Income Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Income Per Share [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 238,504	$ 186,359	$ 144,033	$ 275,207
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2,322	(343)	2,994	14,886
Net income attributable to Vornado	240,826	186,016	147,027	290,093
Preferred share dividends	(20,363)	(20,365)	(40,727)	(39,849)
Net income attributable to common shareholders	220,463	165,651	106,300	250,244
Earnings allocated to unvested participating securities	(25)	(18)	(30)	(34)
Numerator for basic income per share	220,438	165,633	106,270	250,210
Convertible preferred share dividends	21	23	0	46
Earnings allocated to Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	24	367
Numerator for diluted income per share	$ 220,459	$ 165,656	$ 106,294	$ 250,623
Denominator for basic income per share - weighted average shares (in shares)	188,772	188,365	188,715	188,183
Employee stock options and restricted share awards (in shares)	1,070	1,190	1,020	1,260
Convertible preferred shares	43	45	0	46
Out-Performance Plan units	0	0	265	286
Denominator for diluted income per share - weighted average shares and assumed conversions (in shares)	189,885	189,600	190,000	189,775
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE - BASIC:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	$ 1.16	$ 0.88	$ 0.54	$ 1.25
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.01	0	0.02	0.08
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	1.17	0.88	0.56	1.33
INCOME PER COMMON SHARE - DILUTED:
Income from continuing operations, net (in dollars per share)	1.15	0.87	0.54	1.24
Income from discontinued operations, net (in dollars per share)	0.01	0	0.02	0.08
Net income per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.16	$ 0.87	$ 0.56	$ 1.32