Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Earnings) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 6,242	$ 6,242	$ 6,487	$ 5,647	$ 6,129	$ 6,108	$ 5,920	$ 5,643	$ 24,618	$ 23,800	$ 24,363
Cost of sales									7,937	7,680	7,704
Excise taxes on products									7,118	7,181	7,471
Gross profit	2,383	2,484	2,494	2,202	2,374	2,445	1,972	2,148	9,563	8,939	9,188
Marketing, administration and research costs									2,281	2,643	2,735
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									(52)	(14)	169
Asset impairment and exit costs	16	11	25	4					61	222	36
Amortization of intangibles									20	20	20
Operating (expense) income									7,253	6,068	6,228
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									1,126	1,216	1,133
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	874	0	0					874	0	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									(1,224)	(730)	(628)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									6,477	5,582	5,723
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									2,294	2,189	1,816
Net earnings	1,105	657	1,226	1,195	837	1,174	444	938	4,183	3,393	3,907
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2)	0	(1)	0	(1)	(1)	0	(1)	(3)	(3)	(2)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,103	657	1,225	1,195	836	1,173	444	937	4,180	3,390	3,905
Net earnings	1,105	657	1,226	1,195	837	1,174	444	938	4,183	3,393	3,907
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(153)	(403)	77
Comprehensive earnings									4,030	2,990	3,984
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3)	(3)	(2)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,027	2,987	3,982
Consolidated [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									24,618	23,800	24,363
Cost of sales									7,937	7,680	7,704
Excise taxes on products									7,118	7,181	7,471
Gross profit									9,563	8,939	9,188
Marketing, administration and research costs									2,281	2,643	2,735
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									(52)	(14)	169
Asset impairment and exit costs									61	222	36
Amortization of intangibles									20	20	20
Operating (expense) income									7,253	6,068	6,228
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									1,126	1,216	1,133
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									874
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									(1,224)	(730)	(628)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									6,477	5,582	5,723
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									2,294	2,189	1,816
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net earnings									4,183	3,393	3,907
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3)	(3)	(2)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,180	3,390	3,905
Net earnings									4,183	3,393	3,907
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(153)	(403)	77
Comprehensive earnings									4,030	2,990	3,984
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3)	(3)	(2)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,027	2,987	3,982
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									0	0	0
Cost of sales									0	0	0
Excise taxes on products									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs									210	186	147
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									(52)	(14)	169
Asset impairment and exit costs									1	8	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Operating (expense) income									(159)	(180)	(316)
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									705	698	549
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									874
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									(1,224)	(730)	(628)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									(514)	(148)	(237)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									(196)	(199)	(329)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									4,498	3,339	3,813
Net earnings									4,180	3,390	3,905
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,180	3,390	3,905
Net earnings									4,180	3,390	3,905
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(153)	(403)	77
Comprehensive earnings									4,027	2,987	3,982
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									4,027	2,987	3,982
PM USA [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									21,531	21,330	21,580
Cost of sales									7,067	6,883	6,990
Excise taxes on products									6,831	6,846	7,136
Gross profit									7,633	7,601	7,454
Marketing, administration and research costs									1,867	2,164	2,280
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs									59	200	24
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Operating (expense) income									5,707	5,237	5,150
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									(3)	61	2
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									5,710	5,176	5,148
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									2,100	1,930	1,864
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									218	153	143
Net earnings									3,828	3,399	3,427
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									3,828	3,399	3,427
Net earnings									3,828	3,399	3,427
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(117)	(36)	15
Comprehensive earnings									3,711	3,363	3,442
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									3,711	3,363	3,442
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									3,110	2,496	2,809
Cost of sales									893	823	740
Excise taxes on products									287	335	335
Gross profit									1,930	1,338	1,734
Marketing, administration and research costs									204	293	308
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs									1	14	12
Amortization of intangibles									20	20	20
Operating (expense) income									1,705	1,011	1,394
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									424	457	582
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									1,281	554	812
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									390	458	281
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net earnings									891	96	531
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3)	(3)	(2)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									888	93	529
Net earnings									891	96	531
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									(242)	(209)	25
Comprehensive earnings									649	(113)	556
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3)	(3)	(2)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									646	(116)	554
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues									(23)	(26)	(26)
Cost of sales									(23)	(26)	(26)
Excise taxes on products									0	0	0
Gross profit									0	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs									0	0	0
Changes to Mondelēz & PMI tax-related receivables									0	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs									0	0	0
Amortization of intangibles									0	0	0
Operating (expense) income									0	0	0
Interest and other debt expense (income), net									0	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt									0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller									0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes									0	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes									0	0	0
Equity earnings of subsidiaries									(4,716)	(3,492)	(3,956)
Net earnings									(4,716)	(3,492)	(3,956)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									(4,716)	(3,492)	(3,956)
Net earnings									(4,716)	(3,492)	(3,956)
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes									359	245	(40)
Comprehensive earnings									(4,357)	(3,247)	(3,996)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.									$ (4,357)	$ (3,247)	$ (3,996)