Business Segment Information - Summary of Business (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) segment	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2018
Business Segment Information
Number of reportable segments | segment	4
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 2,785	$ 2,785
Reconciling items
Other	(5)	4
Business consolidation and other activities	(14)	(30)
Amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles	(48)	(55)
Earnings before interest and taxes	221	226
Interest expense	(77)	(73)
Debt refinancing and other costs	(4)	(1)
Total interest expense	(81)	(74)
Earnings before taxes	140	152
Undistributed corporate expenses	23	22
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	2,538	2,367
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	280	296
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, North And Central America
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	1,131	1,035
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	118	113
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(1)	(3)
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, South America
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	441	459
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	68	98
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(1)
Operating Segments | Beverage packaging, Europe
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	638	609
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	64	60
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	1	(10)
Operating Segments | Aerospace
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	328	264
Segment Reporting Information, Operating Income (Loss) [Abstract]
Reportable segment comparable operating earnings	30	25
Other
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Net sales	247	418
Reconciling items
Business consolidation and other activities	(13)	(17)
Rexam
Reconciling items
Amortization of acquired Rexam intangibles	$ (40)	$ (44)
Ball Metalpack
Business Segment Information
Percentage of ownership in a joint venture			49.00%