Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flow (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	$ 92,945	$ 84,999
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	0	0
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	40,698	44,835
Amortization of intangibles	2,345	3,114
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	11,799	11,707
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(6,463)	(11,158)
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	5,954	8,477
FDIC loss share (income) expense	8,257	3,146
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	1,966	4,098
Earnings from investments under the equity method	(10,879)	(7,089)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	25,060	23,218
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	6,466	(1,946)
Sale and valuation adjustments of investment securities	(162)	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	(5,381)	(7,101)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	4,512	2,802
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(73,043)	(66,451)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	29,364	22,253
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	(123,336)	(110,528)
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	177,153	176,598
Accrued income receivable	10,024	3,926
Other assets	13,161	20,996
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(11,281)	(12,261)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	331	1,536
Other liabilities	(13,654)	(17,010)
Total adjustments	92,891	93,162
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	185,836	178,161
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(763,130)	262,632
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(1,216,880)	(742,859)
Other	(225)	(59,786)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	222,677	239,399
Held-to-maturity	2,184	2,108
Other	0	41,664
Proceeds from the sale of investment securities available-for-sale	381	0
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	1,757	26,346
Net repayments on loans	99,306	13,335
Proceeds from sale of loans	0	1,128
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(109,098)	(212,798)
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	(23,574)	88,588
Return of capital from equity method investments	3,862	206
Return Of Capital From Wholly Owned Subsidiaries		0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(18,646)	(38,819)
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	3,011	5,092
Foreclosed assets	27,547	14,513
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(1,770,828)	(359,251)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	1,715,958	318,550
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	(44,711)	(1,991)
Other short-term borrowings	0	5,170
Payments of notes payable	(17,408)	(108,452)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable	0	28,883
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,806	2,109
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	(16,499)	(16,473)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(75,604)	(77)
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	(719)	(680)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,562,823	227,039
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(22,169)	45,949
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	362,394	363,674	$ 363,674
Cash and due from banks at end of period	340,225	409,623	362,394
Elimination
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	(108,833)	(102,768)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	(19,827)	(73,400)
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	0	0
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	0	0
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method	0	0
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	210	213
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment	0	0
Sale and valuation adjustments of investment securities	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	(6)	0
Accrued income receivable	(28)	(7)
Other assets	307	(1,220)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	28	7
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	(846)	675
Total adjustments	(20,162)	73,068
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	(128,995)	(29,700)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	23,147	(12,411)
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Other	0	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Other		0
Proceeds from the sale of investment securities available-for-sale	0
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	0	0
Net repayments on loans	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans		0
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments	0	0
Return Of Capital From Wholly Owned Subsidiaries		0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment	0	0
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	23,147	(12,411)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	(9,308)	15,832
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings		0
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable		0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	129,000	29,700
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(5)	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	119,687	45,532
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	13,839	3,421
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	(48,081)	(24,844)	(24,844)
Cash and due from banks at end of period	(34,242)	(21,423)	(48,081)
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	92,945	84,999
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	28,460	(64,477)
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	0	(34)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	163	177
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	521	521
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method	(4,652)	(3,256)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	0	3
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	(17)	0
Sale and valuation adjustments of investment securities	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	(355)	(101)
Accrued income receivable	5	12
Other assets	(256)	1
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(7,875)	(7,875)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	(2,413)	(4,622)
Total adjustments	13,581	(79,651)
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	106,526	5,348
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(30,018)	6,952
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Other	0	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Other		0
Proceeds from the sale of investment securities available-for-sale	0
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	0	0
Net repayments on loans	7	8
Proceeds from sale of loans		0
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments	500	0
Return Of Capital From Wholly Owned Subsidiaries		0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(39)	(398)
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	18	46
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(29,532)	6,608
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	0	0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings		0
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable		0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	1,806	2,109
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	(16,499)	(16,473)
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	(75,599)	(77)
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	(719)	(680)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(91,011)	(15,121)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(14,017)	(3,165)
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	47,783	24,298	24,298
Cash and due from banks at end of period	33,766	21,133	47,783
PNA Holding Co.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	7,808	6,346
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	(8,633)	(8,923)
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	0	0
Amortization of intangibles	0	0
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	0	0
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	7	8
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	0	0
FDIC loss share (income) expense	0	0
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	0	0
Earnings from investments under the equity method	(809)	1,303
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	(445)	(1,387)
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Sale and valuation adjustments of investment securities	0
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	0	0
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	0	0
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	0	0
Accrued income receivable	104	79
Other assets	22	21
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(2,685)	(2,685)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	0	0
Other liabilities	(551)	(382)
Total adjustments	(12,990)	(11,966)
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	(5,182)	(5,620)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	5,053	5,412
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Other	0	0
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	0	0
Held-to-maturity	0	0
Other		0
Proceeds from the sale of investment securities available-for-sale	0
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	0	0
Net repayments on loans	0	0
Proceeds from sale of loans		0
Acquisition of loan portfolios	0	0
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	0	0
Return of capital from equity method investments	0	206
Return Of Capital From Wholly Owned Subsidiaries		0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	0	0
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	0	0
Foreclosed assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	5,053	5,618
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	0	0
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	0	0
Other short-term borrowings		0
Payments of notes payable	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable		0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	0	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	0	0
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(129)	(2)
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	591	600	600
Cash and due from banks at end of period	462	598	591
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net Income	101,025	96,422
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in losses (earnings) of subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions	0	0
Provision (reversal) for loan losses	40,698	44,869
Amortization of intangibles	2,345	3,114
Depreciation and amortization of premises and equipment	11,636	11,530
Net accretion of discounts and amortization of premiums and deferred fees	(6,991)	(11,687)
Fair value adjustments on mortgage servicing rights	5,954	8,477
FDIC loss share (income) expense	8,257	3,146
Adjustments (expense) to indemnity reserves on loans sold	1,966	4,098
Earnings from investments under the equity method	(5,418)	(5,136)
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense	25,295	24,389
(Gain) loss on:
Disposition of premises and equipment and other productive assets	6,483	(1,946)
Sale and valuation adjustments of investment securities	(162)
Sale of loans, including valuation adjustments on loans held-for-sale and mortgage banking activities	(5,381)	(7,101)
Sale of foreclosed assets, including write-downs	4,512	2,802
Acquisitions of loans held-for-sale	(73,043)	(66,451)
Proceeds from sale of loans held-for-sale	29,364	22,253
Net originations on loans held-for-sale	(123,336)	(110,528)
Net (increase) decrease in:
Trading securities	177,514	176,699
Accrued income receivable	9,943	3,842
Other assets	13,088	22,194
Net increase (decrease) in:
Interest payable	(749)	(1,708)
Pension and other postretirement benefits obligation	331	1,536
Other liabilities	(9,844)	(12,681)
Total adjustments	112,462	111,711
Net Cash Provided By Used In Operating Activities	213,487	208,133
Cash flows from investing activities:
Net (increase) decrease in money market investments	(761,312)	262,679
Purchases of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	(1,216,880)	(742,859)
Other	(225)	(59,786)
Proceeds from calls, paydowns, maturities and redemptions of investment securities:
Available-for-sale	222,677	239,399
Held-to-maturity	2,184	2,108
Other		41,664
Proceeds from the sale of investment securities available-for-sale	381
Proceeds from sale of other investment securities	1,757	26,346
Net repayments on loans	99,299	13,327
Proceeds from sale of loans		1,128
Acquisition of loan portfolios	(109,098)	(212,798)
Net payments from FDIC under loss sharing agreements	(23,574)	88,588
Return of capital from equity method investments	3,362	0
Return Of Capital From Wholly Owned Subsidiaries		0
Acquisition of premises and equipment	(18,607)	(38,421)
Proceeds from sale of:
Premises and equipment and other productive assets	2,993	5,046
Foreclosed assets	27,547	14,513
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(1,769,496)	(359,066)
Net increase (decrease) in:
Deposits	1,725,266	302,718
Federal funds purchased and assets sold under agreements to repurchase	(44,711)	(1,991)
Other short-term borrowings		5,170
Payments of notes payable	(17,408)	(108,452)
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable		28,883
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	0	0
Cash Dividends Paid To Parent Company	(129,000)	(29,700)
Dividends paid	0	0
Net payments for repurchase of common stock	0	0
Payments related to tax witholding for shared-based compensation	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	1,534,147	196,628
Net (decrease) increase in cash and due from banks	(21,862)	45,695
Cash and due from banks at beginning of period	362,101	363,620	363,620
Cash and due from banks at end of period	$ 340,239	$ 409,315	$ 362,101