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Preferred and Common Stock - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 31, 2011 | Jan. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 Y | Dec. 31, 2011 Y | Dec. 31, 2010
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock authorized |  |  | 1,800,000,000 | 1,800,000,000 |  |
Common stock, par value per share |  |  | $ 1 | $ 1 |  |
Common stock issued, in shares |  |  | 1,177,906,557 | 1,177,906,557 | 1,177,906,557 |
Common stock, dividends yield |  |  | $ 0.03 | $ 0.12 | $ 0.12 | $ 0.12
Newly issued common stock, shares | 36,518,563 | 44,313,146 |  |  |  |
Newly issued common stock, par value | $ 16.43 | $ 13.54 |  |  |  |
Newly issued common stock, aggregate value | $ 600 | $ 600 |  |  |  |
Percentage of funded status of pension plans | 80.00% |  |  |  |  |
Number of shares reserved for issuance upon conversion of convertible notes, shares |  |  |  | 110,000,000 |  |
Number of shares reserved for issuance under Alcoa's stock-based compensation plans, shares |  |  |  | 86,000,000 |  |
Number of years of sales and profitability targets to ascertain grant of performance stock awards |  |  |  | 3 | 3 |
Expense related to the acceleration of expense related to retirement-eligible employees |  |  |  | 13 | 18 | 19
Average period of dividend yield |  |  |  | One-year |  |
Total intrinsic value of options exercised |  |  |  | 2 | 34 | 8
Cash received from option exercises |  |  |  | 12 | 37 | 13
Total tax benefit realized from these exercises |  |  |  | 1 | 11 | 2
Unrecognized compensation costs on non-vested stock option grants (pretax) |  |  | 22 | 22 |  |
Unrecognized compensation costs on non-vested stock option awards (pretax) |  |  | $ 35 | $ 35 |  |
Unrecognized compensation costs on non-vested awards, weighted average period of recognition in years |  |  |  | 1 year 6 months |  |
Preferred Class A [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred stock, shares authorized |  |  | 660,000 | 660,000 |  |
Preferred stock, par value per share |  |  | $ 100 | $ 100 |  |
Cumulative dividend preference per share |  |  |  | $ 3.75 |  |
Preferred stock, shares outstanding |  |  | 546,024 | 546,024 | 546,024 |
Preferred Class B [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred stock, shares authorized |  |  | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 |  |
Preferred stock, par value per share |  |  | $ 1 | $ 1 |  |
Stock Awards [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |
Class of Stock [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |
Vesting period |  |  |  | three |  |

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