The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as research and development costs and all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. Research and development costs represent the aggregate costs incurred during an accounting period to research and develop new products/technologies when the technological feasibility has not been reached. General and administrative expenses include salaries of nonsales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

No definition available.

Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 6,258us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,491us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,256us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 5,517us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,080us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,553us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 6,305us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 5,528us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 24,522us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 24,466us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 24,618us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Cost of sales									7,785us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	7,206us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	7,937us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Excise taxes on products									6,577us-gaap_ExciseAndSalesTaxes	6,803us-gaap_ExciseAndSalesTaxes	7,118us-gaap_ExciseAndSalesTaxes
Gross profit	2,627us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,674us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,603us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,256us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,408us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,821us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,554us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,674us-gaap_GrossProfit	10,160us-gaap_GrossProfit	10,457us-gaap_GrossProfit	9,563us-gaap_GrossProfit
Marketing, administration and research costs									2,539	2,340	2,301
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables/payables									2	22	(52)
Asset Impairment and Exit Costs									(1)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	11us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	61us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Operating income (expense)									7,620us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	8,084us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	7,253us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									808us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	1,049us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	1,126us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	44	0	0	0	1,084	0	0	0	44	1,084	874
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									(1,006)	(991)	(1,224)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									7,774	6,942	6,477
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									2,704us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	2,407us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	2,294us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net earnings	1,236us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,397us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,262us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,175us-gaap_ProfitLoss	488us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,396us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,266us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,385us-gaap_ProfitLoss	5,070us-gaap_ProfitLoss	4,535us-gaap_ProfitLoss	4,183us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	(3)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,236us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,397us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,262us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,175us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	488us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,396us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,266us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,385us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	5,070us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	4,535us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	4,180us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Net earnings	1,236us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,397us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,262us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,175us-gaap_ProfitLoss	488us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,396us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,266us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,385us-gaap_ProfitLoss	5,070us-gaap_ProfitLoss	4,535us-gaap_ProfitLoss	4,183us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(1,304)	662	(153)
Comprehensive earnings									3,766	5,197	4,030
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	(3)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									3,766us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	5,197us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	4,027us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									0	0	0
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Excise taxes on products									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs									231	223	210
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables/payables									2	25	(52)
Asset Impairment and Exit Costs									0	0	1
Operating income (expense)									(233)	(248)	(159)
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									614	643	705
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	1,084	874
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									(1,006)	(991)	(1,224)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									159	(984)	(514)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									(119)	(488)	(196)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									4,792	5,031	4,498
Net earnings									5,070	4,535	4,180
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									5,070	4,535	4,180
Net earnings									5,070	4,535	4,180
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(1,304)	662	(153)
Comprehensive earnings									3,766	5,197	4,027
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									3,766	5,197	4,027
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									21,298	21,231	21,531
Cost of sales									6,722	6,281	7,067
Excise taxes on products									6,358	6,553	6,831
Gross profit									8,218	8,397	7,633
Marketing, administration and research costs									1,889	1,837	1,867
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables/payables									0	(3)	0
Asset Impairment and Exit Costs									(6)	3	59
Operating income (expense)									6,335	6,560	5,707
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									(46)	2	(3)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	0	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									6,381	6,558	5,710
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									2,381	2,406	2,100
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									244	216	218
Net earnings									4,244	4,368	3,828
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,244	4,368	3,828
Net earnings									4,244	4,368	3,828
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(110)	198	(117)
Comprehensive earnings									4,134	4,566	3,711
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,134	4,566	3,711
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									3,267	3,269	3,110
Cost of sales									1,106	959	893
Excise taxes on products									219	250	287
Gross profit									1,942	2,060	1,930
Marketing, administration and research costs									419	280	224
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables/payables									0	0	0
Asset Impairment and Exit Costs									5	8	1
Operating income (expense)									1,518	1,772	1,705
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									240	404	424
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									44	0	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									1,234	1,368	1,281
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									442	489	390
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net earnings									792	879	891
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	(3)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									792	879	888
Net earnings									792	879	891
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(642)	910	(242)
Comprehensive earnings									150	1,789	649
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	(3)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									150	1,789	646
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									(43)	(34)	(23)
Cost of sales									(43)	(34)	(23)
Excise taxes on products									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs									0	0	0
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables/payables									0	0	0
Asset Impairment and Exit Costs									0	0	0
Operating income (expense)									0	0	0
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0	0	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									0	0	0
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									(5,036)	(5,247)	(4,716)
Net earnings									(5,036)	(5,247)	(4,716)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									(5,036)	(5,247)	(4,716)
Net earnings									(5,036)	(5,247)	(4,716)
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									752	(1,108)	359
Comprehensive earnings									(4,284)	(6,355)	(4,357)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									$ (4,284)	$ (6,355)	$ (4,357)