Segment Reporting, Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,912	$ 3,262	$ 3,108	$ 2,328
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,435	396
Investments	14,500us-gaap_Investments	12,261us-gaap_Investments
Accounts receivable, net	1,691us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet	1,750us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNet
Inventories, net	1,879us-gaap_InventoryNet	1,902us-gaap_InventoryNet
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,955us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet	8,077us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,088	3,187
Other assets	1,320	910
Total Assets	35,780us-gaap_Assets	31,745us-gaap_Assets
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	4,877	4,943
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	337	884
Due to brokers	5,197us-gaap_DueToCorrespondentBrokers	2,203us-gaap_DueToCorrespondentBrokers
Post-employment benefit liability	1,391	1,111
Debt	11,588us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations	9,295us-gaap_DebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Total liabilities	23,390us-gaap_Liabilities	18,436us-gaap_Liabilities
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,443us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	6,092us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	6,947us-gaap_MinorityInterest	7,217us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Total equity	12,390	13,309	9,816	7,871
Total Liabilities and Equity	35,780	31,745
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2	3
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,366	321
Investments	13,961	11,826
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	131	47
Total Assets	15,460	12,197
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	864	757
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	337	884
Due to brokers	5,197	2,203
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	6,398	3,844
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	4,284	3,696
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	4,778	4,657
Total equity	9,062	8,353
Total Liabilities and Equity	15,460	12,197
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	332	761
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	269	253
Accounts receivable, net	1,356	1,297
Inventories, net	1,215	1,068
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,160	2,038
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,744	1,715
Other assets	453	413
Total Assets	7,529	7,545
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,933	1,763
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,328	1,072
Debt	2,690	2,586
Total liabilities	5,951	5,421
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,231	1,660
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	347	464
Total equity	1,578	2,124
Total Liabilities and Equity	7,529	7,545
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	754	842
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	77	0
Accounts receivable, net	137	242
Inventories, net	330	527
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,692	2,684
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,184	1,307
Other assets	160	146
Total Assets	5,334	5,748
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,471	1,550
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	675	676
Total liabilities	2,146	2,226
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,612	1,926
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	1,576	1,596
Total equity	3,188	3,522
Total Liabilities and Equity	5,334	5,748
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	196	359
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	16	31
Investments	33	34
Accounts receivable, net	9	10
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	719	444
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	75	67
Other assets	212	51
Total Assets	1,260	996
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	130	132
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	295	298
Total liabilities	425	430
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	578	392
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	257	174
Total equity	835	566
Total Liabilities and Equity	1,260	996
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	412	417
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	35	27
Investments	29	31
Accounts receivable, net	41	34
Inventories, net	117	90
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,376	1,889
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	7
Other assets	103	52
Total Assets	3,120	2,547
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	294	204
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	9	5
Debt	2,133	1,448
Total liabilities	2,436	1,657
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	711	591
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	(27)	299
Total equity	684	890
Total Liabilities and Equity	3,120	2,547
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	39	19
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1	1
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	63	67
Inventories, net	77	72
Property, plant and equipment, net	154	156
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	9	11
Other assets	93	79
Total Assets	436	405
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	64	80
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	52	33
Debt	274	217
Total liabilities	390	330
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	30	55
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	16	20
Total equity	46	75
Total Liabilities and Equity	436	405
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	19	31
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	4	4
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	51	62
Inventories, net	67	85
Property, plant and equipment, net	144	129
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	8	9
Other assets	22	14
Total Assets	315	334
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	60	57
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	2	1
Debt	3	3
Total liabilities	65	61
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	250	273
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	250	273
Total Liabilities and Equity	315	334
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	24	32
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	2	3
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	4	3
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	633	656
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	58	68
Other assets	24	18
Total Assets	745	780
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	20	18
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	32	51
Total liabilities	52	69
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	693	711
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	693	711
Total Liabilities and Equity	745	780
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	11	16
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	8	6
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	30	35
Inventories, net	73	60
Property, plant and equipment, net	74	78
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3	3
Other assets	9	24
Total Assets	208	222
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	28	31
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total liabilities	28	31
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	180	191
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	180	191
Total Liabilities and Equity	208	222
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,123	782
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	3
Investments	131	117
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	3	3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	113	66
Total Assets	1,373	971
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	13	351
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	5,486	4,016
Total liabilities	5,499	4,367
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(4,126)	(3,403)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	7
Total equity	(4,126)	(3,396)
Total Liabilities and Equity	1,373	971
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2,912	3,262	3,108	2,328
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,435	396
Investments	14,500	12,261
Accounts receivable, net	1,691	1,750
Inventories, net	1,879	1,902
Property, plant and equipment, net	8,955	8,077
Total Assets	35,803	31,761
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	337	884
Due to brokers	5,197	2,203
Post-employment benefit liability	1,391	1,111
Debt	11,588	9,289
Total liabilities	23,390	18,430
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,466	6,114
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	6,947	7,217
Total equity	12,413	13,331	9,838	7,892
Total Liabilities and Equity	35,803	31,761
Holding Company [Member] \| Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	15,460	12,197
Holding Company [Member] \| Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	7,529	7,545
Holding Company [Member] \| Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	5,334	5,748
Holding Company [Member] \| Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	1,260	996
Holding Company [Member] \| Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	3,120	2,547
Holding Company [Member] \| Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	436	405
Holding Company [Member] \| Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	315	334
Holding Company [Member] \| Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	745	780
Holding Company [Member] \| Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	208	222
Holding Company [Member] \| Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Total Assets	$ 1,396	$ 987

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