Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by reportable segment and source of revenue (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	$ 254,906	$ 207,771	$ 191,252
Other revenues	109,576	94,249	84,933
Total revenues	364,482	302,020	276,185
Industrial and Commercial [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	28,299	24,765	22,343
Building [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	20,119	22,762	19,604
Consumer [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	17,702	19,912	18,540
Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	31,524	32,599	31,245
Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	19,040	19,388	17,332
Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	10,747	10,486	9,966
Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	22,001	20,126	18,895
Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	36,053	37,416	35,063
Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	69,421	20,317	18,264
Manufacturing Businesses [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	70,633	71,634	64,811
Other revenues	4,650	4,016	3,766
Total revenues	75,283	75,650	68,577
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Industrial and Commercial [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	28,066	24,566	22,184
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Building [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	20,119	22,762	19,604
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Consumer [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	17,702	19,912	18,540
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	3,289	3,195	2,997
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,457	1,199	1,486
McLane [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	51,643	53,090	49,328
Other revenues	171	119	122
Total revenues	51,814	53,209	49,450
McLane [Member] | Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	31,524	32,599	31,245
McLane [Member] | Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	19,040	19,388	17,332
McLane [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,079	1,103	751
Service and Retailing [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	32,743	32,055	30,146
Other revenues	7,136	6,154	4,601
Total revenues	39,879	38,209	34,747
Service and Retailing [Member] | Industrial and Commercial [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	233	199	159
Service and Retailing [Member] | Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	10,747	10,486	9,966
Service and Retailing [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	16,289	16,931	15,898
Service and Retailing [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,474	4,439	4,123
BNSF [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	23,724	25,742	23,120
Other revenues	67	60	57
Total revenues	23,791	25,802	23,177
BNSF [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	23,724	25,742	23,120
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	24,702	25,250	23,847
Other revenues	1,258	1,097	1,205
Total revenues	25,960	26,347	25,052
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,055	4,933	5,583
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	20,647	20,317	18,264
Pilot Travel Centers ("PTC") [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	51,461
Other revenues	203
Total revenues	51,664
Pilot Travel Centers ("PTC") [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	2,423
Pilot Travel Centers ("PTC") [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	264
Pilot Travel Centers ("PTC") [Member] | Electricity, Natural Gas and Fuel [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	48,774
Insurance, Corporate and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Other revenues	96,091	82,803	75,182
Total revenues	$ 96,091	$ 82,803	$ 75,182