Business Segments - Segment Reporting, Reconciliation of Revenues, Operating Income and Assets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 682,432		$ 602,874	$ 1,997,364		$ 1,998,212
Operating income	181,521		175,491	605,922		612,649
General and administrative expenses	62,244		57,656	182,287		171,350
Depreciation and amortization expenses	252,702		201,903	660,456		656,639
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	56,634		55,066	181,839		172,267
Interest expense	(64,186)		(64,190)	(166,761)		(212,456)
Interest and other income, net	1,891		4,816	9,508		9,493
Foreign currency and derivative gains (losses), net	21,513		(18,872)	65,801		(46,327)
Losses on early extinguishment of debt, net	(1,955)		0	(2,657)		(30,596)
Earnings before income taxes	389,476		931,364	1,177,082		1,464,414
Total assets	38,268,162			38,268,162			$ 29,481,075
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	5,618,178			5,618,178			5,496,450
Assets held for sale or contribution	761,575	[1]		761,575	[1]		342,060
Notes receivable backed by real estate	0			0			34,260
Cash and cash equivalents	275,562		568,726	275,562		568,726	447,046	$ 807,316
Other assets	1,778,498			1,778,498			1,381,963
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	682,432		602,874	1,997,364		1,998,212
Operating income	496,467		435,050	1,448,665		1,440,638
Total assets	31,394,199			31,394,199			22,960,741
Operating Segments [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	611,290		534,832	1,717,564		1,692,471
Operating income	460,715		403,004	1,282,965		1,254,678
Total assets	31,352,426			31,352,426			22,918,099
Operating Segments [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	71,142		68,042	279,800		305,741
Operating income	35,752		32,046	165,700		185,960
Total assets	41,773			41,773			42,642
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	556,314		478,718	1,546,622		1,532,706
Operating income	422,682		363,802	1,159,981		1,144,176
Total assets	27,633,382			27,633,382			19,058,610
Operating Segments [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	19,040		17,340	53,014		159,925
Operating income	4,071		1,645	5,728		103,252
Total assets	16,120			16,120			16,818
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	29,091		23,157	89,470		54,690
Operating income	20,362		16,037	65,773		36,403
Total assets	1,644,248			1,644,248			1,767,385
Operating Segments [Member] | Other Americas [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	6,979		6,061	25,388		21,976
Operating income	3,988		3,934	15,927		14,666
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	13,806		16,369	43,916		56,676
Operating income	8,683		11,454	29,835		40,713
Total assets	1,047,842			1,047,842			1,008,340
Operating Segments [Member] | Europe [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	29,371		26,289	96,676		78,524
Operating income	20,162		16,497	67,207		49,229
Total assets	25,280			25,280			25,280
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Real Estate Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	12,079		16,588	37,556		48,399
Operating income	8,988		11,711	27,376		33,386
Total assets	1,026,954			1,026,954			1,083,764
Operating Segments [Member] | Asia [Member] | Strategic Capital [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	15,752		18,352	104,722		45,316
Operating income	7,531		9,970	76,838		18,813
Total assets	373			373			544
Reconciling Items [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	181,521		175,491	605,922		612,649
General and administrative expenses	62,244		57,656	182,287		171,350
Depreciation and amortization expenses	252,702		201,903	660,456		656,639
Earnings from unconsolidated entities, net	56,634		55,066	181,839		172,267
Interest expense	(64,186)		(64,190)	(166,761)		(212,456)
Interest and other income, net	1,891		4,816	9,508		9,493
Gains on dispositions of investments in real estate and revaluation of equity investments upon acquisition of a controlling interest, net	194,058		$ 779,053	483,430		$ 959,384
Total assets	6,873,963			6,873,963			6,520,334
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	5,618,178			5,618,178			5,496,450
Assets held for sale or contribution	761,575			761,575			342,060
Notes receivable backed by real estate	0			0			34,260
Cash and cash equivalents	275,562			275,562			447,046
Other assets	$ 218,648			$ 218,648			$ 200,518

[1] In October 2018, we and certain co-investment ventures sold a portfolio of operating buildings and land in Europe and the U.S. in a single transaction. Included in Assets Held for Sale Or Contribution is $412.2 million of properties owned by Prologis and our consolidated co-investment venture at September 30, 2018.