Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Quarterly Financial Information
Revenues	$ 110,740	$ 107,396	$ 106,513	$ 123,005	$ 113,875	$ 110,076	$ 109,185	$ 107,226	$ 447,654	$ 440,362	$ 426,947
Expenses	65,817	53,313	55,581	59,615	60,118	87,442	60,037	56,205	234,326	263,802	218,892
Net Income	13,488	33,810	41,725	47,146	15,305	67,045	91,241	55,617	136,169	229,208	124,120
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(9,747)	(9,081)	(10,919)	(9,135)	(10,459)	(8,827)	(9,383)	(10,194)	(38,882)	(38,863)	(39,915)
Net Income Attributable to CPA:17 – Global	$ 3,741	$ 24,729	$ 30,806	$ 38,011	$ 4,846	$ 58,218	$ 81,858	$ 45,423	$ 97,287	$ 190,345	$ 84,205
Earnings per share attributable to CPA®:17 – Global (usd per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.07	$ 0.09	$ 0.11	$ 0.01	$ 0.17	$ 0.24	$ 0.13
Distributions declared per share (usd per share)	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.1625	$ 0.65	$ 0.65	$ 0.6500