Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Earnings (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 item	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries (as a percent)				100.00%
Number of new subsidiary guarantors of debt | item	3
Net sales		$ 2,946	$ 2,908	$ 8,832	$ 8,236
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		(2,362)	(2,338)	(7,083)	(6,583)
Depreciation and amortization		(171)	(162)	(529)	(539)
Selling, general and administrative		(113)	(127)	(352)	(398)
Business consolidation and other activities		(32)	(157)	(131)	(253)
Total costs and expenses		(2,678)	(2,784)	(8,095)	(7,773)
Earnings before interest and taxes		268	124	737	463
Interest expense		(76)	(74)	(226)	(216)
Debt refinancing and other costs				(1)	(1)
Total interest expense		(76)	(74)	(227)	(217)
Earnings before taxes		192	50	510	246
Tax (provision) benefit		(140)	(4)	(220)	(48)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		7	5	14	23
Net earnings		59	51	304	221
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests			(3)	(1)	(6)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation		59	48	303	215
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		26	42	159	231
Eliminating Adjustments
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales		(201)	(20)	(599)	(90)
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		201	20	599	90
Equity in results of subsidiaries		(377)	(42)	(695)	(324)
Total costs and expenses		(176)	(22)	(96)	(234)
Earnings before interest and taxes		(377)	(42)	(695)	(324)
Earnings before taxes		(377)	(42)	(695)	(324)
Net earnings		(377)	(42)	(695)	(324)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation		(377)	(42)	(695)	(324)
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		(321)	(33)	(414)	(287)
Ball Corporation
Costs and expenses
Depreciation and amortization		(1)	(1)	(4)	(5)
Selling, general and administrative		(244)	(41)	(278)	(141)
Business consolidation and other activities		(53)	(18)	(70)	(82)
Equity in results of subsidiaries		369	72	634	343
Intercompany		52	79	228	241
Total costs and expenses		123	91	510	356
Earnings before interest and taxes		123	91	510	356
Interest expense		(79)	(71)	(235)	(205)
Debt refinancing and other costs				(1)
Total interest expense		(79)	(71)	(236)	(205)
Earnings before taxes		44	20	274	151
Tax (provision) benefit		15	28	29	64
Net earnings		59	48	303	215
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation		59	48	303	215
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		26	42	159	231
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales		1,666	1,448	5,003	4,227
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		(1,405)	(1,198)	(4,235)	(3,514)
Depreciation and amortization		(49)	(52)	(153)	(153)
Selling, general and administrative		179	(39)	65	(115)
Business consolidation and other activities		13	(70)	(41)	(76)
Equity in results of subsidiaries		8	(30)	61	(19)
Intercompany		(6)	(41)	(158)	(124)
Total costs and expenses		(1,260)	(1,430)	(4,461)	(4,001)
Earnings before interest and taxes		406	18	542	226
Interest expense		3	2	10	4
Total interest expense		3	2	10	4
Earnings before taxes		409	20	552	230
Tax (provision) benefit		(103)	(9)	(135)	(72)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		3	2	1	11
Net earnings		309	13	418	169
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation		309	13	418	169
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		313	12	309	165
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Net sales		1,481	1,480	4,428	4,099
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)		(1,158)	(1,160)	(3,447)	(3,159)
Depreciation and amortization		(121)	(109)	(372)	(381)
Selling, general and administrative		(48)	(47)	(139)	(142)
Business consolidation and other activities		8	(69)	(20)	(95)
Intercompany		(46)	(38)	(70)	(117)
Total costs and expenses		(1,365)	(1,423)	(4,048)	(3,894)
Earnings before interest and taxes		116	57	380	205
Interest expense			(5)	(1)	(15)
Debt refinancing and other costs					(1)
Total interest expense			(5)	(1)	(16)
Earnings before taxes		116	52	379	189
Tax (provision) benefit		(52)	(23)	(114)	(40)
Equity in results of affiliates, net of tax		4	3	13	12
Net earnings		68	32	278	161
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests			(3)	(1)	(6)
Net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation		68	29	277	155
Comprehensive earnings (loss) attributable to Ball Corporation		$ 8	$ 21	$ 105	$ 122