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Contingencies (Certain Other Actions) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Income taxes	$ 2,765us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	$ 2,448us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid	$ 3,338us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid
Contingent liability related to performance surety bonds	32us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	35us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount	35us-gaap_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestEquityCarryingAmount
Michelle-Antinori [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Ste. Michelle ownership interest percent in Stag's Leap Wine Cellars	85.00%us-gaap_SubsidiaryOrEquityMethodInvesteeCumulativePercentageOwnershipAfterAllTransactions / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_MichelleAntinoriMember
Noncontrolling interest percent held by Antinori California	15.00%us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByNoncontrollingOwners / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_MichelleAntinoriMember
Purchase Value of Non-controlling Interest as per Put Arrangement	27mo_PurchaseValueofNoncontrollingInterestasperPutArrangement / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_MichelleAntinoriMember
Lights/Ultra Lights Class Actions [Member] | Illinois Price [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, period of occurrence	March 2003
Loss Contingency, Date of Dismissal	Dec. 31, 2006
Argentine Growers Case [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of Cases Pending	6us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber / us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis = mo_ArgentineGrowersCaseMember
Letter of Credit [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 66us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember

X

- Definition

Purchase Value of Non-controlling Interest as per Put Arrangement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

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X

- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

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-Section 45

-Paragraph 25

-Subparagraph (f)

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X

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Date the pending litigation matter was dismissed, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

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-Section 50

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- Definition

States when the existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty occurred.

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X

- Definition

The equity interest of noncontrolling shareholders, partners or other equity holders in consolidated entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

As of the reporting date, the aggregate carrying amount of all noncontrolling interests which are redeemable by the (parent) entity (1) at a fixed or determinable price on a fixed or determinable date, (2) at the option of the holder of the noncontrolling interest, or (3) upon occurrence of an event that is not solely within the control of the (parent) entity. This item includes noncontrolling interest holder's ownership (or holders' ownership) regardless of the type of equity interest (common, preferred, other) including all potential organizational (legal) forms of the investee entity.

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- Definition

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity method investee's stock owned by parent immediately after all stock transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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