Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 4,165	$ 3,530
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(151)	(128)
Proceeds from finance assets	133	207
Other	(184)	(44)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(202)	35
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued	0	1,976
Long-term debt repaid	0	(933)
Repurchases of common stock	(2,359)	(512)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,544)	(3,321)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt	0	(809)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(47)	(37)
Net cash used in financing activities	(5,950)	(3,636)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Decrease	(1,987)	(71)
Balance at beginning of period	4,569	2,369
Balance at end of period	2,582	2,298
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	4,777	4,271
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	(4)	(3)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(4)	(3)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued		1,976
Long-term debt repaid		(933)
Repurchases of common stock	(2,359)	(512)
Dividends paid on common stock	(3,544)	(3,321)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(813)	(715)
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		(809)
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(40)	(28)
Net cash used in financing activities	(6,756)	(4,342)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Decrease	(1,983)	(74)
Balance at beginning of period	4,521	2,313
Balance at end of period	2,538	2,239
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	3,685	3,582
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(21)	(23)
Proceeds from finance assets	0	0
Other	2	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(19)	(23)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued		0
Long-term debt repaid		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	182	128
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(3,849)	(3,686)
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,667)	(3,558)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Decrease	(1)	1
Balance at beginning of period	1	0
Balance at end of period	0	1
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	639	8
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(130)	(105)
Proceeds from finance assets	133	207
Other	(182)	(41)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(179)	61
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Long-term debt issued		0
Long-term debt repaid		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	631	587
Premiums and fees related to early extinguishment of debt		0
Cash dividends paid to parent	(1,087)	(645)
Other	(7)	(9)
Net cash used in financing activities	(463)	(67)
Cash and cash equivalents:
Decrease	(3)	2
Balance at beginning of period	47	56
Balance at end of period	44	58
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(4,936)	(4,331)
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
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
Cash dividends paid to parent	4,936	4,331
Other	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	4,936	4,331
Cash and cash equivalents:
Decrease	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0