v3.25.2
Business segment data - Earnings data (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Jun. 30, 2024
Jun. 30, 2025
Jun. 30, 2024
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues $ 92,515 $ 93,653 $ 182,240 $ 183,522
Costs and Expenses:        
Interest expense 1,253 1,230 2,510 2,546
Total costs and expenses 79,384 79,625 157,652 156,157
Earnings before income taxes 14,750 38,137 19,898 53,843
BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 5,746 5,787 11,445 11,424
BHE [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,405 6,480 12,749 12,745
Manufacturing [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 19,940 19,807 38,692 38,318
Service and Retailing [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 10,671 9,922 20,783 19,594
Pilot [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 10,095 12,984 20,517 25,478
McLane [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 12,399 12,271 24,415 24,571
Operating Businesses [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 91,802 93,571 180,761 183,356
Costs and Expenses:        
Interest expense 1,316 1,204 2,625 2,440
Earnings before income taxes 13,378 13,302 24,993 25,788
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 26,248 26,030 51,623 50,668
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 14,073 14,107 28,719 27,555
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,132 954 2,200 1,899
Other segment items 4,506 4,054 8,884 7,821
Total costs and expenses 19,711 19,115 39,803 37,275
Earnings before income taxes 6,537 6,915 11,820 13,393
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 22,195 21,953 43,999 43,427
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 14,073 14,107 28,719 27,555
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,132 954 2,200 1,899
Other segment items 4,456 4,045 8,824 7,800
Total costs and expenses 19,661 19,106 39,743 37,254
Earnings before income taxes 2,534 2,847 4,256 6,173
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | GEICO [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 11,064 10,469 21,816 20,703
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 7,945 7,755 15,369 15,169
Other segment items 1,298 928 2,453 1,820
Total costs and expenses 9,243 8,683 17,822 16,989
Earnings before income taxes 1,821 1,786 3,994 3,714
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BH Primary [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 4,677 4,656 9,254 9,197
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 3,193 3,093 6,645 5,905
Other segment items 1,421 1,284 2,690 2,527
Total costs and expenses 4,614 4,377 9,335 8,432
Earnings before income taxes 63 279 (81) 765
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Underwriting [Member] | BHRG [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,454 6,828 12,929 13,527
Costs and Expenses:        
Losses and LAE 2,935 3,259 6,705 6,481
Life, annuity and health benefits 1,132 954 2,200 1,899
Other segment items 1,737 1,833 3,681 3,453
Total costs and expenses 5,804 6,046 12,586 11,833
Earnings before income taxes 650 782 343 1,694
Operating Businesses [Member] | Insurance Group [Member] | Investment Income [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 4,053 4,077 7,624 7,241
Costs and Expenses:        
Other segment items 50 9 60 21
Total costs and expenses 50 9 60 21
Earnings before income taxes 4,003 4,068 7,564 7,220
Operating Businesses [Member] | BNSF [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 5,769 5,805 11,489 11,465
Costs and Expenses:        
Compensation and benefits 1,372 1,321 2,759 2,733
Fuel 698 822 1,468 1,676
Depreciation and amortization 679 663 1,350 1,320
Interest expense 270 267 542 532
Other segment items 941 1,110 1,958 2,063
Total costs and expenses 3,960 4,183 8,077 8,324
Earnings before income taxes 1,809 1,622 3,412 3,141
Operating Businesses [Member] | BHE [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 6,418 6,492 12,774 12,769
Costs and Expenses:        
Energy Cost of Sales 1,434 1,527 2,965 3,197
Energy Operations and Maintenance 1,392 1,562 2,641 2,797
Energy Depreciation and Amortization 1,054 976 2,063 1,958
Real estate operating costs and expenses 1,210 1,240 2,081 2,326
Interest expense 664 625 1,310 1,270
Other segment items 279 236 606 463
Total costs and expenses 6,033 6,166 11,666 12,011
Earnings before income taxes 385 326 1,108 758
Operating Businesses [Member] | Manufacturing [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 19,969 19,840 38,735 38,369
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 12,980 13,058 25,309 25,290
Cost of leasing 305 287 599 530
Interest expense 298 195 583 393
Other segment items 3,139 3,171 6,281 6,113
Total costs and expenses 16,722 16,711 32,772 32,326
Earnings before income taxes 3,247 3,129 5,963 6,043
Operating Businesses [Member] | Service and Retailing [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 10,688 9,947 20,825 19,650
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 6,394 5,959 12,458 11,745
Cost of leasing 1,587 1,457 3,176 2,905
Interest expense 29 29 56 58
Other segment items 1,573 1,533 3,089 3,065
Total costs and expenses 9,583 8,978 18,779 17,773
Earnings before income taxes 1,105 969 2,046 1,877
Operating Businesses [Member] | Pilot [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 10,109 12,999 20,539 25,502
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 9,010 11,893 18,294 23,450
Depreciation and amortization 260 251 517 496
Interest expense 49 83 121 177
Other segment items 720 656 1,441 1,287
Total costs and expenses 9,990 12,800 20,252 25,233
Earnings before income taxes 119 199 287 269
Operating Businesses [Member] | McLane [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]        
Revenues 12,601 12,458 24,776 24,933
Costs and Expenses:        
Cost of sales and services 11,505 11,430 22,606 22,873
Depreciation and amortization 47 49 96 99
Interest expense 6 5 13 10
Other segment items 873 837 1,717 1,654
Total costs and expenses 12,425 12,316 24,419 24,626
Earnings before income taxes $ 176 $ 142 $ 357 $ 307