Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 2,120	$ 2,564
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(77)	(75)
Other	(8)	1
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	813	248
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	728	174
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	2,787	1,494
Long-term debt repaid	(2,600)	0
Repurchases of common stock	(595)	(1,000)
Dividends paid on common stock	(2,508)	(2,379)
Issuances of common stock	0	29
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(22)	(24)
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(864)	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(130)	(129)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(3,932)	(2,009)
Increase (decrease)	(1,084)	729
Balance at beginning of period	3,270	2,314
Balance at end of period	2,186	3,043
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,883	2,596
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	0	0
Other	0	0
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	2,787	1,494
Long-term debt repaid	(2,000)
Repurchases of common stock	(595)	(1,000)
Dividends paid on common stock	(2,508)	(2,379)
Issuances of common stock	0	29
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	220	(34)
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(22)	(24)
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(864)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	7	35
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,975)	(1,879)
Increase (decrease)	(1,092)	717
Balance at beginning of period	3,245	2,298
Balance at end of period	2,153	3,015
PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,814	2,663
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(18)	(16)
Other	0	1
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(18)	(15)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Issuances of common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	17	150
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(2,774)	(2,702)
Other	(39)	(96)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,796)	(2,648)
Increase (decrease)	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	0	0
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	382	117
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(59)	(59)
Other	(8)	0
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	813	248
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	746	189
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	(600)
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Issuances of common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(237)	(116)
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(185)	(110)
Other	(98)	(68)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,120)	(294)
Increase (decrease)	8	12
Balance at beginning of period	25	16
Balance at end of period	33	28
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(2,959)	(2,812)
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	0	0
Other	0	0
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0	0
Long-term debt repaid	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Issuances of common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	0	0
Tender premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	2,959	2,812
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	2,959	2,812
Increase (decrease)	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0