Supplemental Financial Information (Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 66,533	$ 567,985	$ 940,103	$ 1,757,699
Marketable securities	144,019	474,110
Accounts receivable, net	351,978	589,905
Inventories	841,869	1,035,131
Income tax receivable	0	11,719
Prepayments and other	43,666	104,148
Total current assets	1,448,065	2,782,998
Properties, plants and equip, net	4,115,662	3,670,539
Intangibles and other assets	2,824,572	2,776,510
Total assets	8,388,299	9,230,047	10,055,763
Accounts payable	716,490	1,108,138
Income taxes payable	8,142	19,642
Accrued liabilities	135,983	106,214
Total current liabilities	860,615	1,233,994
Long-term debt	1,040,040	1,054,297
Liability to HEP	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	497,906	664,279
Other long-term liabilities	179,965	176,758
Investment in HEP	0	0
Equity – HollyFrontier	5,253,415	5,523,584
Equity – noncontrolling interest	556,358	577,135
Total liabilities and equity	8,388,299	9,230,047
HollyFrontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	51,520	565,155	933,751	1,752,462
Marketable securities	144,019	474,110
Accounts receivable, net	355,020	588,407
Inventories	839,897	1,033,191
Income tax receivable		11,719
Prepayments and other	48,288	109,928
Total current assets	1,438,744	2,782,510
Properties, plants and equip, net	3,270,804	2,867,941
Intangibles and other assets	2,410,879	2,418,926
Total assets	7,120,427	8,069,377
Accounts payable	738,024	1,125,146
Income taxes payable	8,142	19,642
Accrued liabilities	117,346	88,116
Total current liabilities	863,512	1,232,904
Long-term debt	31,288	187,311
Liability to HEP	220,998	233,217
Deferred income tax liabilities	497,475	663,912
Other long-term liabilities	125,684	135,474
Investment in HEP	129,961	99,618
Equity – HollyFrontier	5,251,509	5,516,941
Equity – noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total liabilities and equity	7,120,427	8,069,377
HEP Subsidiary
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	15,013	2,830	6,352	5,237
Marketable securities	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	41,075	40,129
Inventories	1,972	1,940
Income tax receivable		0
Prepayments and other	3,082	2,443
Total current assets	61,142	47,342
Properties, plants and equip, net	1,090,373	1,062,430
Intangibles and other assets	417,574	362,326
Total assets	1,569,089	1,472,098
Accounts payable	22,583	21,623
Income taxes payable	0	0
Accrued liabilities	26,341	26,321
Total current liabilities	48,924	47,944
Long-term debt	1,008,752	866,986
Liability to HEP	0	0
Deferred income tax liabilities	431	367
Other long-term liabilities	59,306	47,170
Investment in HEP	0	0
Equity – HollyFrontier	357,247	414,549
Equity – noncontrolling interest	94,429	95,082
Total liabilities and equity	1,569,089	1,472,098
Consolidations and Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Marketable securities	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(44,117)	(38,631)
Inventories	0	0
Income tax receivable		0
Prepayments and other	(7,704)	(8,223)
Total current assets	(51,821)	(46,854)
Properties, plants and equip, net	(245,515)	(259,832)
Intangibles and other assets	(3,881)	(4,742)
Total assets	(301,217)	(311,428)
Accounts payable	(44,117)	(38,631)
Income taxes payable	0	0
Accrued liabilities	(7,704)	(8,223)
Total current liabilities	(51,821)	(46,854)
Long-term debt	0	0
Liability to HEP	(220,998)	(233,217)
Deferred income tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(5,025)	(5,886)
Investment in HEP	(129,961)	(99,618)
Equity – HollyFrontier	(355,341)	(407,906)
Equity – noncontrolling interest	461,929	482,053
Total liabilities and equity	$ (301,217)	$ (311,428)