| **FAIR VALUE (Sensitivity Analysis of Fair Value, Mortgage Servicing Rights) (Details) - MSRs $ in Millions**                                                                | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
| **Sensitivity Analysis of Fair Value of Interests Continued to be Held by Transferor, Servicing Assets or Liabilities, Impact of Adverse Change in Assumption [Line Items]** |                  |
| Sensitivity analysis of fair value, impact of 10 percent adverse change in prepayment speed                                                                                  | $ (5.0)               |
| Sensitivity analysis of fair value, impact of 20 percent adverse change in prepayment speed                                                                                  | (9.5)                 |
| Sensitivity analysis of fair value, impact of 10 percent adverse change in discount rate                                                                                     | (5.0)                 |
| Sensitivity analysis of fair value, impact of 20 percent adverse change in discount rate                                                                                     | $ (9.6)               |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The hypothetical financial impact of a 10 percent adverse change of the discount rate on the fair value of transferor's interests in transferred financial assets (including any servicing assets or servicing liabilities) as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107314-111719
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The hypothetical financial impact of a 10 percent adverse change of prepayment speed on the fair value of transferor's interests in transferred financial assets (including any servicing assets or servicing liabilities) as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107314-111719
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SensitivityAnalysisOfFairValueOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesImpactOf10PercentAdverseChangeInPrepaymentSpeed**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The hypothetical financial impact of a 20 percent adverse change of the discount rate on the fair value of transferor's interests in transferred financial assets (including any servicing assets or servicing liabilities) as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107314-111719
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SensitivityAnalysisOfFairValueOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesImpactOf20PercentAdverseChangeInDiscountRate**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The hypothetical financial impact of a 20 percent adverse change of prepayment speed on the fair value of transferor's interests in transferred financial assets (including any servicing assets or servicing liabilities) as of the balance sheet date.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107314-111719
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SensitivityAnalysisOfFairValueOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesImpactOf20PercentAdverseChangeInPrepaymentSpeed**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**instant |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_SensitivityAnalysisOfFairValueOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesImpactOfAdverseChangeInAssumptionLineItems**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_SensitivityAnalysisOfFairValueOfInterestsContinuedToBeHeldByTransferorServicingAssetsOrLiabilitiesImpactOfAdverseChangeInAssumptionByTypeOfFinancialInstrumentAxis=sov_ServicingAssetsMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |