Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Loans	386,277	367,669	759,861	730,805
Money market investments	36,392	11,131	58,677	17,704
Investment securities	58,181	49,933	115,390	96,219
Total interest and dividend income	480,850	428,733	933,928	844,728
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	45,228	34,092	83,916	67,849
Short-term borrowings	1,752	1,115	3,765	2,210
Long-term debt	19,734	19,047	39,064	38,092
Total interest expense	66,714	54,254	126,745	108,151
Net interest income	414,136	374,479	807,183	736,577
Provision for loan losses			131,117	93,177
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	354,082	322,000	676,066	643,400
Service charges on deposit accounts	37,102	41,073	73,557	80,609
Other service fees	62,876	59,168	123,478	115,343
Mortgage banking activities	10,071	10,741	22,139	22,110
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities	0	(8,299)	0	(8,299)
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	234	19	(412)	181
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	21	(655)	(177)	(933)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(527)	(2,930)	(3,453)	(4,896)
FDIC loss share income (expense)	102,752	(475)	94,725	(8,732)
Other operating income	22,280	18,151	38,449	37,279
Total non-interest income	234,809	116,793	348,306	232,662
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	124,332	116,948	250,184	240,688
Net occupancy expenses	22,425	22,265	45,227	43,041
Equipment expenses	17,775	16,250	34,981	32,220
Other taxes	10,876	10,740	21,778	21,709
Professional Fees	93,903	72,934	176,888	142,184
Communications	5,382	5,899	11,288	11,848
Business promotion	16,778	13,366	28,787	24,942
FDIC deposit insurance	7,004	6,172	13,924	12,665
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	6,947	16,670	13,078	29,488
Other operating expenses	29,922	23,247	58,886	54,679
Amortization of intangibles	2,324	2,344	4,649	4,689
Total operating expenses	337,668	306,835	659,670	618,153
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	251,223	131,958	364,702	257,909
Income tax (benefit) expense	(28,560)	35,732	(6,405)	68,738
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	279,783	96,226	371,107	189,171
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Income	279,783	96,226	371,107	189,171
Comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	245,829	113,195	224,967	206,514
Elimination
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	(325,000)	(27,500)	(350,000)	(156,500)
Loans	(21)	0	(27)	0
Money market investments	(996)	(628)	(1,839)	(1,129)
Investment securities	0	0	0	0
Total interest and dividend income	(326,017)	(28,128)	(351,866)	(157,629)
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	(996)	(628)	(1,839)	(1,129)
Short-term borrowings	(21)	0	(27)	0
Long-term debt	0	0	0	0
Total interest expense	(1,017)	(628)	(1,866)	(1,129)
Net interest income	(325,000)	(27,500)	(350,000)	(156,500)
Provision for loan losses			0	0
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(325,000)	(21,545)	(350,000)	(150,545)
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0	0	0
Other service fees	(1,148)	(1,305)	(1,393)	(1,388)
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on debt securities				0
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities		0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	(10)	0	(30)
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	(3)	0	8
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss share income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Other operating income (expense)	(11)	(8)	(25)	(14)
Total non-interest income	(1,169)	(1,316)	(1,448)	(1,394)
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0	0	0
Equipment expenses	0	0	0	0
Other taxes	0	0	0	0
Professional fees	(78)	(207)	(323)	(290)
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses (income)	(599)	(563)	(1,205)	(1,109)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(677)	(770)	(1,528)	(1,399)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(325,492)	(22,091)	(349,920)	(150,540)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(188)	2,110	43	2,321
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(325,304)	(24,201)	(349,963)	(152,861)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	28,901	(90,463)	(63,595)	(70,636)
Net Income	(296,403)	(114,664)	(413,558)	(223,497)
Comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	(256,863)	(133,900)	(238,984)	(242,776)
Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	60,054	49,965	129,387	92,022
Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC | Elimination
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	(5,955)	0	(5,955)
Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	2,514	1,730	1,155
Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member | Elimination
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses		0	0	0
Popular, Inc. Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	325,000	27,500	350,000	156,500
Loans	539	114	1,064	129
Money market investments	996	609	1,838	1,090
Investment securities	150	141	297	283
Total interest and dividend income	326,685	28,364	353,199	158,002
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	0	0	0	0
Long-term debt	13,117	13,117	26,235	26,235
Total interest expense	13,117	13,117	26,235	26,235
Net interest income	313,568	15,247	326,964	131,767
Provision for loan losses			(41)	269
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	313,588	14,978	327,005	131,498
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0	0	0
Other service fees	0	0	0	0
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on debt securities				0
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities		0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	46	0	4
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	280	0	160
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss share income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Other operating income (expense)	3,751	4,520	7,496	9,175
Total non-interest income	3,797	4,800	7,500	9,335
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	12,651	11,974	27,562	25,788
Net occupancy expenses	1,107	1,035	2,097	1,949
Equipment expenses	1,036	485	1,544	1,067
Other taxes	56	46	97	92
Professional fees	5,712	3,675	9,356	6,188
Communications	124	130	236	282
Business promotion	405	540	803	959
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses (income)	(22,588)	(16,865)	(40,752)	(35,655)
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(1,497)	1,020	943	670
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	318,882	18,758	333,562	140,163
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	318,882	18,758	333,562	140,163
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	(39,099)	77,468	37,545	49,008
Net Income	279,783	96,226	371,107	189,171
Comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	245,829	113,195	224,967	206,514
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	(20)	269	(41)	269
Popular, Inc. Holding Co. | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses		0	0	0
PNA Holding Co.
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	0	0	0	0
Money market investments	1	18	2	39
Investment securities	80	81	161	161
Total interest and dividend income	81	99	163	200
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	0	0	0	0
Short-term borrowings	21	0	27	0
Long-term debt	2,691	2,691	5,383	5,383
Total interest expense	2,712	2,691	5,410	5,383
Net interest income	(2,631)	(2,592)	(5,247)	(5,183)
Provision for loan losses			0	0
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	(2,631)	(2,592)	(5,247)	(5,183)
Service charges on deposit accounts	0	0	0	0
Other service fees	0	0	0	0
Mortgage banking activities	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on debt securities				0
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities		0		0
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	0	0	0
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	0	0	0	0
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	0	0	0	0
FDIC loss share income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Other operating income (expense)	(355)	416	396	1,225
Total non-interest income	(355)	416	396	1,225
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	0	0	0	0
Net occupancy expenses	0	0	0	0
Equipment expenses	1	0	2	0
Other taxes	0	0	1	0
Professional fees	77	33	108	(492)
Communications	0	0	0	0
Business promotion	0	0	0	0
FDIC deposit insurance	0	0	0	0
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses (income)	40	13	54	26
Amortization of intangibles	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	118	46	165	(466)
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	(3,104)	(2,222)	(5,016)	(3,492)
Income tax (benefit) expense	349	(777)	892	(1,222)
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	(3,453)	(1,445)	(5,908)	(2,270)
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	10,198	12,995	26,050	21,628
Net Income	6,745	11,550	20,142	19,358
Comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	770	13,459	(8,015)	21,286
PNA Holding Co. | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	0	0	0	0
PNA Holding Co. | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses		0	0	0
All other subsidiaries and eliminations
INTEREST AND DIVIDEND INCOME:
Dividend income from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Loans	385,759	367,555	758,824	730,676
Money market investments	36,391	11,132	58,676	17,704
Investment securities	57,951	49,711	114,932	95,775
Total interest and dividend income	480,101	428,398	932,432	844,155
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Deposits	46,224	34,720	85,755	68,978
Short-term borrowings	1,752	1,115	3,765	2,210
Long-term debt	3,926	3,239	7,446	6,474
Total interest expense	51,902	39,074	96,966	77,662
Net interest income	428,199	389,324	835,466	766,493
Provision for loan losses			131,158	92,908
Net interest income after provision for loan losses	368,125	331,159	704,308	667,630
Service charges on deposit accounts	37,102	41,073	73,557	80,609
Other service fees	64,024	60,473	124,871	116,731
Mortgage banking activities	10,071	10,741	22,139	22,110
Net (loss) gain and valuation adjustments on debt securities				181
Other-than-temporary impairment losses on debt securities		(8,299)		(8,299)
Net gain (loss), including impairment on equity securities	198	19	(386)
Net profit (loss) on trading account debt securities	21	(932)	(177)	(1,101)
Adjustments To Indemnity Reserves On Loans Sold	(527)	(2,930)	(3,453)	(4,896)
FDIC loss share income (expense)	102,752	(475)	94,725	(8,732)
Other operating income (expense)	18,895	13,223	30,582	26,893
Total non-interest income	232,536	112,893	341,858	223,496
Operating expenses:
Personnel costs	111,681	104,974	222,622	214,900
Net occupancy expenses	21,318	21,230	43,130	41,092
Equipment expenses	16,738	15,765	33,435	31,153
Other taxes	10,820	10,694	21,680	21,617
Professional fees	88,192	69,433	167,747	136,778
Communications	5,258	5,769	11,052	11,566
Business promotion	16,373	12,826	27,984	23,983
FDIC deposit insurance	7,004	6,172	13,924	12,665
Other real estate owned (O R E O) expenses	6,947	16,670	13,078	29,488
Other operating expenses (income)	53,069	40,662	100,789	91,417
Amortization of intangibles	2,324	2,344	4,649	4,689
Total operating expenses	339,724	306,539	660,090	619,348
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in undistributed earnings of subsidiaries	260,937	137,513	386,076	271,778
Income tax (benefit) expense	(28,721)	34,399	(7,340)	67,639
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed earnings of subdidiaries	289,658	103,114	393,416	204,139
Equity in undistributed earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net Income	289,658	103,114	393,416	204,139
Comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax	256,093	120,441	246,999	221,490
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Non Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements with FDIC
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses	$ 60,074	55,651	129,428	97,708
All other subsidiaries and eliminations | Covered Under Loss Sharing Agreements With FDIC Member
INTEREST EXPENSE:
Provision for loan losses		$ 2,514	$ 1,730	$ 1,155