Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (74)	$ (401)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(242)	(125)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	(45)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		31
Other, net	3	3
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(284)	(91)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,162	185
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(683)	(50)
Net change in short-term borrowings	(14)	273
Proceeds from issuances of common stock		(1)
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(35)	(3)
Common stock dividends	(35)	(23)
Other, net	(11)	(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	384	380
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1	(30)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	448	597
Cash and cash equivalents – end of year	477	458
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	27	(142)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	459	607
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	486	465
Ball Corporation
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	21	7
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(3)	(4)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	(45)
Other, net	(2)	2
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(50)	(2)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,160	185
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(680)	(48)
Net change in short-term borrowings	(89)	116
Proceeds from issuances of common stock		(1)
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(35)	(3)
Common stock dividends	(35)	(23)
Intercompany	(287)	(229)
Other, net	(10)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	24	(3)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash		1
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	5
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(5)	3
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	5	2
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period		5
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(226)	(182)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(155)	(82)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold		31
Other, net	2	13
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(153)	(38)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(1)
Net change in short-term borrowings		1
Intercompany	379	232
Other, net		(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	379	232
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		12
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period		(11)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period		1
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	131	(226)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(84)	(39)
Other, net	3	(12)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(81)	(51)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(2)	(2)
Net change in short-term borrowings	75	156
Intercompany	(92)	(3)
Other, net	(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(19)	151
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	1	(31)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	443
Cash and cash equivalents – end of year	477
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	32	(157)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	454	616
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	$ 486	$ 459