Earnings Per Share - Schedule of EPS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 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	$ 622	$ 276	$ 381	$ 1,704
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	622	227	508	1,411
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted	$ 622	$ 227	$ 508	$ 1,411
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	193.1	151.6	182.8	157.2
Dilutive effect of stock compensation plans (in shares)	4.0	0.4	3.1	0.4
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	197.1	152.0	185.9	157.6
Earnings per share
Basic (in USD per share)	$ 3.22	$ 1.50	$ 2.78	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)	$ 3.16	$ 1.50	$ 2.73	$ 8.95
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		$ 38	$ (98)	$ 228
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 38	$ (98)	$ 228
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)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
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		$ 5	$ (13)	$ 30
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 5	$ (13)	$ 30
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)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
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		$ 1	$ (3)	$ 7
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 1	$ (3)	$ 7
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)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
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		$ 2	$ (4)	$ 9
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 2	$ (4)	$ 9
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)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
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		$ 3	$ (9)	$ 19
Net income available to AHL shareholders – diluted		$ 3	$ (9)	$ 19
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)		$ 1.50	$ (3.87)	$ 8.97
Diluted (in USD per share)		$ 1.29	$ (3.87)	$ 7.77