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SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION - Stock Options Outstanding and Exercisable (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 14.99afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit      
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 67.67afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit      
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 9,307us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber 9,980us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber 12,737us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber 14,563us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 4 years 6 months      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 48.84us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 47.03us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 45.00us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice $ 42.76us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 7,497us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber 8,042us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber 10,635us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber  
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 47.51us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice      
$14.99 - $43.07        
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 14.99afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 43.07afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 2,028us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 3 years 9 months 18 days      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 34.46us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 1,945us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 34.20us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range1Member
     
$43.28 - $47.25        
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 43.28afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 47.25afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 2,144us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 3 years 1 month 6 days      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 45.93us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 2,046us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 45.93us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range2Member
     
$47.33 - $51.91        
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 47.33afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 51.91afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 1,883us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 5 years 4 months 24 days      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 48.97us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 1,109us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 48.86us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range3Member
     
$52.14 - $61.81        
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 52.14afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 61.81afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 2,479us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 4 years 6 months      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 58.65us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 2,296us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 58.79us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range4Member
     
$61.84 - $67.67        
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]        
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Lower Range $ 61.84afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member
     
Range of Exercise Prices Per Share - Upper Range $ 67.67afl_ShareBasedCompensationOptionsOutstandingExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member
     
Options Outstanding - Stock Option Shares 773us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member
     
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Remaining Term (Yrs) 8 years 6 months      
Options Outstanding - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 62.85us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member
     
Options Exercisable - Stock Option Shares 101us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableNumber
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member
     
Options Exercisable - Weighted-Average Exercise Price Per Share $ 64.63us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageExercisePrice
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= afl_Range5Member