Share-Based Compensation And Other Compensation Arrangements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended
Feb. 27, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of options granted to our executives	6,114,922
Share-based payment award options expiration term (in years)	10 years
Stock options vesting percentage after the first year	34.00%
Stock options vesting percentage after the second year	33.00%
Stock options vesting percentage after the third year	33.00%
Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based payment award vesting period (in years)	3 years
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Restricted stock units (RSUs) granted to executives	1,369,810
Restricted stock units (RSUs) granted to executives (fair value per share)	75.40
Anniversary after grant date that the awards vest (in years)	third
Performance Awards [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Share-based payment award vesting period (in years)	3 years
Performance period end date	December 31, 2014
Performance Awards granted to executives, minimum payout	0
Performance Awards granted to executives, maximum payout	272

Compensation Program Aggregate Payout Range Maximum

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CompensationProgramAggregatePayoutRangeMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Compensation Program Aggregate Payout Range Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_CompensationProgramAggregatePayoutRangeMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Performance period end date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_PerformancePeriodEndDate
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	invest:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Anniversary after grant date which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingAnniversary
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of years after grant until option awards expire.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExpirationTerm
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vesting Percentage Year One

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestingPercentageYearOne
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vesting Percentage Year Three

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestingPercentageYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Options Vesting Percentage Year Two

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestingPercentageYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average fair value at grant date for nonvested equity-based awards issued during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph c(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph b(2)(c)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration