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Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Amounts charged to expense for defined contribution plans $ 82,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 80,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 81,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Emerging Markets [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 2.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mo_EmergingMarketsMember
   
Corporate Bond Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 33.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
   
Equity Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Plan assets, target allocation percentage 55.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
   
Composition of plan assets 55.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
   
Equity Securities [Member] | Emerging Markets [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mo_EmergingMarketsMember
   
Fixed Income Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Plan assets, target allocation percentage 45.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
   
US Treasury And Foreign Government Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 7.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= mo_UsTreasuryAndForeignGovernmentSecuritiesMember
   
All other Investments [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_OtherThanSecuritiesInvestmentMember
   
Below grade investments [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 9.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingByGroupingAxis
= us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingNonInvestmentGradeMember
   
Below grade investments [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Composition of plan assets 19.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingByGroupingAxis
= us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingNonInvestmentGradeMember
   
Pension [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Discount Rate 4.90%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Accumulated benefit obligation 7,900,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
6,800,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
Projected benefit obligation   299,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateProjectedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
Accumulated benefit obligation   261,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateAccumulatedBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
Fair Value of Plan Assets   66,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPensionPlansWithAccumulatedBenefitObligationsInExcessOfPlanAssetsAggregateFairValueOfPlanAssets
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
Estimated net loss expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive losses during 2015 237,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Estimated prior service cost ( credit) expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive losses during 2014 7,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Projected benefit obligation 8,330,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
7,137,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
7,924,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Employer contributions 15,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
393,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanContributionsByEmployer
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
 
Pension [Member] | Minimum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Employer contributions to its pension plan in 2015 20,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Pension [Member] | Maximum [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Employer contributions to its pension plan in 2015 50,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Change in Mortality Assumptions for Pension Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Projected benefit obligation 401,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_ChangeInAssumptionsForPensionPlansMember
   
Change in Assumptions for Postretirement Plans [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Projected benefit obligation 110,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= mo_ChangeinAssumptionforPostretirementPlansMember
   
Postretirement Benefit Plan [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Discount Rate 4.80%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
3.90%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.90%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Estimated net loss expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive losses during 2015 46,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Estimated prior service cost ( credit) expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive losses during 2014 (39,000,000)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Projected benefit obligation 2,613,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2,317,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
2,663,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Postretirement Benefit Plan [Member] | Other Current Liabilities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Projected benefit obligation $ 152,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
$ 162,000,000us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanBenefitObligation
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_OtherCurrentLiabilitiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember