Employee Benefit Obligations - Components of net periodic benefit cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Ball-sponsored plans:
Settlement loss	$ 8	$ 14
Selling, general and administrative
Ball-sponsored plans:
Non-service pension income			$ 5		$ 16	$ 3
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Total net periodic benefit cost			18	$ 30	37	63
Contributions to pension plans					154	53
Expected contributions to pension plans for the full year			168		168
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			15	16	45	51
Interest cost			43	43	129	127
Expected return on plan assets			(55)	(54)	(167)	(163)
Amortization of prior service cost			1		3	1
Recognized net actuarial loss			6	11	19	32
Settlement losses			8	14	8	14
Net periodic benefit cost for Ball sponsored plans					37	62
Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Multi-employer Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans						1
U.S.
Ball-sponsored plans:
Pension benefit obligation to be transferred		$ 176
U.S. | Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Total net periodic benefit cost			16	34	44	75
U.S. | Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			13	13	37	40
Interest cost			26	25	76	73
Expected return on plan assets			(29)	(27)	(86)	(82)
Amortization of prior service cost			1		1	1
Recognized net actuarial loss			5	9	16	28
Settlement losses				14		14
Net periodic benefit cost for Ball sponsored plans					44	74
U.S. | Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Multi-employer Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Net periodic benefit cost for multiemployer plans						1
Foreign | Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Total net periodic benefit cost			2	(4)	(7)	(12)
Foreign | Defined Benefit Pension Plans | Ball Sponsored Plans
Ball-sponsored plans:
Service cost			2	3	8	11
Interest cost			17	18	53	54
Expected return on plan assets			(26)	(27)	(81)	(81)
Amortization of prior service cost					2
Recognized net actuarial loss			1	$ 2	3	4
Settlement losses			$ 8		8
Net periodic benefit cost for Ball sponsored plans					$ (7)	$ (12)
Canada
Ball-sponsored plans:
Pension benefit obligation to be transferred	$ 32