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Investment in SABMiller (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	$ 1,006,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	$ 991,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments	$ 1,224,000,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
SABMiller Plc [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Gains included in Earnings From Equity Method Investment			342,000,000mo_EquityMethodInvestmentSummarizedFinancialInformationIncomeLossfromEquityMethodInvestmentsStrategicAlliance / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember
Undistributed earnings from equity method investment	3,000,000,000us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUndistributedEarningsFromEquityMethodInvestees / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | SABMiller Plc [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fair value of investment in SABMiller	6,200,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember	6,500,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember
Level 1 [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | SABMiller Plc [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Fair value of investment in SABMiller	$ 22,500,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember	$ 22,100,000,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = mo_SABMillerPlcMember

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