Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ 479	$ 291
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(40)	(69)
Other	1	18
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	129	72
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	90	21
Issuances of short-term borrowings		200
Long-term debt issued	1,494	797
Long-term debt repaid		(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(575)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,589)	(1,435)
Issuances of common stock	29	39
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(23)	(5)
Other	(155)	(150)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(819)	(1,329)
(Decrease) Increase	(250)	(1,017)
Balance at beginning of period	2,314	1,871
Balance at end of period	2,064	854
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(427)	(201)
Financial services
Issuances of short-term borrowings		200
Long-term debt issued	1,494	797
Long-term debt repaid		(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(575)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,589)	(1,435)
Issuances of common stock	29	39
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(975)	(1,441)
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(23)	(5)
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	1,783	1,766
Other	26	27
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	170	(827)
(Decrease) Increase	(257)	(1,028)
Balance at beginning of period	2,298	1,862
Balance at end of period	2,041	834
PM USA [Member]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	967	300
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(10)	(22)
Other	1	2
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(9)	(20)
Issuances of short-term borrowings
Long-term debt issued
Long-term debt repaid
Dividends paid on common stock
Issuances of common stock
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	880	1,501
Financing fees and debt issuance costs
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	(1,728)	(1,700)
Other	(110)	(80)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(958)	(279)
(Decrease) Increase		1
Balance at beginning of period
Balance at end of period		1
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(61)	192
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(30)	(47)
Other		16
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	129	72
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	99	41
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	95	(60)
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries	(55)	(66)
Other	(71)	(97)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(31)	(223)
(Decrease) Increase	7	10
Balance at beginning of period	16	9
Balance at end of period	23	19
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
Consumer products
Capital expenditures
Other
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
Issuances of short-term borrowings
Long-term debt issued
Long-term debt repaid
Dividends paid on common stock
Issuances of common stock
Changes in amounts due to/from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Financing fees and debt issuance costs
Cash dividends received from/(paid by) subsidiaries
Other
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
(Decrease) Increase
Balance at beginning of period
Balance at end of period
Consolidated [Member]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	479	291
Consumer products
Capital expenditures	(40)	(69)
Other	1	18
Financial services
Proceeds from finance assets	129	72
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	90	21
Issuances of short-term borrowings		200
Long-term debt issued	1,494	797
Long-term debt repaid		(775)
Repurchases of common stock	(575)
Dividends paid on common stock	(1,589)	(1,435)
Issuances of common stock	29	39
Financing fees and debt issuance costs	(23)	(5)
Other	(155)	(150)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(819)	(1,329)
(Decrease) Increase	(250)	(1,017)
Balance at beginning of period	2,314	1,871
Balance at end of period	$ 2,064	$ 854