Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 2,809	$ 2,675
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	(513)	(551)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,257)	(1,187)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	0	0
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(23)	(38)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,793)	(1,776)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(34)	(33)
Proceeds from finance assets	0	2
Other	(7)	(199)
Net cash used in investing activities	(41)	(230)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase	975	669
Balance at beginning of period	1,314	4,651
Balance at end of period	2,289	5,320
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	648	1,469
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	(513)	(551)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,257)	(1,187)
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	2,091	952
Cash dividends paid to parent	0	0
Other	(20)	(34)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	301	(820)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets		0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase	949	649
Balance at beginning of period	1,203	4,521
Balance at end of period	2,152	5,170
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | PM USA [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,923	3,017
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(2,439)	(1,675)
Cash dividends paid to parent	(446)	(1,325)
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,885)	(3,000)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(1)	(8)
Proceeds from finance assets		0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1)	(8)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase	37	9
Balance at beginning of period	62	83
Balance at end of period	99	92
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	189	14
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
Repurchases of common stock	0	0
Dividends paid on common stock	0	0
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	348	723
Cash dividends paid to parent	(505)	(500)
Other	(3)	(4)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(160)	219
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	(33)	(25)
Proceeds from finance assets		2
Other	(7)	(199)
Net cash used in investing activities	(40)	(222)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase	(11)	11
Balance at beginning of period	49	47
Balance at end of period	38	58
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Cash Provided by Operating Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities	(951)	(1,825)
Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities
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
Cash dividends paid to parent	951	1,825
Other	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	951	1,825
Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities
Capital expenditures	0	0
Proceeds from finance assets		0
Other	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Increase	0	0
Balance at beginning of period	0	0
Balance at end of period	$ 0	$ 0