Benefit Plans - Schedule of Fair Value of Pension Plan Assets by Three Level Fair Value Hierarchy (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		$ 5,669	$ 6,152
Cash and cash-equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		21	67
U.S. equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	[1]	2,323	2,503
International equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		797	1,130
Fixed income securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		2,528	2,452
Level 1
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		1,397	1,605
Level 1 | Cash and cash-equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		21	67
Level 1 | U.S. equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	[1]	1,204	1,333
Level 1 | International equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		161	195
Level 1 | Fixed income securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		11	10
Level 2
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		4,272	4,547
Level 2 | Cash and cash-equivalents
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		0	0
Level 2 | U.S. equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets	[1]	1,119	1,170
Level 2 | International equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		636	935
Level 2 | Fixed income securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Fair value of plan assets		$ 2,517	$ 2,442
Minimum | U.S. equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage	[1]	30.00%
Minimum | International equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage		11.00%
Minimum | Fixed income securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage		35.00%
Maximum | U.S. equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage	[1]	50.00%
Maximum | International equity securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage		18.00%
Maximum | Fixed income securities
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage		53.00%
BB&T Corporation | Maximum
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Target Allocation, Percentage		10.00%

[1] The plan may hold up to 10% of its assets in BB&T common stock.