CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Investment Management:
Revenues	$ 290,530	$ 305,211	$ 599,529	$ 603,534
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	107,477	113,632	223,671	226,011
General and administrative	17,472	19,729	38,217	41,014
Reimbursable tenant costs	13,796	13,917	26,971	27,088
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,651	9,915	21,726	19,827
Stock-based compensation expense	2,918	4,936	5,579	9,101
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	2,411	3,821	6,441	7,689
Operating property expenses	1,388	10,874	6,611	21,468
Merger and other expenses	1,074	696	1,261	842
Subadvisor fees	192	1,650	1,469	3,852
Impairment charges	0	0	19,420	0
Total operating expenses	158,379	179,170	351,366	356,892
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(52,182)	(59,719)	(104,722)	(121,032)
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	33,983	3,951	(11,807)	9,442
Other gains and (losses)	8,847	(671)	4,424	284
(Loss) gain on sale of real estate, net	0	(362)	11,751	571
Total other income and expenses	(9,352)	(56,801)	(100,354)	(110,735)
Income before income taxes	122,799	69,240	147,809	135,907
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(7,595)	(3,119)	34,097	(990)
Net Income	115,204	66,121	181,906	134,917
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9,904)	(83)	(10,516)	(385)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	$ 105,300	$ 66,038	$ 171,390	$ 134,532
Basic earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.61	$ 0.39	$ 0.99	$ 0.79
Diluted earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 0.61	$ 0.38	$ 0.99	$ 0.79
Weighted-Average Shares Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	173,401,749	171,304,112	173,325,493	169,280,360
Diluted (in shares)	173,472,755	171,490,625	173,514,894	169,520,508
Real Estate
Real Estate:
Lease revenues	$ 280,303	$ 269,802	$ 562,413	$ 532,741
Lease termination income and other	1,917	6,304	8,426	9,574
Gross contract revenue	1,427	15,436	7,394	31,432
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	1,427	15,436	7,394	31,432
Revenues	283,647	291,542	578,233	573,747
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	107,477	112,666	222,684	224,079
General and administrative	17,472	15,001	32,394	30,189
Reimbursable tenant costs	13,796	13,917	26,971	27,088
Property expenses, excluding reimbursable tenant costs	11,651	9,915	21,726	19,827
Stock-based compensation expense	2,918	3,482	4,888	6,282
Operating property expenses	1,388	10,874	6,611	21,468
Merger and other expenses	935	696	803	842
Impairment charges	0	0	19,420	0
Total operating expenses	155,637	166,551	335,497	329,775
Other Income and Expenses
Interest expense	(52,182)	(59,719)	(104,722)	(121,032)
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	211	230	1,776	152
Other gains and (losses)	9,942	(1,362)	4,166	(392)
(Loss) gain on sale of real estate, net	0	(362)	11,751	571
Total other income and expenses	(42,029)	(61,213)	(87,029)	(120,701)
Income before income taxes	85,981	63,778	155,707	123,271
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(4,117)	(3,019)	27,683	(9,178)
Net Income	81,864	60,759	183,390	114,093
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(39)	9	(651)	83
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	81,825	60,768	182,739	114,176
Investment Management
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	6,883	13,669	21,296	29,787
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	6,883	13,669	21,296	29,787
Operating Expenses
Depreciation and amortization	0	966	987	1,932
General and administrative	0	4,728	5,823	10,825
Stock-based compensation expense	0	1,454	691	2,819
Reimbursable costs from affiliates	2,411	3,821	6,441	7,689
Merger and other expenses	139	0	458	0
Subadvisor fees	192	1,650	1,469	3,852
Total operating expenses	2,742	12,619	15,869	27,117
Other Income and Expenses
Equity in earnings (losses) of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and real estate	33,772	3,721	(13,583)	9,290
Other gains and (losses)	(1,095)	691	258	676
Total other income and expenses	32,677	4,412	(13,325)	9,966
Income before income taxes	36,818	5,462	(7,898)	12,636
(Provision for) benefit from income taxes	(3,478)	(100)	6,414	8,188
Net Income	33,340	5,362	(1,484)	20,824
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9,865)	(92)	(9,865)	(468)
Net Income Attributable to W. P. Carey	23,475	5,270	(11,349)	20,356
Investment Management | Asset management revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	4,472	9,790	14,361	19,522
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	4,472	9,790	14,361	19,522
Investment Management | Reimbursable costs from affiliates
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	2,411	3,821	6,441	7,689
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	2,411	3,821	6,441	7,689
Investment Management | Structuring and other advisory revenue
Real Estate:
Gross contract revenue	0	58	494	2,576
Investment Management:
Gross contract revenue	$ 0	$ 58	$ 494	$ 2,576