Discontinued Operations Income From Discontinued Operations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income from discontinued operations	$ 0	$ 45
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises	$ 0	34
Discontinued operations, held for sale or disposed of by sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		2,120
Other revenues from operations		271
Net gain on investment activities		1
Interest and dividend income		2
Other (loss) income, net		9
Revenue		2,403
Cost of goods sold		1,823
Other expenses from operations		131
Selling, general and administrative		318
Interest expense		50
Expenses		2,322
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		81
Income tax expense		(36)
Income from discontinued operations		45
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		11
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		34
Capital expenditures		158
Depreciation and amortization		134
Federal-Mogul | Discontinued operations, held for sale or disposed of by sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		2,056
Other revenues from operations		0
Net gain on investment activities		0
Interest and dividend income		1
Other (loss) income, net		8
Revenue		2,065
Cost of goods sold		1,765
Other expenses from operations		0
Selling, general and administrative		220
Interest expense		44
Expenses		2,029
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		36
Income tax expense		(23)
Income from discontinued operations		13
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		3
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		10
Capital expenditures		118
Depreciation and amortization		100
Tropicana | Discontinued operations, held for sale or disposed of by sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		0
Other revenues from operations		219
Net gain on investment activities		0
Interest and dividend income		1
Other (loss) income, net		0
Revenue		220
Cost of goods sold		0
Other expenses from operations		102
Selling, general and administrative		89
Interest expense		1
Expenses		192
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		28
Income tax expense		(7)
Income from discontinued operations		21
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		3
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		18
Capital expenditures		21
Depreciation and amortization		19
ARI | Discontinued operations, held for sale or disposed of by sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net sales		64
Other revenues from operations		52
Net gain on investment activities		1
Interest and dividend income		0
Other (loss) income, net		1
Revenue		118
Cost of goods sold		58
Other expenses from operations		29
Selling, general and administrative		9
Interest expense		5
Expenses		101
Income from discontinued operations before income tax expense		17
Income tax expense		(6)
Income from discontinued operations		11
Less: income from discontinued operations attributable to non-controlling interests		5
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Icahn Enterprises		6
Capital expenditures		19
Depreciation and amortization		$ 15