Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 3,500	$ 4,090
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(128)	(162)
Proceeds from finance assets	207	255
Other	(44)	2
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	35	95
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	1,976	0
Long-term debt repaid	(933)	(1,793)
Repurchases of common stock	(512)	(518)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,321)	(3,071)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(809)	(226)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(7)	9
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,606)	(5,599)
Cash and cash equivalents:
(Decrease) increase	(71)	(1,414)
Balance at beginning of period	2,369	3,321
Balance at end of period	2,298	1,907
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	4,241	3,557
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	(3)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(3)	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	1,976
Long-term debt repaid	(933)	(1,793)
Repurchases of common stock	(512)	(518)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,321)	(3,071)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(715)	611
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	(809)	(226)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	2	17
Net cash used in financing activities	(4,312)	(4,980)
Cash and cash equivalents:
(Decrease) increase	(74)	(1,423)
Balance at beginning of period	2,313	3,281
Balance at end of period	2,239	1,858
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	3,582	3,767
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(23)	(37)
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	10
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(23)	(27)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0
Long-term debt repaid	0	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	128	(492)
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(3,686)	(3,249)
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,558)	(3,741)
Cash and cash equivalents:
(Decrease) increase	1	(1)
Balance at beginning of period	0	3
Balance at end of period	1	2
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	8	655
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(105)	(125)
Proceeds from finance assets	207	255
Other	(41)	(8)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	61	122
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0
Long-term debt repaid	0	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	587	(119)
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(645)	(640)
Other	(9)	(8)
Net cash used in financing activities	(67)	(767)
Cash and cash equivalents:
(Decrease) increase	2	10
Balance at beginning of period	56	37
Balance at end of period	58	47
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(4,331)	(3,889)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	0	0
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0
Long-term debt repaid	0	0
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	4,331	3,889
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	4,331	3,889
Cash and cash equivalents:
(Decrease) increase	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0