Subsidiary Guarantees of Debt - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 205	$ 224	$ 229	$ 191
Receivables, net	1,022	885
Inventories, net	956	898
Deferred taxes and other current assets	140	177
Total current assets	2,323	2,184
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,730	2,686
Goodwill	2,251	2,177
Restricted cash	2,099	2,154
Intangibles and other assets, net	656	496
Total assets	10,059	9,697
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	391	77
Accounts payable	1,259	1,501
Accrued employee costs	158	229
Other current liabilities	424	335
Total current liabilities	2,232	2,142
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	5,408	4,974
Employee benefit obligations	1,126	1,147
Deferred taxes and other liabilities	215	173
Total liabilities	8,981	8,436
Common stock	978	962
Retained earnings	4,412	4,557
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(609)	(640)
Treasury stock, at cost	(3,713)	(3,628)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	1,068	1,251
Noncontrolling interests	10	10
Total shareholders' equity	1,078	1,261
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	10,059	9,697
Eliminating Adjustments
Current assets
Intercompany receivables	(770)	(660)
Total current assets	(770)	(660)
Noncurrent assets
Investment in subsidiaries	(6,063)	(5,902)
Total assets	(6,833)	(6,562)
Current liabilities
Intercompany payables	(770)	(660)
Total current liabilities	(770)	(660)
Noncurrent liabilities
Total liabilities	(770)	(660)
Common stock	(1,417)	(1,417)
Preferred stock	(5)	(5)
Retained earnings	(5,452)	(5,338)
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	811	858
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	(6,063)	(5,902)
Total shareholders' equity	(6,063)	(5,902)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	(6,833)	(6,562)
Ball Corporation
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	3	5	1	2
Ball Corporation | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	4	5
Receivables, net	9	40
Intercompany receivables	269	137
Deferred taxes and other current assets	67	49
Total current assets	349	231
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	17	14
Investment in subsidiaries	3,794	3,688
Restricted cash	2,099	2,154
Intangibles and other assets, net	319	171
Total assets	6,578	6,258
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	99	1
Accounts payable	22	19
Intercompany payables	114	105
Accrued employee costs	10	16
Other current liabilities	234	146
Total current liabilities	479	287
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	5,314	4,859
Employee benefit obligations	321	342
Intercompany long-term notes	(583)
Deferred taxes and other liabilities	(21)	(481)
Total liabilities	5,510	5,007
Common stock	978	962
Retained earnings	4,412	4,557
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(609)	(640)
Treasury stock, at cost	(3,713)	(3,628)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	1,068	1,251
Total shareholders' equity	1,068	1,251
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	6,578	6,258
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	5
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	4
Receivables, net	254	224
Intercompany receivables	482	517
Inventories, net	525	516
Deferred taxes and other current assets	21	84
Total current assets	1,286	1,341
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,029	1,026
Investment in subsidiaries	2,190	2,135
Goodwill	996	967
Intangibles and other assets, net	106	102
Total assets	5,607	5,571
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	671	792
Intercompany payables	4	1
Accrued employee costs	82	133
Other current liabilities	59	60
Total current liabilities	816	986
Noncurrent liabilities
Employee benefit obligations	455	466
Intercompany long-term notes	349
Deferred taxes and other liabilities	133	375
Total liabilities	1,753	1,827
Common stock	1,042	1,042
Retained earnings	3,357	3,276
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(545)	(574)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	3,854	3,744
Total shareholders' equity	3,854	3,744
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	5,607	5,571
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	197	219	$ 228	$ 189
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	197	219
Receivables, net	759	621
Intercompany receivables	19	6
Inventories, net	431	382
Deferred taxes and other current assets	52	44
Total current assets	1,458	1,272
Noncurrent assets
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,684	1,646
Investment in subsidiaries	79	79
Goodwill	1,255	1,210
Intangibles and other assets, net	231	223
Total assets	4,707	4,430
Current liabilities
Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt	292	76
Accounts payable	566	690
Intercompany payables	652	554
Accrued employee costs	66	80
Other current liabilities	131	129
Total current liabilities	1,707	1,529
Noncurrent liabilities
Long-term debt	94	115
Employee benefit obligations	350	339
Intercompany long-term notes	234
Deferred taxes and other liabilities	103	279
Total liabilities	2,488	2,262
Common stock	375	375
Preferred stock	5	5
Retained earnings	2,095	2,062
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss)	(266)	(284)
Total Ball Corporation shareholders' equity	2,209	2,158
Noncontrolling interests	10	10
Total shareholders' equity	2,219	2,168
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 4,707	$ 4,430