Customer Financing (Scheduled Receipts On Customer Financing) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Sales-Type/Finance Lease Payments Receivable [Member]
Customer Financing [Line Items]
2012	$ 326
2013	285
2014	226
2015	225
2016	221
Beyond 2016	989
Principal Payments On Notes Receivable [Member]
Customer Financing [Line Items]
2012	243
2013	196
2014	105
2015	52
2016	37
Beyond 2016	181
Operating Lease Equipment Payments Receivable [Member]
Customer Financing [Line Items]
2012	219
2013	185
2014	164
2015	153
2016	84
Beyond 2016	$ 125

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable within one year of balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable within the fifth year of balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsInFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable within the fourth year of balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsInFourYears
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable within the third year of balance sheet date

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable within the second year of balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Scheduled future receipts on customer financing assets receivable for periods greater than five years following the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	ba_CustomerFinancingScheduledReceiptsThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	ba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration