Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 4,211		$ 2,900	$ 2,186		$ 3,270
Receivables	92		193
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	798		876
Other raw materials	177		173
Work in process	307		349
Finished product	436		348
Inventory, net	1,718		1,746
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0		0
Deferred income taxes	1,218		1,216
Other current assets	310		260
Total current assets	7,549		6,315
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	4,787		4,750
Less accumulated depreciation	2,746		2,648
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,041		2,102
Goodwill	5,174		5,174
Other intangible assets, net	12,063		12,078
Investment in SABMiller	6,520		6,637
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Finance assets, net	2,153		2,581
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other assets	450		442
TOTAL ASSETS	35,950		35,329
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	1,984		1,459
Accounts payable	347		451
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	523		568
Employment costs	215		184
Settlement charges	3,047		3,616
Other	1,258		1,093
Dividends payable	963		888
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0		0
Total current liabilities	8,337		8,259
Long-term debt	12,892		12,419
Deferred income taxes	6,466		6,652
Accrued pension costs	1,243		1,735
Accrued postretirement health care costs	2,492		2,504
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other liabilities	505		556
Total liabilities	31,935		32,125
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	34		34
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock	935		935
Additional paid-in capital	5,701		5,688
Earnings reinvested in the business	25,636		24,316
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(2,223)	(2,330)	(2,040)	(1,604)	(1,674)	(1,887)
Cost of repurchased stock	(26,068)		(25,731)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	3,981		3,168
Noncontrolling interests	0		2
Total stockholders' equity	3,981		3,170			3,683
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	35,950		35,329
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	4,169		2,862	2,153		3,245
Receivables	0		101
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	0		0
Other raw materials	0		0
Work in process	0		0
Finished product	0		0
Inventory, net	0		0
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	5,469		834
Deferred income taxes	1		0
Other current assets	131		0
Total current assets	9,770		3,797
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	2		2
Less accumulated depreciation	2		2
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Investment in SABMiller	6,520		6,637
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	10,042		9,521
Finance assets, net	0		0
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			4,500
Other assets	151		136
TOTAL ASSETS	26,483		24,591
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	1,984		1,459
Accounts payable	30		4
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	0		0
Employment costs	89		27
Settlement charges	0		0
Other	364		469
Dividends payable	963		888
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	4,088		3,965
Total current liabilities	7,518		6,812
Long-term debt	12,592		12,120
Deferred income taxes	2,012		2,034
Accrued pension costs	223		235
Accrued postretirement health care costs	0		0
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other liabilities	157		222
Total liabilities	22,502		21,423
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock	935		935
Additional paid-in capital	5,701		5,688
Earnings reinvested in the business	25,636		24,316
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(2,223)		(2,040)
Cost of repurchased stock	(26,068)		(25,731)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	3,981		3,168
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	3,981		3,168
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	26,483		24,591
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0		0
Receivables	6		7
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	459		512
Other raw materials	126		127
Work in process	9		3
Finished product	162		117
Inventory, net	756		759
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	2,953		3,424
Deferred income taxes	1,246		1,246
Other current assets	259		193
Total current assets	5,220		5,629
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	3,257		3,253
Less accumulated depreciation	2,144		2,073
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,113		1,180
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	2		2
Investment in SABMiller	0		0
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	2,996		3,018
Finance assets, net	0		0
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other assets	561		530
TOTAL ASSETS	9,892		10,359
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	128		155
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	494		526
Employment costs	9		10
Settlement charges	3,041		3,610
Other	704		506
Dividends payable	0		0
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	453		409
Total current liabilities	4,829		5,216
Long-term debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Accrued pension costs	0		0
Accrued postretirement health care costs	1,728		1,759
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other liabilities	194		178
Total liabilities	6,751		7,153
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock	0		0
Additional paid-in capital	3,320		3,321
Earnings reinvested in the business	234		314
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(413)		(429)
Cost of repurchased stock	0		0
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	3,141		3,206
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	3,141		3,206
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	9,892		10,359
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	42		38	33		25
Receivables	86		85
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	339		364
Other raw materials	51		46
Work in process	298		346
Finished product	274		231
Inventory, net	962		987
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	1,679		1,171
Deferred income taxes	16		16
Other current assets	47		175
Total current assets	2,832		2,472
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	1,528		1,495
Less accumulated depreciation	600		573
Property, plant and equipment, net	928		922
Goodwill	5,174		5,174
Other intangible assets, net	12,061		12,076
Investment in SABMiller	0		0
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	0		0
Finance assets, net	2,153		2,581
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			0
Other assets	113		141
TOTAL ASSETS	23,261		23,366
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	189		292
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	29		42
Employment costs	117		147
Settlement charges	6		6
Other	362		272
Dividends payable	0		0
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	5,560		1,055
Total current liabilities	6,263		1,814
Long-term debt	300		299
Deferred income taxes	4,829		4,983
Accrued pension costs	1,020		1,500
Accrued postretirement health care costs	764		745
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			4,500
Other liabilities	154		156
Total liabilities	13,330		13,997
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	34		34
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock	9		9
Additional paid-in capital	10,273		10,272
Earnings reinvested in the business	1,367		943
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(1,752)		(1,891)
Cost of repurchased stock	0		0
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	9,897		9,333
Noncontrolling interests	0		2
Total stockholders' equity	9,897		9,335
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	23,261		23,366
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0		0
Receivables	0		0
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	0		0
Other raw materials	0		0
Work in process	0		0
Finished product	0		0
Inventory, net	0		0
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(10,101)		(5,429)
Deferred income taxes	(45)		(46)
Other current assets	(127)		(108)
Total current assets	(10,273)		(5,583)
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	0		0
Less accumulated depreciation	0		0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Investment in SABMiller	0		0
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(13,038)		(12,539)
Finance assets, net	0		0
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			(4,500)
Other assets	(375)		(365)
TOTAL ASSETS	(23,686)		(22,987)
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current portion of long-term debt	0		0
Accounts payable	0		0
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	0		0
Employment costs	0		0
Settlement charges	0		0
Other	(172)		(154)
Dividends payable	0		0
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(10,101)		(5,429)
Total current liabilities	(10,273)		(5,583)
Long-term debt	0		0
Deferred income taxes	(375)		(365)
Accrued pension costs	0		0
Accrued postretirement health care costs	0		0
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries			(4,500)
Other liabilities	0		0
Total liabilities	(10,648)		(10,448)
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Stockholders' Equity
Common stock	(9)		(9)
Additional paid-in capital	(13,593)		(13,593)
Earnings reinvested in the business	(1,601)		(1,257)
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	2,165		2,320
Cost of repurchased stock	0		0
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	(13,038)		(12,539)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0
Total stockholders' equity	(13,038)		(12,539)
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	$ (23,686)		$ (22,987)