Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions			6 Months Ended
	May 13, 2019	Mar. 11, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			$ 384	$ 238
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(55)	(43)
Turnaround expenditures			(24)	(5)
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			0	0
Other investing activities			36	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(43)	(50)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders	$ (75)	$ (75)	(150)	(87)
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			(301)	0
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			(14)	(48)
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			0	0
Other financing activities			(4)	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(469)	(136)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(128)	52
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			668	482
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period			540	534
Intercompany Elimination
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			0	1
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Turnaround expenditures			0	0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			(806)	(877)
Other investing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(806)	(877)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders			0	0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			0
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			0	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			806	876
Other financing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			806	876
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
Parent | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(59)	67
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			0	0
Turnaround expenditures			0	0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			512	21
Other investing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			512	21
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders			(150)	(87)
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			(301)
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			0	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			0	0
Other financing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(451)	(87)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			2	1
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			3	4
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period			5	5
Subsidiary Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(8)	(15)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(1)	(2)
Turnaround expenditures			0	0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			107	444
Other investing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			106	442
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders			0	0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			0
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			0	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			(22)	(337)
Other financing activities			0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(22)	(337)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			76	90
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			340	163
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period			416	253
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			391	310
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(48)	(32)
Turnaround expenditures			(24)	(5)
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			160	241
Other investing activities			35	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			123	202
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders			0	0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			0
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			0	0
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			(725)	(530)
Other financing activities			(2)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(727)	(530)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			(213)	(18)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			261	264
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period			48	246
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			60	(125)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures			(6)	(9)
Turnaround expenditures			0	0
Investment in affiliates, net of return of investment			27	171
Other investing activities			1	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			22	162
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends to CVR Energy’s stockholders			0	0
Acquisition of CVR Refining common units			0
Distributions to CVR Refining or CVR Partners’ noncontrolling interest holders			(14)	(48)
Distributions or intercompany advances to other CVR Energy subsidiaries			(59)	(9)
Other financing activities			(2)	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(75)	(58)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents			7	(21)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			64	51
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period			$ 71	$ 30