Segment Information (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss)
Revenues	$ 110,328	$ 108,202	$ 109,667	$ 98,750	$ 98,784	$ 97,987	$ 98,786	$ 101,149	$ 426,947	$ 396,706	$ 362,772
Expenses	(56,736)	(54,253)	(53,795)	(54,108)	(57,025)	(52,313)	(53,365)	(58,523)	(218,892)	(221,226)	(216,832)
Interest expense									(93,551)	(93,001)	(88,656)
Other income and expenses, excluding interest expense									16,304	21,901	3,686
Provision for income taxes									(8,885)	(10,725)	(1,467)
Gain on the sale of property									2,197	13,338	659
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ (10,569)	$ (9,147)	$ (10,935)	$ (9,264)	$ (8,332)	$ (9,193)	$ (7,640)	$ (7,677)	(39,915)	(32,842)	(28,935)
Income from continuing operations attributable to CPA®:17 – Global									84,205	74,151	31,227
Operating Segments | Net Lease
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss)
Revenues									366,904	340,791	307,185
Expenses									(136,838)	(132,206)	(122,625)
Interest expense									(85,138)	(85,563)	(80,073)
Other income and expenses, excluding interest expense									18,508	8,190	(2,766)
Provision for income taxes									(7,458)	(9,486)	1,011
Gain on the sale of property									2,197	12,451	659
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									(15,247)	(12,415)	(12,036)
Income from continuing operations attributable to CPA®:17 – Global									142,928	121,762	91,355
Operating Segments | Self-Storage
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss)
Revenues									46,418	42,091	35,993
Expenses									(32,575)	(32,797)	(33,623)
Interest expense									(7,655)	(7,723)	(7,755)
Other income and expenses, excluding interest expense									(1,858)	(2,032)	(1,148)
Provision for income taxes									(167)	(192)	(281)
Gain on the sale of property									0	790	0
Income from continuing operations attributable to CPA®:17 – Global									4,163	137	(6,814)
Operating Segments | All Other
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss)
Revenues									13,625	13,824	19,539
Expenses									(1,712)	(7,215)	(16,874)
Interest expense									404	906	106
Other income and expenses, excluding interest expense									(1,691)	17,541	(3,603)
Provision for income taxes									(150)	(98)	(2)
Gain on the sale of property									0	97	0
Income from continuing operations attributable to CPA®:17 – Global									10,476	25,055	(834)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests									24,668	20,427	16,899
Unallocated Corporate Overhead									$ 48,694	$ 52,376	$ 35,581