Earnings Per Share - Schedule of EPS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders	$ 824	$ 720	$ (241)	$ 1,428
Common Class A
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders	824	596	(114)	1,184
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted	$ 824	$ 596	$ (114)	$ 1,184
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	193.9	158.5	177.6	159.4
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)	3.0	0.3	0.0	0.3
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	196.9	158.8	177.6	159.7
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ 4.25	$ 3.76	$ (0.64)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ 4.19	$ 3.75	$ (0.64)	$ 7.41
Common Class B
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders		$ 96	$ (98)	$ 189
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 96	$ (98)	$ 189
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		25.4	25.4	25.4
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)		0.0	0.0	0.0
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		25.4	25.4	25.4
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Common Class M-1
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders		$ 13	$ (13)	$ 25
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 13	$ (13)	$ 25
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		3.3	3.3	3.3
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)		0.0	0.0	0.0
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		3.3	3.3	3.3
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Common Class M-2
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders		$ 3	$ (3)	$ 6
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 3	$ (3)	$ 6
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		0.8	0.8	0.8
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)		0.0	0.0	0.0
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		0.8	0.8	0.8
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Common Class M-3
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders		$ 4	$ (4)	$ 8
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 4	$ (4)	$ 8
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		1.0	1.0	1.0
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)		0.0	0.0	0.0
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		1.0	1.0	1.0
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Common Class M-4
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, by Common Class, Including Two Class Method [Line Items]
Net income (loss) available to Athene Holding Ltd. common shareholders		$ 8	$ (9)	$ 16
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 8	$ (9)	$ 16
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		2.2	2.4	2.2
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)		0.3	0.0	0.3
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		2.5	2.4	2.5
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)		$ 3.76	$ (3.87)	$ 7.43
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 3.28	$ (3.87)	$ 6.45