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Background and Basis of Presentation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 18 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2014
Aug. 31, 2013
Apr. 30, 2013
Jul. 31, 2014
Dividends Payable [Line Items]                                  
Repurchase of common stock, shares                   22,452,599us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired   16,652,913us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired 34,860,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired        
Dividends declared (usd per share) $ 0.52us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.52us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.48us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.48us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.48us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.48us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.44us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.44us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.52us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 2.00us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.48us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 1.84us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 1.70us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared        
Annualized dividend rate                   $ 2.08mo_AnnualizedDividendRate              
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share                   $ 41.79us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare   $ 36.05us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare $ 32.00us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare        
Dividend Declared [Member] | Common Stock [Member]                                  
Dividends Payable [Line Items]                                  
Increase in rate of dividend   8.30%mo_CommonStockDividendRateIncreaseDecreasePercentage
/ us-gaap_DividendsAxis
= us-gaap_DividendDeclaredMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
                             
April 2013 Share Repurchase Program [Member]                                  
Dividends Payable [Line Items]                                  
Repurchase of common stock, shares                           27,100,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
     
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share                           $ 36.97us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
     
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount                             $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
$ 300,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_April2013ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
 
July 2014 Share Repurchase Program [Member]                                  
Dividends Payable [Line Items]                                  
Repurchase of common stock, shares                 10,400,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_July2014ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
               
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share                 $ 46.41us-gaap_TreasuryStockAcquiredAverageCostPerShare
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_July2014ShareRepurchaseProgramMember
               
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount                                 $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= mo_July2014ShareRepurchaseProgramMember