Long-Term Debt (Aggregate Maturities of Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
2015	$ 1,000
2018	1,656
2019	1,144
2020	1,000
2021	1,500
Thereafter	$ 8,442

Long term debt maturities repayments of principal in year six.

No definition available.

Name:	mo_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsOfPrincipalInYearSix
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Long term debt maturities repayments of principal thereafter.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsofPrincipalThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Long Term Debt Maturities Repayments of Principle Amounts in Year Seven

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	mo_LongTermDebtMaturitiesRepaymentsofPrincipleAmountsinYearSeven
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 470

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6802200&loc=d3e1835-112601

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04.(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24072-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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