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Cash Flow Information - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Nov. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule Of Common Stock [Line Items]              
Principal amount of convertible notes   $ 8,798us-gaap_LongTermDebt     $ 1,250us-gaap_LongTermDebt $ 8,262us-gaap_LongTermDebt  
Number of shares, option exercised   18.1us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised          
Net of cash acquired   2,385us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired          
Loan for financing 250us-gaap_NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionValueOfLiabilitiesAssumed1            
Restricted cash 248us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents         13us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents 171us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents
Firth Rixson [Member]              
Schedule Of Common Stock [Line Items]              
Net of cash acquired   2,995us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= aa_FirthRixsonMember
         
Issuance of common stock   37us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= aa_FirthRixsonMember
37us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= aa_FirthRixsonMember
       
Common stock value   610us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= aa_FirthRixsonMember
         
5.25% Convertible Notes Due 2014 [Member]              
Schedule Of Common Stock [Line Items]              
Principal amount of convertible notes   $ 575us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
  $ 575us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
     
Convertible notes, interest rate   5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
  5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
     
Convertible notes due date   Mar. 15, 2014   Mar. 15, 2014      
Number of shares, option exercised   89.0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember
  89.0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= aa_FivePointTwoFivePercentConvertibleNotesDueTwoThousandFourteenMember