Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 656	$ 1,027
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(425)	(616)
Proceeds from dispositons, net of cash sold	(50)	551
Other, net	26	50
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(449)	(15)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,098	1,475
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(906)	(1,531)
Net change in short-term borrowings	131	(189)
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	16	25
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(614)	(464)
Common stock dividends	(133)	(104)
Other, net	(10)	(13)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(418)	(801)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(20)	(59)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(231)	152
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	728	459
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	497	611
Ball Corporation \| Reportable Legal Entities
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(332)	(103)
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(12)	(5)
Proceeds from dispositons, net of cash sold		(53)
Other, net	(2)	(1)
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(14)	(59)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	1,095	1,475
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(900)	(1,525)
Net change in short-term borrowings	47	(138)
Proceeds from issuances of common stock, net of shares used for taxes	16	25
Acquisitions of treasury stock	(614)	(464)
Common stock dividends	(133)	(104)
Intercompany	849	905
Other, net	(10)	(12)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	350	162
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	4
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	3	5
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	7	5
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	256	148
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(186)	(356)
Proceeds from dispositons, net of cash sold		604
Other, net	10	18
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(176)	266
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Intercompany	(80)	(413)
Other, net		(1)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(80)	(414)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	732	982
Cash flows from investing activities
Capital expenditures	(227)	(255)
Proceeds from dispositons, net of cash sold	(50)
Other, net	18	33
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(259)	(222)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Long-term borrowings	3
Repayments of long-term borrowings	(6)	(6)
Net change in short-term borrowings	84	(51)
Intercompany	(769)	(492)
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(688)	(549)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(20)	(59)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(235)	152
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - beginning of period	725	454
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash - end of period	$ 490	$ 606

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

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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 increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and cash and cash equivalents restricted to withdrawal or usage; including effect from exchange rate change. 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 increase (decrease) from the effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalent balances held in foreign currencies.

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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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Amount of cash inflow (outflow) from operating activities, including discontinued operations. Operating activity cash flows include transactions, adjustments, and changes in value not defined as investing or financing activities.

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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 cash inflow from a debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer.

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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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