Litigation Escrow Deposit

No definition available.

Name:	mo_LitigationEscrowDeposit
Namespace Prefix:	mo_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest expense (income) directly attributable to an award in settlement of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow reducing loss contingency liability.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualPayments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount charged against operating income increasing loss contingency liability, after adjustments to reduce previously estimated charges.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualProvision
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of damages paid to the plaintiff in the legal matter.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14557-108349

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121557415&loc=d3e14326-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesPaidValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=mo_InterestExpenseRelatedToLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_AssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_PendingLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=mo_PhilipMorrisUSAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_TobaccoandHealthJudgmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=mo_LitigationCasesResultsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=mo_EngleProgenyCasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Contingencies (Judgments Paid and Provisions for Tobacco and Health Litigation) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		204 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at beginning of period	$ 0	$ 22	$ 9	$ 14
Payments	(8)	(47)	(60)	(81)
Accrued liability for tobacco and health litigation items at end of period	97	9	97	9	$ 97
Related Interest Costs [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Provision related to litigation recorded	6	0	6	3
Assets [Member] \| Pending Litigation [Member] \| PM USA [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Security posted for appeal of judgments	45		45		45
Tobacco and Health Judgment [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Judgments paid (approximately)					865
Litigation settlement interest expense (income)					218
Tobacco and Health Judgment [Member] \| Tobacco and Health and Certain Other Litigation [Member]
Loss Contingency Accrual [Roll Forward]
Provision related to litigation recorded	$ 99	$ 34	$ 142	$ 73
Engle Progeny Cases [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Judgments paid (approximately)					410
Litigation settlement interest expense (income)					$ 56