Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statements Of Earnings And Comprehensive Earnings) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	$ 5,647	$ 5,643
Cost of sales	1,792	1,795
Excise taxes on products	1,653	1,700
Gross profit	2,202	2,148
Marketing, administration and research costs	534	601
Asset impairment and exit costs	21	2
Amortization of intangibles	5	6
Operating (expense) income	1,642	1,539
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	293	278
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(178)	(189)
(Loss) earnings before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries	1,527	1,450
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	554	512
Net earnings	973	938
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	973	937
Comprehensive earnings	1,175	1,031
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,175	1,030
Altria Group, Inc. [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues
Marketing, administration and research costs	34	45
Operating (expense) income	(34)	(45)
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	185	165
Earnings from equity investment in SABMiller	(178)	(189)
(Loss) earnings before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries	(41)	(21)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(36)	(30)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	978	928
Net earnings		937
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	973	937
Comprehensive earnings		1,030
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	1,175	1,030
PM USA [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	4,922	5,011
Cost of sales	1,599	1,617
Excise taxes on products	1,577	1,619
Gross profit	1,746	1,775
Marketing, administration and research costs	431	498
Asset impairment and exit costs	20	2
Operating (expense) income	1,295	1,275
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	(1)	(2)
(Loss) earnings before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries	1,296	1,277
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	482	473
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	49	25
Net earnings		829
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	863	829
Comprehensive earnings		833
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	862	833
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	731	638
Cost of sales	199	184
Excise taxes on products	76	81
Gross profit	456	373
Marketing, administration and research costs	69	58
Asset impairment and exit costs	1
Amortization of intangibles	5	6
Operating (expense) income	381	309
Interest and other debt expense (income), net	109	115
(Loss) earnings before income taxes and equity earnings of subsidiaries	272	194
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	108	69
Net earnings		125
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	164	124
Comprehensive earnings		151
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests		(1)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	185	150
Total Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net revenues	(6)	(6)
Cost of sales	(6)	(6)
Equity earnings of subsidiaries	(1,027)	(953)
Net earnings		(953)
Net earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	(1,027)	(953)
Comprehensive earnings		(983)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to Altria Group, Inc.	$ (1,047)	$ (983)