Quarterly Information (Unaudited) (Schedule Of Quarterly Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Sales and other revenues	$ 2,943,559	$ 3,585,823	$ 3,701,912	$ 3,006,626	$ 4,283,119	$ 5,317,555	$ 5,372,600	$ 4,791,053	$ 13,237,920	$ 19,764,327	$ 20,160,560
Operating costs and expenses	3,000,265	3,263,218	3,112,080	2,618,004	4,637,537	5,014,944	5,076,255	4,520,057	11,993,567	19,248,793	18,914,486
Income (loss) from operations	(56,706)	322,605	589,832	388,622	(354,418)	302,611	296,345	270,996	1,244,353	515,534	1,246,074
Income before income taxes	(64,671)	320,673	580,177	372,389	(361,335)	290,774	286,485	251,576	1,208,568	467,500	1,159,399
Net income attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ (43,921)	$ 196,322	$ 360,824	$ 226,876	$ (222,204)	$ 175,006	$ 176,429	$ 152,061	$ 740,101	$ 281,292	$ 735,842
Net income per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.24)	$ 1.05	$ 1.88	$ 1.16	$ (1.13)	$ 0.88	$ 0.89	$ 0.76	$ 3.91	$ 1.42	$ 3.66
Net income per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders - diluted (in dollars per share)	(0.24)	1.04	1.88	1.16	(1.13)	0.88	0.89	0.76	3.90	1.42	$ 3.64
Dividends per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.33	$ 0.33	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.82	$ 0.80	$ 1.31	$ 3.26
Basic (in shares)	181,460	187,208	191,355	195,069	195,310	197,261	198,139	198,297	188,731	197,243	200,419
Diluted (in shares)	181,460	187,344	191,454	195,121	195,310	197,535	198,380	198,924	188,940	197,428	201,234
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment	$ (143,600)	$ (225,500)	$ 135,500	$ 6,500					$ 226,979	$ 397,478	$ 0