DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS - Hedge Classification (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of detailed information about hedging instruments [line items]
Total Notional Amount	$ 9,966	$ 8,829
Elected for hedge accounting
Disclosure of detailed information about hedging instruments [line items]
Total Notional Amount	7,738	6,396
Effective Portion	88	(182)
Ineffective Portion	8	0
Cash flow hedges \| Elected for hedge accounting
Disclosure of detailed information about hedging instruments [line items]
Total Notional Amount	6,024	4,027
Effective Portion	(101)	15
Ineffective Portion	(1)	0
Net investment hedges \| Elected for hedge accounting
Disclosure of detailed information about hedging instruments [line items]
Total Notional Amount	1,714	2,369
Effective Portion	189	(197)
Ineffective Portion	$ 9	$ 0

Gains (losses) on hedging instrument, effective portion

No definition available.

Name:	bip_Gainslossesonhedginginstrumenteffectiveportion
Namespace Prefix:	bip_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfDetailedInformationAboutHedgingInstrumentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The gain (loss) on hedge ineffectiveness. Hedge ineffectiveness is the extent to which the changes in the fair value or the cash flows of the hedging instrument are greater or less than those on the hedged item.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Effective 2018-01-01
-Name IFRS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 24C
-Subparagraph a
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=7&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_24C_a_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainLossOnHedgeIneffectiveness
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_CategoriesOfFinancialAssetsAxis=ifrs-full_FinancialAssetsMeasuredAtFairValueThroughOtherComprehensiveIncomeCategoryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ifrs-full_CashFlowHedgesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfHedgesAxis=ifrs-full_HedgesOfNetInvestmentInForeignOperationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: