Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 228		$ 26
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(29)		(20)
Turnaround expenditures	(13)		(1)
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	0		0
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(42)		(21)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	(75)	$ (75)	(43)
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	(301)		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	(9)		(23)
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	0		0
Other financing activities	(2)		(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(387)		(67)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(201)		(62)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	668		482
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	467	668	420
CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			(20)
CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	(9)		(3)
Intercompany Elimination
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1)		(1)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0		0
Turnaround expenditures	0		0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	(217)		174
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(217)		174
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	0		0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	218		(173)
Other financing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	218		(173)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0		0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0		0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Intercompany Elimination \| CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			0
Intercompany Elimination \| CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	0		0
Parent \| Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	40		12
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0		(1)
Turnaround expenditures	0		0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	341		36
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	341		35
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	(75)		(43)
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	(301)
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	0		0
Other financing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(376)		(43)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	5		4
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	3		4
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8	3	8
Parent \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			0
Parent \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	0		0
Subsidiary Issuer \| Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1		2
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0		0
Turnaround expenditures	0		0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	(28)		25
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(28)		25
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	0		0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	(7)		(92)
Other financing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(7)		(92)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(34)		(65)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	340		163
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	306	340	98
Subsidiary Issuer \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			0
Subsidiary Issuer \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	0		0
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	176		8
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(25)		(15)
Turnaround expenditures	(13)		(1)
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	(137)		(221)
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(175)		(237)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	0		0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	(206)		238
Other financing activities	(2)		(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(208)		216
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(207)		(13)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	261		264
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	54	261	251
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			(20)
Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	0		0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	12		5
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(4)		(4)
Turnaround expenditures	0		0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment	41		(14)
Other investing activities	0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	37		(18)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	0		0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries	(5)		27
Other financing activities	0		1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(14)		25
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	35		12
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	64		51
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	99	$ 64	63
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Refining
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders			0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries \| Reportable Legal Entities \| CVR Partners
Cash flows from financing activities:
Distributions to noncontrolling interest holders	$ (9)		$ (3)

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