounts payable	15	18
Intercompany payables	1,012	1,010
Accrued employee costs	25	25
Other current liabilities	156	138
Total current liabilities	1,466	1,332
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	6,493	6,337
Employee benefit obligations	331	347
Intercompany long-term notes	(3,370)	(3,142)
Deferred taxes	(227)	(193)
Other liabilities	7	12
Total liabilities	4,700	4,693
Common stock	1,040	1,038
Retained earnings	4,784	4,739
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(813)	(942)
Treasury stock, at cost	(1,392)	(1,401)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,619	3,434
Total shareholders' equity	3,619	3,434
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,319	8,127
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents		(11)	5
Receivables, net	551	450
Intercompany receivables	465	467
Inventories, net	565	516
Other Assets, Current	54	39
Total current assets	1,635	1,461
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,116	1,087
Investment in subsidiaries	4,380	4,291
Goodwill	977	985
Intangible assets, net	76	76
Other assets	297	306
Total assets	8,481	8,206
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	680	772
Intercompany payables	40	53
Accrued employee costs	103	152
Other current liabilities	76	69
Total current liabilities	899	1,046
Noncurrent liabilities
Employee benefit obligations	754	760
Intercompany long-term notes	2,278	2,018
Deferred taxes	268	261
Other liabilities	(1)	6
Total liabilities	4,198	4,091
Common stock	1,120	1,120
Retained earnings	3,898	3,832
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(735)	(837)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	4,283	4,115
Total shareholders' equity	4,283	4,115
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	8,481	8,206
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	453	606	$ 197	$ 219
Receivables, net	1,067	945
Intercompany receivables	941	963
Inventories, net	989	897
Other Assets, Current	113	73
Total current assets	3,563	3,484
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	3,264	3,277
Investment in subsidiaries	424	423
Goodwill	4,172	4,110
Intangible assets, net	1,823	1,840
Other assets	888	704
Total assets	14,134	13,838
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	239	81
Accounts payable	1,135	1,243
Intercompany payables	408	408
Accrued employee costs	136	138
Other current liabilities	195	192
Total current liabilities	2,113	2,062
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	983	973
Employee benefit obligations	402	390
Intercompany long-term notes	1,079	1,122
Deferred taxes	814	691
Other liabilities	79	79
Total liabilities	5,470	5,317
Common stock	6,301	6,301
Preferred stock	5	5
Retained earnings	2,715	2,661
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(461)	(552)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	8,560	8,415
Noncontrolling interests	104	106
Total shareholders' equity	8,664	8,521
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 14,134	$ 13,838