Debt (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Minimum [Member] 5-Year Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Maximum [Member] 5-Year Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 5-Year Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 5-Year Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 3-Year Agreement [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 364- Day [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 May 5, 2011 4.75% Notes Due 2021 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Change of Control and Loss of Investment Grade Rating [Member]
Short-term borrowings	$ 0	$ 0
Initiation date					June 30, 2011
Expiration date					June 30, 2016		November 20, 2012	November 16, 2011
Aggregate principal borrowings available					3,000,000,000	3,000,000,000
Terminated revolving credit agreement							2,400,000,000	600,000,000
Marginal interest rate spread			0.75%	1.75%
Ratio of debt to consolidated EBITDA, maximum, numerator						3.0
Ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense, minimum, numerator						4.0
Ratio of debt to consolidated EBITDA, numerator	1.9
Ratio of consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest expense, numerator	6.4
Aggregate principal amount									1,500,000,000
Stated interest rate									4.75%
Maturity date									May 05, 2021
Required purchase price as percentage of aggregate principal amount										101.00%
Aggregate fair value of Altria's total debt	17,000,000,000	15,500,000,000
Carrying value of Altria's total debt	$ 13,700,000,000	$ 12,200,000,000