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Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Nov. 14, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt repaid	$ 525,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	$ 825,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	$ 3,559,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	$ 2,600,000,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Senior Notes [Member] | Change Of Control And Loss Of Investment Grade Rating [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required purchase price as percentage of aggregate principal amount		101.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodAxis = us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPeriodOneMember / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
2.625% Notes Due 2020 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount							1,000,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = mo_A2.625NotesDue2020Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Stated interest rate							2.625%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = mo_A2.625NotesDue2020Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount			2,100,000,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember	2,000,000,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember	2,100,000,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember	2,000,000,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Subject to Credit Rating Step Up [Member] | Notes Issued, 2008 and 2009 [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount		4,200,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = mo_NotesIssued2008and2009Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember / us-gaap_VariableRateAxis = mo_SubjecttoCreditRatingStepUpMember
UST [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		5.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_USTMember / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Debt Redeemed		$ 300,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRepurchaseAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = mo_USTMember / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember

X

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399



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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

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X

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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X

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph e

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

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- Definition

Fair value amount of debt instrument that was repurchased.

+ References

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- Definition

Gross amount of debt extinguished.

+ References

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X

- Definition

The cash outflow for debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3291-108585



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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

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