Business Segment Information - Summary of Business (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Business Segment Information
Number of reportable segments | segment	5
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,785	$ 2,473
Reconciling items
Other	(19)	(31)
Business consolidation and other activities	(30)	(55)
Amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles	(55)	(41)
Earnings before interest and taxes	226	152
Interest expense	(73)	(68)
Debt refinancing and other costs	(1)
Total interest expense	(74)	(68)
Earnings before taxes	152	84
Tax (provision) benefit	(34)	(22)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax	7	8
Net earnings	125	70
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation	125	68
Undistributed corporate expenses	22	45
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation, Amortization and Accretion, Net	180	148
Amortization of Intangible Assets	55	41
Capital Expenditures
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	242	125
Beverage packaging, Europe
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities		2
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	2,642	2,336
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	319	270
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, North And Central America
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	1,035	949
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	113	123
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(3)	(4)
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, South America
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	459	371
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	98	58
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities		3
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, Europe
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	609	508
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	60	47
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(10)	(3)
Operating Segments | Food and aerosol packaging
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	275	272
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	23	21
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities		10
Operating Segments | Aerospace
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	264	236
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	25	21
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	143	137
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(17)	(61)
Rexam
Reconciling items
Amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles	(44)	(32)
Depreciation and Amortization
Amortization of Intangible Assets	$ 44	$ 32