CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Total W.P. Carey Stockholders	$0.001 Par Value Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Distributions in Excess of Accumulated Earnings	Deferred Compensation Obligation	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Noncontrolling interests
Beginning equity balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 7,583,451	$ 7,581,785	$ 190	$ 9,977,686	$ (2,224,231)	$ 49,810	$ (221,670)	$ 1,666
Beginning equity balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021			190,013,751
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued to stockholders of CPA:18 – Global in connection with CPA:18 Merger	1,205,750	1,205,750	$ 14	1,205,736
Shares issued to stockholders of CPA:18 – Global in connection with CPA:18 Merger, (in shares)			13,786,302
Shares issued under our prior ATM Program, net	218,101	218,101	$ 3	218,098
Shares issued under our prior ATM Program, net (in shares)			2,740,295
Shares issued under forward equity, net	97,455	97,455	$ 1	97,454
Shares issued under ATM Forwards, net, (in shares)			1,337,500
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards	(6,612)	(6,612)		(6,612)
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards (in shares)			152,830
Shares issued upon purchases under employee share purchase plan (in shares)			2,040
Shares issued upon purchases under employee share purchase plan	155	155		155
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	23,102	23,102		23,102
Deferral of vested shares, net	0	0		(6,696)		6,696
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	14,367							14,367
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(176)							(176)
Dividends declared	(633,745)	(633,745)		1,380	(635,631)	506
Net income	388,979	389,601			389,601			(622)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(109,198)	(108,655)					(108,655)	(543)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments	50,956	50,956					50,956
Reclassification of unrealized gain on investments to net income	(18,688)	(18,688)					(18,688)
Ending equity balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022			208,032,718
Ending equity balance at Sep. 30, 2022	8,813,897	8,799,205	$ 208	11,510,303	(2,470,261)	57,012	(298,057)	14,692
Beginning equity balance at Jun. 30, 2022	7,641,462	7,639,823	$ 193	10,201,614	(2,352,839)	57,012	(266,157)	1,639
Beginning equity balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022			192,891,792
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued to stockholders of CPA:18 – Global in connection with CPA:18 Merger	1,205,750	1,205,750	$ 14	1,205,736
Shares issued to stockholders of CPA:18 – Global in connection with CPA:18 Merger, (in shares)			13,786,302
Shares issued under forward equity, net	97,455	97,455	$ 1	97,454
Shares issued under ATM Forwards, net, (in shares)			1,337,500
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards	(12)	(12)		(12)
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards (in shares)			17,124
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	5,511	5,511		5,511
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	14,367							14,367
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(111)							(111)
Dividends declared	(222,350)	(222,350)			(222,350)
Net income	104,268	104,928			104,928			(660)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(56,053)	(55,510)					(55,510)	(543)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments	23,610	23,610					23,610
Reclassification of unrealized gain on investments to net income	0
Ending equity balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2022			208,032,718
Ending equity balance at Sep. 30, 2022	8,813,897	8,799,205	$ 208	11,510,303	(2,470,261)	57,012	(298,057)	14,692
Beginning equity balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 9,008,644	8,993,646	$ 211	11,706,836	(2,486,633)	57,012	(283,780)	14,998
Beginning equity balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	210,620,949		210,620,949
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued under forward equity, net	$ 249,863	249,863	$ 3	249,860
Shares issued under ATM Forwards, net, (in shares)			3,081,867
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards	(13,679)	(13,679)		(13,679)
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards (in shares)			218,266
Shares issued upon purchases under employee share purchase plan (in shares)			4,735
Shares issued upon purchases under employee share purchase plan	294	294		294
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	25,811	25,811		25,811
Deferral of vested shares, net				(4,521)		4,521
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	3,663		3,663				(3,663)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	2,886							2,886
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(3,059)							(3,059)
Dividends declared	(691,237)	(691,237)		2,295	(694,045)	513
Net income	564,020	564,040			564,040			(20)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	7,092	7,344					7,344	(252)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments	(5,384)	(5,384)					(5,384)
Reclassification of unrealized gain on investments to net income	$ 0
Ending equity balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023	213,925,817		213,925,817
Ending equity balance at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 9,145,251	9,134,361	$ 214	11,970,559	(2,616,638)	62,046	(281,820)	10,890
Beginning equity balance at Jun. 30, 2023	9,246,932	9,230,573	$ 214	11,959,060	(2,510,816)	62,046	(279,931)	16,359
Beginning equity balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2023			213,901,170
W.P. Carey Stockholders
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards	(61)	(61)		(61)
Shares issued upon delivery of vested restricted share awards (in shares)			24,647
Amortization of stock-based compensation expense	9,050	9,050		9,050
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest	0	2,510		2,510				(2,510)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,779)							(2,779)
Dividends declared	(230,862)	(230,862)			(230,862)
Net income	124,999	125,040			125,040			(41)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(8,844)	(8,705)					(8,705)	(139)
Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative instruments	6,816	6,816					6,816
Reclassification of unrealized gain on investments to net income	$ 0
Ending equity balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2023	213,925,817		213,925,817
Ending equity balance at Sep. 30, 2023	$ 9,145,251	$ 9,134,361	$ 214	$ 11,970,559	$ (2,616,638)	$ 62,046	$ (281,820)	$ 10,890