Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Sales and other revenues	$ 14,251,299	$ 10,535,700	$ 13,237,920
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of products sold (exclusive of lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment)	11,467,799	8,765,927	10,239,218
Lower of cost or market inventory valuation adjustment	(108,685)	(291,938)	226,979
Cost of products sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	11,359,114	8,473,989	10,466,197
Operating expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	1,294,234	1,018,839	1,060,373
Selling, general and administrative expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)	264,874	125,648	120,846
Depreciation and amortization	409,937	363,027	346,151
Goodwill and asset impairment	19,247	654,084	0
Total operating costs and expenses	13,347,406	10,635,587	11,993,567
Income from operations	903,893	(99,887)	1,244,353
Other income (expense):
Earnings (loss) of equity method investments	12,510	14,213	(3,738)
Interest income	3,736	2,491	3,391
Interest expense	(117,597)	(72,192)	(43,470)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	(12,225)	(8,718)	(1,370)
Gain (loss) on foreign currency swap	24,545	(6,520)	0
Gain on foreign currency transactions	16,921	0	0
Remeasurement gain on pipeline interest acquisition	36,254
Remeasurement gain on pipeline interest acquisition	(36,254)	0	0
Other, net	826	(921)	9,402
Other income (expense) total	(35,030)	71,647	35,785
Income (loss) before income taxes	868,863	(171,534)	1,208,568
Income tax provision:
Current	125,143	(79,181)	552,196
Deferred	(137,522)	98,592	(146,136)
Income tax provision total	(12,379)	19,411	406,060
Net income (loss)	881,242	(190,945)	802,508
Less net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	75,847	69,508	62,407
Net income (loss) attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders	$ 805,395	$ (260,453)	$ 740,101
Earnings (loss) per share attributable to HollyFrontier stockholders:
Basic	$ 4.54	$ (1.48)	$ 3.91
Diluted	$ 4.52	$ (1.48)	$ 3.90
Average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic	176,174	176,101	188,731
Diluted	177,196	176,101	188,940