Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 747	$ (433)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(404)	(398)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(3,379)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	31	2,941
Decrease in restricted cash		1,966
Settlement of Rexam acquisition related derivatives		(252)
Other, net	3	2
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(370)	880
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	440	4,370
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(909)	(4,348)
Net change in short-term borrowings	220	156
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	18	38
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(103)	(98)
Common stock dividends	(93)	(60)
Other, net	(2)	(15)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(429)	43
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	11	(69)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(41)	421
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	597	224
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	556	645
Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	747	(433)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(404)	(398)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(3,379)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	31	2,941
Decrease in restricted cash		1,966
Settlement of Rexam acquisition related derivatives		(252)
Other, net	3	2
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(370)	880
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	440	4,370
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(909)	(4,348)
Net change in short-term borrowings	220	156
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	18	38
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(103)	(98)
Common stock dividends	(93)	(60)
Other, net	(2)	(15)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(429)	43
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	11	(69)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(41)	421
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	597	224
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	556	645
Ball Corporation
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	266	(385)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(5)	(10)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		2,303
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		1,010
Decrease in restricted cash		1,966
Settlement of Rexam acquisition related derivatives		(252)
Other, net	1
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(4)	5,017
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	440	2,610
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(433)	(921)
Net change in short-term borrowings	151	200
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	18	38
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(103)	(98)
Common stock dividends	(93)	(60)
Intercompany	(231)	(6,351)
Other, net		(5)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(251)	(4,587)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(7)	4
Change in cash and cash equivalents	4	49
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	2	5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	6	54
Ball Corporation | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	266	(385)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(5)	(10)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		2,303
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		1,010
Decrease in restricted cash		1,966
Settlement of Rexam acquisition related derivatives		(252)
Other, net	1
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(4)	5,017
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	440	2,610
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(433)	(921)
Net change in short-term borrowings	151	200
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	18	38
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(103)	(98)
Common stock dividends	(93)	(60)
Intercompany	(231)	(6,351)
Other, net		(5)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(251)	(4,587)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(7)	4
Change in cash and cash equivalents	4	49
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	2	5
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	6	54
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	282	155
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(232)	(170)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(36)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	31
Other, net	27	7
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(174)	(199)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Intercompany	(95)	46
Other, net	(2)	(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(97)	45
Change in cash and cash equivalents	11	1
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	(11)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period		1
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	290	144
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(232)	(170)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(1,674)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	31
Other, net	33	7
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(168)	(1,837)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Net change in short-term borrowings		(30)
Intercompany	(109)	1,722
Other, net	(2)	(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(111)	1,691
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash		3
Change in cash and cash equivalents	11	1
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	(11)
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period		1
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	199	(203)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(167)	(218)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(5,646)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		1,931
Other, net	(25)	(5)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(192)	(3,938)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings		1,760
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(476)	(3,427)
Net change in short-term borrowings	69	(44)
Intercompany	326	6,305
Other, net		(9)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(81)	4,585
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	18	(73)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	371
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	606	219
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	550	590
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Guarantees Relating to Senior Notes
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	191	(192)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(167)	(218)
Business acquisition, net of cash acquired		(4,008)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		1,931
Other, net	(31)	(5)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(198)	(2,300)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings		1,760
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(476)	(3,427)
Net change in short-term borrowings	69	(14)
Intercompany	340	4,629
Other, net		(9)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(67)	2,939
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	18	(76)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(56)	371
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	606	219
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 550	$ 590