Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Earnings and Comprehensive Earnings) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 5,804us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 5,517us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Cost of sales	1,797us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold	1,752us-gaap_CostOfGoodsSold
Excise taxes on products	1,532us-gaap_ExciseAndSalesTaxes	1,509us-gaap_ExciseAndSalesTaxes
Gross profit	2,475us-gaap_GrossProfit	2,256us-gaap_GrossProfit
Marketing, administration and research costs	610	520
Asset impairment and exit costs	0us-gaap_RestructuringCharges	2us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
Operating income (expense)	1,865us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	1,734us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	209us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	153us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	228	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(134)	(225)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	1,562	1,806
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	544us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	631us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Net earnings	1,018us-gaap_ProfitLoss	1,175us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,018us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	1,175us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(263)	60	(1,304)
Comprehensive earnings	755	1,235
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	755us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax	1,235us-gaap_ComprehensiveIncomeNetOfTax
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Excise taxes on products	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs	42	39
Asset impairment and exit costs		0
Operating income (expense)	(42)	(39)
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	154	156
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	228
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(134)	(225)
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	(290)	30
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(143)	(23)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	1,165	1,122
Net earnings	1,018	1,175
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,018	1,175
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(263)	60
Comprehensive earnings	755	1,235
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	755	1,235
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	5,068	4,818
Cost of sales	1,566	1,541
Excise taxes on products	1,480	1,460
Gross profit	2,022	1,817
Marketing, administration and research costs	465	402
Asset impairment and exit costs		2
Operating income (expense)	1,557	1,413
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	(1)	(64)
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	1,558	1,477
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	584	547
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	61	53
Net earnings	1,035	983
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,035	983
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	4	2
Comprehensive earnings	1,039	985
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,039	985
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] \| Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	745	703
Cost of sales	240	215
Excise taxes on products	52	49
Gross profit	453	439
Marketing, administration and research costs	103	79
Asset impairment and exit costs		0
Operating income (expense)	350	360
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	56	61
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	294	299
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	103	107
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Net earnings	191	192
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	191	192
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	35	22
Comprehensive earnings	226	214
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	226	214
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(9)	(4)
Cost of sales	(9)	(4)
Excise taxes on products	0	0
Gross profit	0	0
Marketing, administration and research costs	0	0
Asset impairment and exit costs		0
Operating income (expense)	0	0
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	0	0
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	0	0
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	0	0
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	0	0
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	(1,226)	(1,175)
Net earnings	(1,226)	(1,175)
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	(1,226)	(1,175)
Other comprehensive (losses) earnings, net of deferred income taxes	(39)	(24)
Comprehensive earnings	(1,265)	(1,199)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	$ (1,265)	$ (1,199)

The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as research and development costs and all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. Research and development costs represent the aggregate costs incurred during an accounting period to research and develop new products/technologies when the technological feasibility has not been reached. General and administrative expenses include salaries of nonsales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

No definition available.