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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Tax benefit (charge) realized from exercise of employee stock options   $ 9us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitRealizedFromExerciseOfStockOptions $ 1us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitRealizedFromExerciseOfStockOptions $ 1us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitRealizedFromExerciseOfStockOptions  
Unamortized tax-deductible goodwill resulting from intercompany stock sales and reorganizations   30aa_UnamortizedTaxDeductibleGoodwillResultingFromIntercompanyStockSalesAndReorganizations      
Unamortized tax-deduction rate on goodwill   30.00%aa_UnamortizedTaxDeductionRateOnGoodwill      
Percentage of temporary tax differences that reverse within the carryforward period   35.00%aa_PercentageOfTemporaryTaxDifferencesThatReverseWithinCarryforwardPeriod      
Percentage of temporary tax differences that reverse within tax planning strategies   1.00%aa_PercentageOfTemporaryTaxDifferencesThatReverseWithinTaxPlanningStrategies      
Percentage of deferred tax asset exclusive of reversing temporary differences   64.00%aa_PercentageOfDeferredTaxAssetExclusiveOfReversingTemporaryDifferences      
Discrete income tax charge for valuation allowances 372aa_DiscreteIncomeTaxExpense        
Valuation allowance 1,804us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 1,668us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 1,804us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 1,400us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 1,398us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Foreign tax credits carry forward period   10 years      
Percentage of tax rate decreased   17.90%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate 0.60%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate (0.40%)us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate  
Noncontrolling interest 2,929us-gaap_MinorityInterest 2,488us-gaap_MinorityInterest 2,929us-gaap_MinorityInterest    
Income tax benefit for operational losses related to certain foreign jurisdictions that are excluded from the estimated annual effective tax rate calculation   4,600us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxContingenciesForeign      
Percentage of the effect of unrecognized tax benefit, if recorded   4.00%aa_PercentageOfEffectOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitIfRecorded (1.00%)aa_PercentageOfEffectOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitIfRecorded 6.00%aa_PercentageOfEffectOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitIfRecorded  
Interest and penalties recognized   1us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 2us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense 3us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense  
Income related to accrued interest and penalties   5aa_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties 12aa_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties 7aa_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties  
Amount accrued for payment of interest and penalties 11us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAccrued 9us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAccrued 11us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAccrued    
Minimum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Percentage of tax rate decreased   15.25%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
     
Maximum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Percentage of tax rate decreased   34.00%us-gaap_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationChangeInEnactedTaxRate
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
     
Tax Year Two Thousand And Fifteen [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Unamortized tax-deduction rate on goodwill   28.00%aa_UnamortizedTaxDeductionRateOnGoodwill
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= aa_TaxYearTwoThousandAndFifteenMember
     
Tax Year Two Thousand And Sixteen [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Unamortized tax-deduction rate on goodwill   25.00%aa_UnamortizedTaxDeductionRateOnGoodwill
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= aa_TaxYearTwoThousandAndSixteenMember
     
Spanish Consolidated Tax Group [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Discrete income tax charge for valuation allowances     372aa_DiscreteIncomeTaxExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= aa_SpanishConsolidatedTaxGroupMember
   
Valuation allowance 237us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= aa_SpanishConsolidatedTaxGroupMember
163us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= aa_SpanishConsolidatedTaxGroupMember
237us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= aa_SpanishConsolidatedTaxGroupMember
   
Spanish Consolidated Tax Group [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Deferred tax assets expiry period     2015    
Spanish Consolidated Tax Group [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Deferred tax assets expiry period     2030    
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Valuation allowance   135us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
     
Foreign tax credits carry forward period   10 years      
Decrease to the net deferred tax asset and noncash charge to earnings   52aa_DecreaseInNetDeferredTaxAssetAndNoncashChargeToEarnings
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
     
Noncontrolling interest   $ 31us-gaap_MinorityInterest
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
     
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Foreign tax credits expiry period   2016      
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]          
Foreign tax credits expiry period   2023