Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,043	$ 2,314	$ 1,700	$ 1,871
Receivables	194	85
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	777	960
Other raw materials	182	160
Work in process	243	299
Finished product	423	384
Inventory, net	1,625	1,803
Deferred income taxes	1,187	1,165
Other current assets	526	614
Total current assets	6,575	5,981
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	4,762	5,150
Less accumulated depreciation	2,478	2,770
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,284	2,380
Goodwill	5,174	5,174
Other intangible assets, net	12,102	12,118
Investment in SABMiller	5,539	5,367
Other assets	1,694	1,851
Total consumer products assets	33,368	32,871
Financial services
Finance assets, net	3,814	4,502
Other assets	19	29
Total financial services assets	3,833	4,531
TOTAL ASSETS	37,201	37,402
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt	600
Accounts payable	326	529
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	400	447
Taxes, except income taxes	94	231
Employment costs	178	232
Settlement charges	3,141	3,535
Other	1,202	1,069
Income taxes	192
Dividends payable	846	797
Total current liabilities	6,979	6,840
Long-term debt	13,088	12,194
Deferred income taxes	4,839	4,618
Accrued pension costs	969	1,191
Accrued postretirement health care costs	2,430	2,402
Other liabilities	727	949
Total consumer products liabilities	29,032	28,194
Financial services
Deferred income taxes	3,241	3,880
Other liabilities	473	101
Total financial services liabilities	3,714	3,981
Total liabilities	32,746	32,175
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	34	32
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock	935	935
Additional paid-in capital	5,650	5,751
Earnings reinvested in the business	23,585	23,459
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(1,461)	(1,484)
Cost of repurchased stock	(24,290)	(23,469)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	4,419	5,192
Noncontrolling interests	2	3
Total stockholders' equity	4,421	5,195		4,072
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	37,201	37,402
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents	3,015	2,298	1,677	1,862
Receivables	115	1
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco
Other raw materials
Work in process
Finished product
Inventory, net
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	432	429
Deferred income taxes	10	18
Other current assets	6	64
Total current assets	3,578	2,810
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	2	2
Less accumulated depreciation	2	2
Property, plant and equipment, net
Goodwill
Other intangible assets, net
Investment in SABMiller	5,539	5,367
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	7,483	7,561
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	6,500	6,500
Other assets	1,384	1,511
Total consumer products assets	24,484	23,749
Financial services
Finance assets, net
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets
Total financial services assets
TOTAL ASSETS	24,484	23,749
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt
Accounts payable	69
Accrued liabilities:
Employment costs	26	30
Other	350	312
Income taxes	3
Dividends payable	846	797
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	3,658	3,674
Total current liabilities	4,952	4,813
Long-term debt	12,789	11,295
Deferred income taxes	1,861	1,800
Accrued pension costs	202	204
Other liabilities	261	445
Total consumer products liabilities	20,065	18,557
Financial services
Total liabilities	20,065	18,557
Contingencies
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock	935	935
Additional paid-in capital	5,650	5,751
Earnings reinvested in the business	23,585	23,459
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(1,461)	(1,484)
Cost of repurchased stock	(24,290)	(23,469)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	4,419	5,192
Total stockholders' equity	4,419	5,192
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	24,484	23,749
PM USA [Member]
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables	9	9
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	441	594
Other raw materials	141	121
Work in process	8
Finished product	161	145
Inventory, net	751	860
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	2,611	2,902
Deferred income taxes	1,191	1,190
Other current assets	454	420
Total current assets	5,016	5,381
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	3,307	3,749
Less accumulated depreciation	1,990	2,343
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,317	1,406
Goodwill
Other intangible assets, net	2	2
Investment in SABMiller
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	337	325
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets	572	680
Total consumer products assets	7,244	7,794
Financial services
Finance assets, net
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets
Total financial services assets
TOTAL ASSETS	7,244	7,794
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt
Accounts payable	122	215
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	384	347
Taxes, except income taxes	85	212
Employment costs	11	18
Settlement charges	3,136	3,531
Other	549	467
Income taxes	163
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	261	454
Total current liabilities	4,711	5,244
Accrued postretirement health care costs	1,494	1,500
Other liabilities	289	335
Total consumer products liabilities	6,494	7,079
Financial services
Total liabilities	6,494	7,079
Contingencies
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital	408	408
Earnings reinvested in the business	606	583
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(264)	(276)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	750	715
Total stockholders' equity	750	715
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	7,244	7,794
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents	28	16	23	9
Receivables	70	75
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	336	366
Other raw materials	41	39
Work in process	235	299
Finished product	262	239
Inventory, net	874	943
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	1,444	1,556
Deferred income taxes
Other current assets	66	130
Total current assets	2,482	2,720
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	1,453	1,399
Less accumulated depreciation	486	425
Property, plant and equipment, net	967	974
Goodwill	5,174	5,174
Other intangible assets, net	12,100	12,116
Investment in SABMiller
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets	124	98
Total consumer products assets	20,847	21,082
Financial services
Finance assets, net	3,814	4,502
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	601	690
Other assets	19	29
Total financial services assets	4,434	5,221
TOTAL ASSETS	25,281	26,303
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt	600
Accounts payable	135	314
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	16	100
Taxes, except income taxes	9	19
Employment costs	141	184
Settlement charges	5	4
Other	317	333
Income taxes	26
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	1,169	1,449
Total current liabilities	2,418	2,403
Long-term debt	299	899
Deferred income taxes	3,364	3,256
Accrued pension costs	767	987
Accrued postretirement health care costs	936	902
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	6,500	6,500
Other liabilities	177	169
Total consumer products liabilities	14,461	15,116
Financial services
Deferred income taxes	3,241	3,880
Other liabilities	473	101
Total financial services liabilities	3,714	3,981
Total liabilities	18,175	19,097
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	34	32
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock	9	9
Additional paid-in capital	8,238	8,217
Earnings reinvested in the business	183	385
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(1,360)	(1,440)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	7,070	7,171
Noncontrolling interests	2	3
Total stockholders' equity	7,072	7,174
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	25,281	26,303
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents
Receivables
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco
Other raw materials
Work in process
Finished product
Inventory, net
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(4,487)	(4,887)
Deferred income taxes	(14)	(43)
Other current assets
Total current assets	(4,501)	(4,930)
Property, plant and equipment, at cost
Less accumulated depreciation
Property, plant and equipment, net
Goodwill
Other intangible assets, net
Investment in SABMiller
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(7,820)	(7,886)
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(6,500)	(6,500)
Other assets	(386)	(438)
Total consumer products assets	(19,207)	(19,754)
Financial services
Finance assets, net
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(601)	(690)
Other assets
Total financial services assets	(601)	(690)
TOTAL ASSETS	(19,808)	(20,444)
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt
Accounts payable
Accrued liabilities:
Other	(14)	(43)
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(5,088)	(5,577)
Total current liabilities	(5,102)	(5,620)
Deferred income taxes	(386)	(438)
Due to Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries	(6,500)	(6,500)
Total consumer products liabilities	(11,988)	(12,558)
Financial services
Total liabilities	(11,988)	(12,558)
Contingencies
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock	(9)	(9)
Additional paid-in capital	(8,646)	(8,625)
Earnings reinvested in the business	(789)	(968)
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	1,624	1,716
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	(7,820)	(7,886)
Total stockholders' equity	(7,820)	(7,886)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	(19,808)	(20,444)
Consolidated [Member]
Consumer products
Cash and cash equivalents	3,043	2,314	1,700	1,871
Receivables	194	85
Inventories:
Leaf tobacco	777	960
Other raw materials	182	160
Work in process	243	299
Finished product	423	384
Inventory, net	1,625	1,803
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Deferred income taxes	1,187	1,165
Other current assets	526	614
Total current assets	6,575	5,981
Property, plant and equipment, at cost	4,762	5,150
Less accumulated depreciation	2,478	2,770
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,284	2,380
Goodwill	5,174	5,174
Other intangible assets, net	12,102	12,118
Investment in SABMiller	5,539	5,367
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets	1,694	1,851
Total consumer products assets	33,368	32,871
Financial services
Finance assets, net	3,814	4,502
Due from Altria Group, Inc. and subsidiaries
Other assets	19	29
Total financial services assets	3,833	4,531
TOTAL ASSETS	37,201	37,402
Consumer products
Current portion of long-term debt	600
Accounts payable	326	529
Accrued liabilities:
Marketing	400	447
Taxes, except income taxes	94	231
Employment costs	178	232
Settlement charges	3,141	3,535
Other	1,202	1,069
Income taxes	192
Dividends payable	846	797
Total current liabilities	6,979	6,840
Long-term debt	13,088	12,194
Deferred income taxes	4,839	4,618
Accrued pension costs	969	1,191
Accrued postretirement health care costs	2,430	2,402
Other liabilities	727	949
Total consumer products liabilities	29,032	28,194
Financial services
Deferred income taxes	3,241	3,880
Other liabilities	473	101
Total financial services liabilities	3,714	3,981
Total liabilities	32,746	32,175
Contingencies
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	34	32
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock	935	935
Additional paid-in capital	5,650	5,751
Earnings reinvested in the business	23,585	23,459
Accumulated other comprehensive losses	(1,461)	(1,484)
Cost of repurchased stock	(24,290)	(23,469)
Total stockholders' equity attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	4,419	5,192
Noncontrolling interests	2	3
Total stockholders' equity	4,421	5,195
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ 37,201	$ 37,402