Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 1,027	$ 744
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(616)	(404)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	551	31
Other, net	50	3
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(15)	(370)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,475	440
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(1,531)	(909)
Net change in short-term borrowings	(189)	220
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	25	18
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(464)	(103)
Common stock dividends	(104)	(93)
Other, net	(13)	(2)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(801)	(429)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(59)	11
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	448	597
Cash and cash equivalents – end of year	598	556
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	152	(44)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	459	607
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	611	563
Ball Corporation
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(103)	266
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(5)	(5)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	(53)
Other, net	(1)	1
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(59)	(4)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,475	440
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(1,525)	(433)
Net change in short-term borrowings	(138)	151
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	25	18
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(464)	(103)
Common stock dividends	(104)	(93)
Intercompany	905	(231)
Other, net	(12)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	162	(251)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash		(8)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	5
Cash and cash equivalents – end of year	5
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		3
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	5	1
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	5	4
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	148	368
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(356)	(234)
Business dispositions, net of cash sold	604	31
Other, net	18	18
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	266	(185)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Net change in short-term borrowings		1
Intercompany	(413)	(170)
Other, net	(1)	(2)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(414)	(171)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		12
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period		(10)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period		2
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	982	110
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(255)	(165)
Other, net	33	(16)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(222)	(181)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(6)	(476)
Net change in short-term borrowings	(51)	68
Intercompany	(492)	401
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(549)	(7)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(59)	19
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of year	443
Cash and cash equivalents – end of year	593
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	152	(59)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	454	616
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	$ 606	$ 557

The net cash inflow or outflow from the entity's subsidiaries.

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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Amount of cash and cash equivalents, and cash and cash equivalents restricted to withdrawal or usage. Excludes amount for disposal group and discontinued operations. Cash includes, but is not limited to, currency on hand, demand deposits with banks or financial institutions, and other accounts with general characteristics of demand deposits. Cash equivalents include, but are not limited to, short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) from financing activities, including discontinued operations. Financing activity cash flows include obtaining resources from owners and providing them with a return on, and a return of, their investment; borrowing money and repaying amounts borrowed, or settling the obligation; and obtaining and paying for other resources obtained from creditors on long-term credit.

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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) from investing activities, including discontinued operations. Investing activity cash flows include making and collecting loans and acquiring and disposing of debt or equity instruments and property, plant, and equipment and other productive assets.

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The cash outflow to reacquire common stock during the period.

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Amount of cash outflow in the form of ordinary dividends to common shareholders of the parent entity.

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The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets.

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This element represents the cash inflow during the period from the sale of a component of the entity.

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The cash inflow from the additional capital contribution to the entity.

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The net cash inflow or outflow for borrowing having initial term of repayment within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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