Additional Financial Information Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	$ 6,636	$ 246,892
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(131,700)	(120,892)
Proceeds from sale of assets	258	814
Purchases of marketable securities	(4,082)	(118,816)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	148,204	178,524
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(5,193)	(112,097)
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP	53,000	23,000
Inventory repurchase obligation	(693)	(7,434)
Net proceeds from Issuance of senior notes	246,690	0
Purchase of treasury stock	(133,430)	(55,065)
Dividends	(58,602)	(62,335)
Payments to Noncontrolling Interests	(21,731)	(20,472)
Repayment of financing obligation	(39,500)
Proceeds from (Payments by) Partnership Contribution	0	0
Other, net	(4,075)	(1,250)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	43,045	(108,688)
Increase (decrease) for the period	44,488	26,107
Beginning of period	66,533	567,985
End of period	111,021	594,092
Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(8,257)	207,509
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(131,700)	(120,892)
Proceeds from sale of assets	258	814
Purchases of marketable securities	(4,082)	(118,816)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	148,204	178,524
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	12,680	(60,370)
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP	0
Inventory repurchase obligation	(693)	(7,434)
Net proceeds from Issuance of senior notes	246,690
Purchase of treasury stock	(133,430)	(55,065)
Dividends	(58,602)	(62,335)
Payments to Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Repayment of financing obligation	0
Proceeds from (Payments by) Partnership Contribution	(9,122)	(13,035)
Other, net	(185)	(1,003)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	46,044	(124,004)
Increase (decrease) for the period	50,467	23,135
Beginning of period	51,520	565,155
End of period	101,987	588,290
Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	39,372	61,026
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	(17,873)	(51,727)
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP	53,000	23,000
Inventory repurchase obligation	0	0
Net proceeds from Issuance of senior notes	0
Purchase of treasury stock	0	0
Dividends	0	0
Payments to Noncontrolling Interests	(46,210)	(42,115)
Repayment of financing obligation	(39,500)
Proceeds from (Payments by) Partnership Contribution	9,122	13,035
Other, net	(3,890)	(247)
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	(27,478)	(6,327)
Increase (decrease) for the period	(5,979)	2,972
Beginning of period	15,013	2,830
End of period	9,034	5,802
Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash flows from operating activities	(24,479)	(21,643)
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of assets	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities	0	0
Inventory repurchase obligation	0	0
Net proceeds from Issuance of senior notes	0
Purchase of treasury stock	0	0
Dividends	0	0
Payments to Noncontrolling Interests	24,479	21,643
Repayment of financing obligation	0
Proceeds from (Payments by) Partnership Contribution	0	0
Other, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities	24,479	21,643
Increase (decrease) for the period	0	0
Beginning of period	0	0
End of period	0	0
HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(17,873)	(51,727)
Repayment of financing obligation	(39,500)	0
Beginning of period	15,013
End of period	9,034
HEP [Member] | Holly Frontier Corp. Before Consolidation of HEP [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP		0
HEP [Member] | Non-Guarantor Non-Restricted Subsidiaries (HEP Segment) [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	(17,873)	(51,727)
HEP [Member] | Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Additions to properties, plants and equipment	0	0
Net borrowings under credit agreement – HEP	$ 0	$ 0