Description of Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Description of Business [Abstract]
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation	Description of Business. Overview Icahn Enterprises L.P. (“Icahn Enterprises”) is a master limited partnership formed in Delaware on February 17, 1987. Icahn Enterprises Holdings L.P. (“Icahn Enterprises Holdings”) is a limited partnership formed in Delaware on February 17, 1987. References to "we," "our" or "us" herein include both Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings and their subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires. Icahn Enterprises owns a 99% limited partner interest in Icahn Enterprises Holdings. Icahn Enterprises G.P. Inc. ("Icahn Enterprises GP"), which is owned and controlled by Mr. Carl C. Icahn, owns a 1% general partner interest in each of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings as of December 31, 2017. Icahn Enterprises Holdings and its subsidiaries own substantially all of our assets and liabilities and conduct substantially all of our operations. Therefore, the financial results of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings are substantially the same, with differences relating primarily to debt, as discussed further in Note 10, "Debt," the allocation of the general partner interest, which is reflected as an aggregate 1.99% general partner interest in the financial statements of Icahn Enterprises. In addition to the above, Mr. Icahn and his affiliates owned approximately 91.0% of Icahn Enterprises' outstanding depositary units as of December 31, 2017. Description of Operating Businesses We are a diversified holding company owning subsidiaries currently engaged in the following continuing operating businesses: Investment, Automotive, Energy, Railcar, Gaming, Metals, Mining, Food Packaging, Real Estate and Home Fashion. We also report the results of our Holding Company, which includes the results of certain subsidiaries of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings (unless otherwise noted), and investment activity and expenses associated with our Holding Company. See Note 13, "Segment and Geographic Reporting," for a reconciliation of each of our reporting segment's results of operations to our consolidated results. Certain additional information with respect to our segments are discussed below. Investment Our Investment segment is comprised of various private investment funds (the "Investment Funds") in which we have general partner interests and through which we invest our proprietary capital. We and certain of Mr. Icahn's wholly owned affiliates are the only investors in the Investment Funds. As general partner, we provide investment advisory and certain administrative and back office services to the Investment Funds but do not provide such services to any other entities, individuals or accounts. Interests in the Investment Funds are not offered to outside investors. We had interests in the Investment Funds with a fair value of approximately $3.0 billion and $1.7 billion as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Automotive We conduct our Automotive segment through our wholly owned subsidiaries Federal-Mogul LLC ("Federal-Mogul") and Icahn Automotive Group LLC ("Icahn Automotive"). Icahn Automotive is the parent company of IEH Auto Parts Holding LLC ("IEH Auto"), The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack ("Pep Boys") and the franchise businesses of Precision Tune Auto Care ("Precision Tune") and American Driveline Systems, the franchisor of AAMCO and Cottman Transmission service centers ("American Driveline"), among various other businesses. Precision Tune and American Driveline were acquired in 2017 for an aggregate purchase price of $162 million. Pep Boys was acquired in 2016 for aggregate consideration of approximately $1.2 billion. The allocation of the purchase price of Pep Boys was finalized in 2017 and did not change significantly from the amounts reported in our balance sheet as of December 31, 2016. IEH Auto and TRW's valvetrain business were acquired in 2015 for a purchase price of $325 million and $374 million, respectively. Federal-Mogul is engaged in the manufacture and distribution of automotive parts. Icahn Automotive is engaged in the distribution of automotive parts in the aftermarket as well as providing automotive services to its customers. On March 26, 2015, Federal-Mogul received $250 million in connection with its previously announced common stock registered rights offering (the “Federal-Mogul Rights Offering”). In connection with the Federal-Mogul Rights Offering, we fully exercised our subscription rights under our basic and over subscription privileges to purchase additional shares of Federal-Mogul common stock, thereby increasing our ownership of Federal-Mogul, for an aggregate additional investment of $230 million. During January 2017, we increased our ownership in Federal-Mogul from 82% to 100% through a tender offer for the remaining shares of Federal-Mogul common stock not already owned by us and a subsequent short form merger for an aggregate purchase price of $305 million. Energy We conduct our Energy segment through our majority ownership in CVR Energy, Inc. ("CVR Energy"). CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in the petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industries through its holdings in CVR Refining L.P. ("CVR Refining") and CVR Partners L.P. ("CVR Partners"), respectively. CVR Refining is an independent petroleum refiner and marketer of high value transportation fuels. CVR Partners produces and markets nitrogen fertilizers in the form of urea ammonium nitrate and ammonia. As of December 31, 2017, CVR Energy owned 100% of each of the general partners of CVR Refining and CVR Partners and approximately 66% and 34% of the common units of CVR Refining and CVR Partners, respectively. As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 82.0% of the total outstanding common stock of CVR Energy. In addition, as of December 31, 2017, we directly owned approximately 3.9% of the total outstanding common units of CVR Refining. During 2016, CVR Partners acquired a nitrogen fertilizer business for total purchase price consideration which included the issuance of common units of CVR Partners with a fair value of $336 million, cash paid of $99 million and debt assumed with a fair value of $368 million. Railcar We conduct our Railcar segment through our majority ownership in American Railcar Industries, Inc. ("ARI") and, prior to June 1, 2017, our wholly owned subsidiary American Railcar Leasing, LLC ("ARL"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 62.2% of the total outstanding common stock of ARI. As discussed below, we sold ARL during 2017. ARI is a North American designer and manufacturer of hopper and tank railcars. ARI provides its railcar customers with integrated solutions through a comprehensive set of high-quality products and related services through its manufacturing, leasing and railcar services operations. ARI's manufacturing consists of railcar manufacturing and railcar and industrial component manufacturing. ARI's railcar leasing business consists of railcars built by ARI leased to third parties under operating leases. ARI's railcar services consist of railcar repair, engineering and field services. During 2017, we sold ARL and its fleet of more than 34,000 railcars to SMBC Rail Services, LLC ("SMBC Rail") for cash based on a value of approximately $3.3 billion (subject to certain adjustments). After repaying, or assigning to SMBC Rail, applicable indebtedness of ARL, we received cash consideration of approximately $1.8 billion in connection with the sale of ARL and recorded an aggregate pretax gain on disposition of assets for our Railcar segment of approximately $1.7 billion during the year ended December 31, 2017. Gaming We conduct our Gaming segment through our majority ownership in Tropicana Entertainment Inc. ("Tropicana") and our wholly owned subsidiary Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. ("TER"), which we acquired out of bankruptcy in 2016. During August 2017, we increased our ownership in Tropicana from 72.5% to 83.9% through a tender offer for additional shares of Tropicana common stock not already owned by us for an aggregate purchase price of $95 million. In addition, Tropicana repurchased and retired shares of its common stock in connection with this tender offer for an aggregate purchase price of $36 million. Tropicana is an owner and operator of regional casino and entertainment properties located in the United States and one hotel, timeshare and casino resort located on the island of Aruba. TER owned the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, which closed and ceased its casino and hotel operations in October 2016, and was subsequently sold on March 31, 2017. TER also owns Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, which ceased operations in September 2014, prior to our obtaining a controlling interest in TER. Metals We conduct our Metals segment through our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, PSC Metals, Inc. (“PSC Metals”). PSC Metals is principally engaged in the business of collecting, processing and selling ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as the processing and distribution of steel pipe and plate products. PSC Metals collects industrial and obsolete scrap metal, processes it into reusable forms and supplies the recycled metals to its customers. Mining We conduct our Mining segment through our majority ownership in Ferrous Resources Ltd. ("Ferrous Resources"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 77.2% of the total outstanding common stock of Ferrous Resources. Ferrous Resources acquired certain rights to iron ore mineral resources in Brazil and develops mining operations and related infrastructure to produce and sell iron ore products to the global steel industry. Ferrous Resources was acquired in 2015 for $180 million. Food Packaging We conduct our Food Packaging segment through our majority ownership in Viskase Companies, Inc. ("Viskase"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 74.6% of the total outstanding common stock of Viskase. Viskase is a producer of cellulosic, fibrous and plastic casings used to prepare and package processed meat products. Subsequent to December 31, 2017, Viskase received $50 million in connection with common stock rights offering. In connection with this rights offering, we fully exercised our subscription rights under our basic and over subscription privileges to purchase additional shares of Viskase common stock, thereby increasing our ownership of Viskase to 78.6%, for an aggregate additional investment of $44 million. Real Estate Our Real Estate operations consist of rental real estate, property development and associated club activities. Our rental real estate operations consist primarily of office and industrial properties leased to single corporate tenants. Our property development operations are run primarily through a real estate investment, management and development subsidiary that focuses primarily on the construction and sale of single-family and multi-family homes, lots in subdivisions and planned communities and raw land for residential development. Our property development locations also operate golf and club operations as well. In August 2017, our Real Estate segment sold a development property in Las Vegas, Nevada for $600 million, resulting in a pretax gain on disposition of assets of $456 million. The transaction included cash proceeds from the sale of $225 million and two tranches of seller financing totaling $375 million (including a $345 million first-lien mortgage and a $30 million second-lien mortgage), which are included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017. In addition, our Real Estate segment also sold additional properties during 2017, primarily within its rental operations, resulting in an additional pretax gain on disposition of assets aggregating $40 million. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $21 million and $24 million, respectively, of the net investment in financing leases and net real estate leased to others which is included in property, plant and equipment, net, were pledged to collateralize the payment of nonrecourse mortgages payable. Home Fashion We conduct our Home Fashion segment through our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, WestPoint Home LLC (“WPH”). WPH's business consists of manufacturing, sourcing, marketing, distributing and selling home fashion consumer products. Filing Status of Subsidiaries CVR Energy, ARI and Tropicana each file annual, quarterly and current reports and proxy and information statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Each of these reports is publicly available at www.sec.gov.

Description of Business.

Overview

Icahn Enterprises L.P. (“Icahn Enterprises”) is a master limited partnership formed in Delaware on February 17, 1987. Icahn Enterprises Holdings L.P. (“Icahn Enterprises Holdings”) is a limited partnership formed in Delaware on February 17, 1987. References to "we," "our" or "us" herein include both Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings and their subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.

Icahn Enterprises owns a 99% limited partner interest in Icahn Enterprises Holdings. Icahn Enterprises G.P. Inc. ("Icahn Enterprises GP"), which is owned and controlled by Mr. Carl C. Icahn, owns a 1% general partner interest in each of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings as of December 31, 2017. Icahn Enterprises Holdings and its subsidiaries own substantially all of our assets and liabilities and conduct substantially all of our operations. Therefore, the financial results of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings are substantially the same, with differences relating primarily to debt, as discussed further in Note 10, "Debt," the allocation of the general partner interest, which is reflected as an aggregate 1.99% general partner interest in the financial statements of Icahn Enterprises. In addition to the above, Mr. Icahn and his affiliates owned approximately 91.0% of Icahn Enterprises' outstanding depositary units as of December 31, 2017.

Description of Operating Businesses

We are a diversified holding company owning subsidiaries currently engaged in the following continuing operating businesses: Investment, Automotive, Energy, Railcar, Gaming, Metals, Mining, Food Packaging, Real Estate and Home Fashion. We also report the results of our Holding Company, which includes the results of certain subsidiaries of Icahn Enterprises and Icahn Enterprises Holdings (unless otherwise noted), and investment activity and expenses associated with our Holding Company. See Note 13, "Segment and Geographic Reporting," for a reconciliation of each of our reporting segment's results of operations to our consolidated results. Certain additional information with respect to our segments are discussed below.

Investment

Our Investment segment is comprised of various private investment funds (the "Investment Funds") in which we have general partner interests and through which we invest our proprietary capital. We and certain of Mr. Icahn's wholly owned affiliates are the only investors in the Investment Funds. As general partner, we provide investment advisory and certain administrative and back office services to the Investment Funds but do not provide such services to any other entities, individuals or accounts. Interests in the Investment Funds are not offered to outside investors. We had interests in the Investment Funds with a fair value of approximately $3.0 billion and $1.7 billion as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Automotive

We conduct our Automotive segment through our wholly owned subsidiaries Federal-Mogul LLC ("Federal-Mogul") and Icahn Automotive Group LLC ("Icahn Automotive"). Icahn Automotive is the parent company of IEH Auto Parts Holding LLC ("IEH Auto"), The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack ("Pep Boys") and the franchise businesses of Precision Tune Auto Care ("Precision Tune") and American Driveline Systems, the franchisor of AAMCO and Cottman Transmission service centers ("American Driveline"), among various other businesses. Precision Tune and American Driveline were acquired in 2017 for an aggregate purchase price of $162 million. Pep Boys was acquired in 2016 for aggregate consideration of approximately $1.2 billion. The allocation of the purchase price of Pep Boys was finalized in 2017 and did not change significantly from the amounts reported in our balance sheet as of December 31, 2016. IEH Auto and TRW's valvetrain business were acquired in 2015 for a purchase price of $325 million and $374 million, respectively.

Federal-Mogul is engaged in the manufacture and distribution of automotive parts. Icahn Automotive is engaged in the distribution of automotive parts in the aftermarket as well as providing automotive services to its customers.

On March 26, 2015, Federal-Mogul received $250 million in connection with its previously announced common stock registered rights offering (the “Federal-Mogul Rights Offering”). In connection with the Federal-Mogul Rights Offering, we fully exercised our subscription rights under our basic and over subscription privileges to purchase additional shares of Federal-Mogul common stock, thereby increasing our ownership of Federal-Mogul, for an aggregate additional investment of $230 million.

During January 2017, we increased our ownership in Federal-Mogul from 82% to 100% through a tender offer for the remaining shares of Federal-Mogul common stock not already owned by us and a subsequent short form merger for an aggregate purchase price of $305 million.

Energy

We conduct our Energy segment through our majority ownership in CVR Energy, Inc. ("CVR Energy"). CVR Energy is a diversified holding company primarily engaged in the petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industries through its holdings in CVR Refining L.P. ("CVR Refining") and CVR Partners L.P. ("CVR Partners"), respectively. CVR Refining is an independent petroleum refiner and marketer of high value transportation fuels. CVR Partners produces and markets nitrogen fertilizers in the form of urea ammonium nitrate and ammonia. As of December 31, 2017, CVR Energy owned 100% of each of the general partners of CVR Refining and CVR Partners and approximately 66% and 34% of the common units of CVR Refining and CVR Partners, respectively.

As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 82.0% of the total outstanding common stock of CVR Energy. In addition, as of December 31, 2017, we directly owned approximately 3.9% of the total outstanding common units of CVR Refining.

During 2016, CVR Partners acquired a nitrogen fertilizer business for total purchase price consideration which included the issuance of common units of CVR Partners with a fair value of $336 million, cash paid of $99 million and debt assumed with a fair value of $368 million.

Railcar

We conduct our Railcar segment through our majority ownership in American Railcar Industries, Inc. ("ARI") and, prior to June 1, 2017, our wholly owned subsidiary American Railcar Leasing, LLC ("ARL"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 62.2% of the total outstanding common stock of ARI. As discussed below, we sold ARL during 2017.

ARI is a North American designer and manufacturer of hopper and tank railcars. ARI provides its railcar customers with integrated solutions through a comprehensive set of high-quality products and related services through its manufacturing, leasing and railcar services operations. ARI's manufacturing consists of railcar manufacturing and railcar and industrial component manufacturing. ARI's railcar leasing business consists of railcars built by ARI leased to third parties under operating leases. ARI's railcar services consist of railcar repair, engineering and field services.

During 2017, we sold ARL and its fleet of more than 34,000 railcars to SMBC Rail Services, LLC ("SMBC Rail") for cash based on a value of approximately $3.3 billion (subject to certain adjustments). After repaying, or assigning to SMBC Rail, applicable indebtedness of ARL, we received cash consideration of approximately $1.8 billion in connection with the sale of ARL and recorded an aggregate pretax gain on disposition of assets for our Railcar segment of approximately $1.7 billion during the year ended December 31, 2017.

Gaming

We conduct our Gaming segment through our majority ownership in Tropicana Entertainment Inc. ("Tropicana") and our wholly owned subsidiary Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc. ("TER"), which we acquired out of bankruptcy in 2016. During August 2017, we increased our ownership in Tropicana from 72.5% to 83.9% through a tender offer for additional shares of Tropicana common stock not already owned by us for an aggregate purchase price of $95 million. In addition, Tropicana repurchased and retired shares of its common stock in connection with this tender offer for an aggregate purchase price of $36 million.

Tropicana is an owner and operator of regional casino and entertainment properties located in the United States and one hotel, timeshare and casino resort located on the island of Aruba. TER owned the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, which closed and ceased its casino and hotel operations in October 2016, and was subsequently sold on March 31, 2017. TER also owns Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, which ceased operations in September 2014, prior to our obtaining a controlling interest in TER.

Metals

We conduct our Metals segment through our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, PSC Metals, Inc. (“PSC Metals”). PSC Metals is principally engaged in the business of collecting, processing and selling ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as the processing and distribution of steel pipe and plate products. PSC Metals collects industrial and obsolete scrap metal, processes it into reusable forms and supplies the recycled metals to its customers.

Mining

We conduct our Mining segment through our majority ownership in Ferrous Resources Ltd. ("Ferrous Resources"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 77.2% of the total outstanding common stock of Ferrous Resources. Ferrous Resources acquired certain rights to iron ore mineral resources in Brazil and develops mining operations and related infrastructure to produce and sell iron ore products to the global steel industry. Ferrous Resources was acquired in 2015 for $180 million.

Food Packaging

We conduct our Food Packaging segment through our majority ownership in Viskase Companies, Inc. ("Viskase"). As of December 31, 2017, we owned approximately 74.6% of the total outstanding common stock of Viskase. Viskase is a producer of cellulosic, fibrous and plastic casings used to prepare and package processed meat products. Subsequent to December 31, 2017, Viskase received $50 million in connection with common stock rights offering. In connection with this rights offering, we fully exercised our subscription rights under our basic and over subscription privileges to purchase additional shares of Viskase common stock, thereby increasing our ownership of Viskase to 78.6%, for an aggregate additional investment of $44 million.

Real Estate

Our Real Estate operations consist of rental real estate, property development and associated club activities. Our rental real estate operations consist primarily of office and industrial properties leased to single corporate tenants. Our property development operations are run primarily through a real estate investment, management and development subsidiary that focuses primarily on the construction and sale of single-family and multi-family homes, lots in subdivisions and planned communities and raw land for residential development. Our property development locations also operate golf and club operations as well.

In August 2017, our Real Estate segment sold a development property in Las Vegas, Nevada for $600 million, resulting in a pretax gain on disposition of assets of $456 million. The transaction included cash proceeds from the sale of $225 million and two tranches of seller financing totaling $375 million (including a $345 million first-lien mortgage and a $30 million second-lien mortgage), which are included in other assets in our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017. In addition, our Real Estate segment also sold additional properties during 2017, primarily within its rental operations, resulting in an additional pretax gain on disposition of assets aggregating $40 million.

As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $21 million and $24 million, respectively, of the net investment in financing leases and net real estate leased to others which is included in property, plant and equipment, net, were pledged to collateralize the payment of nonrecourse mortgages payable.

Home Fashion

We conduct our Home Fashion segment through our indirect wholly owned subsidiary, WestPoint Home LLC (“WPH”). WPH's business consists of manufacturing, sourcing, marketing, distributing and selling home fashion consumer products.

Filing Status of Subsidiaries

CVR Energy, ARI and Tropicana each file annual, quarterly and current reports and proxy and information statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Each of these reports is publicly available at www.sec.gov.