Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms, Debt to EBITDA Ratio

No definition available.

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- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Terms, EBITDA to Interest Expense Ratio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LineofCreditFacilityCovenantTermsEBITDAtoInterestExpenseRatio
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line of Credit Facility, Extension Option, Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LineofCreditFacilityExtensionOptionTerm
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph a

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),16(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Subparagraph a(1)

-Article 7

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph 2, 3

-Article 9

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=mo_CreditAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
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Short-Term Borrowings and Borrowing Arrangements (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 0us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings		$ 0us-gaap_ShortTermBorrowings
Ratio of debt to consolidated EBITDA	1.8
Ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense	9.7
Credit Agreement [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Credit line available under the credit agreement	3,000,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 3,000,000,000	$ 3,000,000,000
Term of debt		5 years
Credit agreement expiration date		Aug. 19, 2019
Number of extension available for the credit agreement		1 year
Credit Agreement [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Ratio of debt to consolidated EBITDA	3
Credit Agreement [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense	4
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| Credit Agreement [Member] \| Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Short-term Debt [Line Items]
Interest rate for borrowing	1.25%