Inventories (Inventory Disclosure Table) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]
Long-term contracts in progress	$ 1,908	$ 1,854
Commercial aircraft programs	53,568	52,861
Commercial spare parts, used aircraft, general stock materials and other	6,562	6,673
Total	$ 62,038	$ 61,388

Inventoried costs on commercial aircraft programs which include direct engineering, production and tooling costs, and applicable overhead, not in excess of estimated net realizable value.

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ba_InventoryCommercialAircraftPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves, and progress payments, of inventory associated with long-term contracts, expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryForLongTermContractsOrPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, after deduction of valuation reserves, other allowances, and customer advances received on long-term contracts or programs, of inventory expected to be converted to cash, sold or exchanged within the normal operating cycle.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryNetOfAllowancesCustomerAdvancesAndProgressBillings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves of other inventory expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherInventory
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant