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Background and Basis of Presentation Share Repurchase Program (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended | 18 Months Ended |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Aug. 31, 2013 | Apr. 30, 2013 | Jul. 31, 2014
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repurchase of common stock, shares | 3.6 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired | 7.5 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired |  |  |  |  |
Repurchases of common stock, value | $ 192,000,000 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ 272,000,000 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod | $ 939,000,000 us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod |  |  |  |
Average price of repurchased shares, per share | $ 53.03 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare | $ 35.98 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare |  |  |  |  |
April 2013 Share Repurchase Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Planned share repurchase program |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember | 300,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember |
Repurchase of common stock, shares |  |  |  | 27.1 us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember |  |  |
Average price of repurchased shares, per share |  |  |  | $ 36.97 us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember |  |  |
July 2014 Share Repurchase Program [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Equity, Class of Treasury Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Planned share repurchase program |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1 / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_July2014ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
Amount remaining in the repurchase program | $ 326,000,000 us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1 / us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis = mo_July2014ShareRepurchaseProgramMember |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount remaining of a stock repurchase plan authorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Total cost of shares repurchased divided by the total number of shares repurchased. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655 + Details
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- Definition Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655 + Details
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