Employee Benefit Obligations - Components of net periodic benefit cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019
Ball-sponsored plans:
Non-service pension income	$ 6	$ 1
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Interest Cost, Statement of Income or Comprehensive Income [Extensible List]	Selling, General and Administrative Expense	Selling, General and Administrative Expense
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Contributions to pension plans	$ 6	$ 8
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Forecast
Ball-sponsored plans:
Expected contributions to pension plans for the full year			$ 92
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	15	17
Interest cost	43	42
Expected return on plan assets	(56)	(54)
Amortization of prior service cost	1
Recognized net actuarial loss	7	11
Total net periodic benefit cost	10	16
U.S. | Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	12	13
Interest cost	25	24
Expected return on plan assets	(28)	(27)
Recognized net actuarial loss	6	10
Total net periodic benefit cost	15	20
Foreign | Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost	3	4
Interest cost	18	18
Expected return on plan assets	(28)	(27)
Amortization of prior service cost	1
Recognized net actuarial loss	1	1
Total net periodic benefit cost	$ (5)	$ (4)