Condensed Balance Sheets By Reporting Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 2,154	$ 2,912	$ 3,333	$ 3,262
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,770	1,435
Investments	14,466	14,500
Accounts receivable, net	2,027	1,691
Inventories, net	2,339	1,879
Property, plant and equipment, net	9,666	8,955
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3,225	3,088
Other assets	1,631	1,320
Total assets	37,278	35,780
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	5,452	4,877
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	977	337
Due to brokers	3,922	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability	1,365	1,391
Debt	12,120	11,588
Total assets	23,836	23,390
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,687	5,443
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	7,755	6,947
Total equity	13,442	12,390	14,727	13,309
Total liabilities and equity	37,278	35,780
Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	10	2
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,663	1,366
Investments	13,952	13,961
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	479	131
Total assets	16,104	15,460
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,119	864
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	977	337
Due to brokers	3,922	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total assets	6,018	6,398
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	4,646	4,284
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	5,440	4,778
Total equity	10,086	9,062
Total liabilities and equity	16,104	15,460
Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	252	332
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	275	269
Accounts receivable, net	1,631	1,356
Inventories, net	1,628	1,215
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,326	2,160
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,897	1,744
Other assets	469	453
Total assets	8,478	7,529
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	2,150	1,933
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	1,306	1,328
Debt	2,925	2,690
Total assets	6,381	5,951
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,729	1,231
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	368	347
Total equity	2,097	1,578
Total liabilities and equity	8,478	7,529
Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	938	754
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	0	0
Investments	0	77
Accounts receivable, net	180	137
Inventories, net	349	330
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,670	2,692
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	1,174	1,184
Other assets	121	160
Total assets	5,432	5,334
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	1,420	1,471
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	674	675
Total assets	2,094	2,146
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	1,731	1,612
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	1,607	1,576
Total equity	3,338	3,188
Total liabilities and equity	5,432	5,334
Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	7	19
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	4	4
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	46	51
Inventories, net	61	67
Property, plant and equipment, net	147	144
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	8
Other assets	27	22
Total assets	299	315
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	54	60
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	2	2
Debt	1	3
Total assets	57	65
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	242	250
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	242	250
Total liabilities and equity	299	315
Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	432	412
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	45	35
Investments	31	29
Accounts receivable, net	41	41
Inventories, net	117	117
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,643	2,376
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	7	7
Other assets	98	103
Total assets	3,414	3,120
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	298	294
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	8	9
Debt	2,391	2,133
Total assets	2,697	2,436
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	728	711
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	(11)	(27)
Total equity	717	684
Total liabilities and equity	3,414	3,120
Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	185	196
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	14	16
Investments	36	33
Accounts receivable, net	11	9
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	742	719
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	75	75
Other assets	209	212
Total assets	1,272	1,260
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	125	130
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	294	295
Total assets	419	425
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	590	578
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	263	257
Total equity	853	835
Total liabilities and equity	1,272	1,260
Mining Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	47	0
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	5	0
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	6	0
Inventories, net	37	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	294	0
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	28	0
Total assets	417	0
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	60	0
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	45	0
Total assets	105	0
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	241	0
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	71	0
Total equity	312	0
Total liabilities and equity	417	0
Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	37	39
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1	1
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	66	63
Inventories, net	79	77
Property, plant and equipment, net	150	154
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	9	9
Other assets	90	93
Total assets	432	436
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	62	64
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	49	52
Debt	272	274
Total assets	383	390
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	32	30
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	17	16
Total equity	49	46
Total liabilities and equity	432	436
Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	17	24
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	30	2
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	3	4
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	618	633
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	53	58
Other assets	19	24
Total assets	740	745
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	18	20
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	30	32
Total assets	48	52
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	692	693
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	692	693
Total liabilities and equity	740	745
Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	7	11
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	5	8
Investments	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	43	30
Inventories, net	68	73
Property, plant and equipment, net	73	74
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	3	3
Other assets	9	9
Total assets	208	208
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	29	28
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	0	0
Total assets	29	28
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	179	180
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	179	180
Total liabilities and equity	208	208
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	222	1,123
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	3	3
Investments	172	131
Accounts receivable, net	0	0
Inventories, net	0	0
Property, plant and equipment, net	3	3
Goodwill and intangible assets, net	0	0
Other assets	82	113
Total assets	482	1,373
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	117	13
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	0	0
Due to brokers	0	0
Post-employment benefit liability	0	0
Debt	5,488	5,486
Total assets	5,605	5,499
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	(5,123)	(4,126)
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	0	0
Total equity	(5,123)	(4,126)
Total liabilities and equity	482	1,373
Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2,154	2,912	3,333	3,262
Cash held at consolidated affiliated partnerships and restricted cash	1,770	1,435
Investments	14,466	14,500
Accounts receivable, net	2,027	1,691
Inventories, net	2,339	1,879
Property, plant and equipment, net	9,666	8,955
Total assets	37,302	35,803
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Securities sold, not yet purchased, at fair value	977	337
Due to brokers	3,922	5,197
Post-employment benefit liability	1,365	1,391
Debt	12,120	11,588
Total assets	23,836	23,390
Equity attributable to Icahn Enterprises	5,711	5,466
Equity attributable to non-controlling interests	7,755	6,947
Total equity	13,466	12,413	$ 14,750	$ 13,331
Total liabilities and equity	37,302	35,803
Holding Company [Member] | Investment Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	16,104	15,460
Holding Company [Member] | Automotive Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	8,478	7,529
Holding Company [Member] | Energy Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	5,432	5,334
Holding Company [Member] | Metals Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	299	315
Holding Company [Member] | Railcar Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	3,414	3,120
Holding Company [Member] | Gaming Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	1,272	1,260
Holding Company [Member] | Mining Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	417	0
Holding Company [Member] | Food Packaging Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	432	436
Holding Company [Member] | Real Estate Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	740	745
Holding Company [Member] | Home Fashion Segment [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	208	208
Holding Company [Member] | Holding Company [Member]
ASSETS
Total assets	$ 506	$ 1,396