Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 504,790	$ 513,869	$ 1,464,146	$ 1,424,323
Expenses:
Cost of sales	345,456	360,302	999,650	987,343
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	92,374	87,549	278,047	262,961
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	240	0	895	(1,944)
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	66,720	66,018	185,554	175,963
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(32,963)	(51,084)	(103,236)	(145,452)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	6,182	10,005	20,319	31,289
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	8,050	294	12,002	(8,378)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	1,755	4,481	13,653	13,660
Income before provision for income taxes	49,744	29,714	128,292	67,082
Income tax benefit (expense)	(13,736)	(14,686)	(37,944)	(29,394)
Net income	36,008	15,028	90,348	37,688
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(3,026)	(80)	(657)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	36,008	12,002	90,268	37,031
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(3,026)	(80)	(657)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	36,352	12,320	91,798	37,918
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	(119)	(119)	(358)	(358)
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	(119)	(119)	(358)	(358)
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0		0	0
Management fee expense	(2,993)	(2,878)	(8,978)	(8,632)
Operating income	2,993	2,878	8,978	8,632
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	225	0	673	0
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	(63,376)	(50,102)	(169,528)	(136,615)
Management fee income	(2,993)	(2,878)	(8,978)	(8,632)
Other, net	(1,100)	0	(1,100)	0
Income before provision for income taxes	(64,251)	(50,102)	(169,955)	(136,615)
Income tax benefit (expense)	0	0	0	0
Net income	(64,251)	(50,102)	(169,955)	(136,615)
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(64,251)	(50,102)	(169,955)	(136,615)
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	(64,486)	(50,249)	(170,659)	(137,046)
Parent/Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	0	0	0	0
Expenses:
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	9,490	8,915	28,836	26,331
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0		0	0
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	(9,490)	(8,915)	(28,836)	(26,331)
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(32,023)	(50,317)	(100,277)	(143,286)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	6,182	10,005	20,319	31,289
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	61,483	50,102	162,911	136,615
Management fee income	2,993	2,878	8,978	8,632
Other, net	(655)	5,079	9,307	13,899
Income before provision for income taxes	28,490	8,832	72,402	20,818
Income tax benefit (expense)	7,518	3,170	17,866	16,213
Net income	36,008	12,002	90,268	37,031
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	36,008	12,002	90,268	37,031
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	36,352	12,320	91,798	37,918
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	303,379	302,128	854,875	844,316
Expenses:
Cost of sales	209,192	219,769	590,956	597,492
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	18,376	16,497	53,234	49,342
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	240		895	525
Management fee expense	2,993	2,878	8,978	8,632
Operating income	72,578	62,984	200,812	188,325
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(937)	(760)	(2,947)	(2,103)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	1,893	0	6,617
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	1,702	(940)	2,302	(1,259)
Income before provision for income taxes	75,236	61,284	206,784	184,963
Income tax benefit (expense)	(18,231)	(15,885)	(50,297)	(47,433)
Net income	57,005	45,399	156,487	137,530
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	57,005	45,399	156,487	137,530
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	57,240	45,546	157,191	137,961
Subsidiary Non-Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenues	201,530	211,860	609,629	580,365
Expenses:
Cost of sales	136,264	140,533	408,694	389,851
Operating, selling, administrative and general expenses	64,627	62,256	196,335	187,646
Litigation settlement and judgment expense	0		0	(2,469)
Management fee expense	0	0	0	0
Operating income	639	9,071	4,600	5,337
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense	(228)	(7)	(685)	(63)
Change in fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) from real estate ventures	8,050	294	12,002	(8,378)
Equity in earnings in consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Management fee income	0	0	0	0
Other, net	1,808	342	3,144	1,020
Income before provision for income taxes	10,269	9,700	19,061	(2,084)
Income tax benefit (expense)	(3,023)	(1,971)	(5,513)	1,826
Net income	7,246	7,729	13,548	(258)
Net income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(3,026)	(80)	(657)
Net income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	7,246	4,703	13,468	(915)
Comprehensive income attributed to non-controlling interest	0	(3,026)	(80)	(657)
Comprehensive income attributed to Vector Group Ltd.	$ 7,246	$ 4,703	$ 13,468	$ (915)