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Contingencies Contingencies (Judgments Recorded and Paid) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2014
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Loss Contingency Accrual Beginning of Period	$ 3us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue	$ 0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue	$ 122us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision	44us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision	22us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision	5us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision
Payments for Legal Settlements	(8)us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements	(19)us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements	(127)us-gaap_PaymentsForLegalSettlements
Loss Contingency Accrual End of Period	39us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue	3us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue	0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Tobacco and Health Judgment [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Pretax Tobacco and Health charges	11mo_PretaxTobaccoAndHealthCharges / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember	18mo_PretaxTobaccoAndHealthCharges / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember	4mo_PretaxTobaccoAndHealthCharges / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember
Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision		0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_HealthCareCostRecoveryLitigationMember	0us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_HealthCareCostRecoveryLitigationMember
Interest Expense [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Commitments and Contingencies Accrued Interest	2mo_CommitmentsandContingenciesAccruedInterest / us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis = us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember	4mo_CommitmentsandContingenciesAccruedInterest / us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis = us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember	1mo_CommitmentsandContingenciesAccruedInterest / us-gaap_NatureOfExpenseAxis = us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Federal Governments Lawsuit [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision	31us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_FederalGovernmentsLawsuitMember
Federal Governments Lawsuit [Member] | Health Care Cost Recovery Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Loss Contingency Accrual, Provision				$ 31us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_FederalGovernmentsLawsuitMember / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = mo_HealthCareCostRecoveryLitigationMember

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- Definition

Commitments and Contingencies Accrued Interest

+ References

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

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- Definition

Pretax charges for tobacco and health related litigation recorded during the period presented

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

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- Definition

Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349

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- Definition

The amount of cash paid for the settlement of litigation or for other legal issues during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3536-108585

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