Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Icahn Enterprises Holdings	Limited partners	Limited partners Icahn Enterprises Holdings	General partner	General partner Icahn Enterprises Holdings	Total Partners' Equity	Total Partners' Equity Icahn Enterprises Holdings	Non-controlling Interests	Non-controlling Interests Icahn Enterprises Holdings
Equity at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 10,033	$ 10,057	$ 4,244	$ 4,310	$ (257)	$ (299)	$ 3,987	$ 4,011	$ 6,046	$ 6,046
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(2,220)	(2,219)	(1,106)	(1,116)	(22)	(11)	(1,128)	(1,127)	(1,092)	(1,092)
Other comprehensive income	(127)	(127)	(104)	(106)	(3)	(1)	(107)	(107)	(20)	(20)
Partnership distributions	(103)	(103)	(101)	(102)	(2)	(1)	(103)	(103)	0	0
Partnership contributions	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	0
Investment segment contributions	505	505	0	0	0	0	0	0	505	505
Investment segment distributions	(7)	(7)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(7)	(7)
Dividends and distributions to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries	(86)	(86)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(86)	(86)
LP unit issuance	35	35	35	35	0	0	35	35	0	0
Changes in subsidiary equity and other	(14)	(14)	(520)	(525)	(11)	(6)	(531)	(531)	517	517
Equity at Dec. 31, 2016	8,017	8,042	2,448	2,496	(294)	(317)	2,154	2,179	5,863	5,863
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	2,591	2,593	2,382	2,408	48	24	2,430	2,432	161	161
Other comprehensive income	173	173	154	155	3	2	157	157	16	16
Partnership distributions	(81)	(81)	(79)	(80)	(2)	(1)	(81)	(81)	0	0
Partnership contributions	612	612	600	606	12	6	612	612	0	0
Investment segment contributions	600	600	0	0	0	0	0	0	600	600
Dividends and distributions to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries	(92)	(92)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(92)	(92)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of accounting principal	(47)	(47)	(46)	(47)	(1)	0	(47)	(47)	0	0
Changes in subsidiary equity and other	(405)	(405)	(118)	(118)	(1)	(1)	(119)	(119)	(286)	(286)
Equity at Dec. 31, 2017	11,368	11,395	5,341	5,420	(235)	(287)	5,106	5,133	6,262	6,262
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	2,046	2,047	2,063	2,085	(556)	(577)	1,507	1,508	539	539
Other comprehensive income	(68)	(68)	(60)	(60)	(1)	(1)	(61)	(61)	(7)	(7)
Partnership distributions	(97)	(97)	(95)	(96)	(2)	(1)	(97)	(97)	0	0
Investment segment contributions	310	310	0	0	0	0	0	0	310	310
Dividends and distributions to non-controlling interests in subsidiaries	(153)	(153)	0	0	0	0	0	0	(153)	(153)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of accounting principal	(29)	(29)	(28)	(29)	(1)	0	(29)	(29)	0	0
Changes in subsidiary equity and other	(472)	(472)	98	101	5	2	103	103	(575)	(575)
Equity at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 12,905	$ 12,933	$ 7,319	$ 7,421	$ (790)	$ (864)	$ 6,529	$ 6,557	$ 6,376	$ 6,376