Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Series J	Real estate fund investments	Other	Preferred Shares / Units	Preferred Shares / Units Series J	Common Shares	Additional Capital	Earnings Less Than Distributions	Earnings Less Than Distributions Series J	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other	Vornado Realty L.P.	Vornado Realty L.P. Series J	Vornado Realty L.P. Real estate fund investments	Vornado Realty L.P. Other	Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units	Vornado Realty L.P. Preferred Shares / Units Series J	Vornado Realty L.P. Class A Units Owned by Vornado	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions	Vornado Realty L.P. Earnings Less Than Distributions Series J	Vornado Realty L.P. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Vornado Realty L.P. Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries	Vornado Realty L.P. Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Real estate fund investments	Vornado Realty L.P. Non-controlling Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries Other
Beginning balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013					52,683		187,285												52,683		187,285
Beginning balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 7,594,744				$ 1,277,225		$ 7,469	$ 7,143,840	$ (1,734,839)		$ 71,537	$ 829,512			$ 7,594,744				$ 1,277,225		$ 7,151,309	$ (1,734,839)		$ 71,537	$ 829,512
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	864,852								864,852						912,465							912,465
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(47,613)														(47,613)							(47,613)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	96,561		$ 92,728									96,561			96,561										96,561
Dividends on common shares	(547,831)								(547,831)
Distributions to Vornado															(547,831)							(547,831)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(81,464)								(81,464)						(81,464)							(81,464)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares							271														271
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	27,273						$ 11	27,262							27,273						$ 27,273
Under employees' share option plan, Shares							304														304
Under employees' share option plan, Value	14,047						$ 12	17,428	(3,393)						14,047						$ 17,440	(3,393)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares							17														17
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,804						$ 1	1,803							1,804						$ 1,804
Contributions:
Contributions			5,297	$ 32,998									$ 5,297	$ 32,998			$ 5,297	$ 32,998								$ 5,297	$ 32,998
Distribution:
Distributions			(182,964)	(4,463)									(182,964)	(4,463)			(182,964)	(4,463)								(182,964)	(4,463)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	(33,028)		(33,028)										(33,028)		(33,028)		(33,028)									(33,028)
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units					(4)		5												(4)		5
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value	0				$ (193)		$ 0	193							0				$ (193)		$ 193
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares							5														5
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	5,512						$ 0	5,852	(340)						5,512						$ 5,852	(340)
Increase (reduction) in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	14,465										14,465				14,465									14,465
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	2,509										2,509				2,509									2,509
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,079										6,079				6,079									6,079
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(315,276)							(315,276)							(315,276)						$ (315,276)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(1,323)										(1,323)				(1,323)									(1,323)
Other, Shares																			0		0
Other	(10,410)				$ (6)			(8,077)	(2,370)			43			(10,410)				$ (6)		$ (8,077)	(2,370)		0	43
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014					52,679		187,887												52,679		187,887
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2014	7,489,382				$ 1,277,026		$ 7,493	6,873,025	(1,505,385)		93,267	743,956			7,489,382				$ 1,277,026		$ 6,880,518	(1,505,385)		93,267	743,956
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	760,434								760,434						803,665							803,665
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(43,231)														(43,231)							(43,231)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	55,765		40,117									55,765			55,765										55,765
Distribution of Urban Edge Properties	(464,603)								(464,262)			(341)			(464,603)							(464,262)			(341)
Dividends on common shares	(474,751)								(474,751)
Distributions to Vornado															(474,751)							(474,751)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(80,578)								(80,578)						(80,578)							(80,578)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares							452														452
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	48,230						$ 18	48,212							48,230						$ 48,230
Under employees' share option plan, Shares							214														214
Under employees' share option plan, Value	12,762						$ 9	15,332	(2,579)						12,762						$ 15,341	(2,579)
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares							14														14
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,438						$ 1	1,437							1,438						$ 1,438
Contributions:
Contributions			51,725	250									51,725	250			51,725	250								51,725	250
Distribution:
Distributions	(30,263)		(72,114)	(525)									(72,114)	(525)			(72,114)	(525)								(72,114)	(525)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0														0
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units					(2)		4												(2)		4
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value	0				$ (72)		$ 1	71							0				$ (72)		$ 72
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares							6														6
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	2,080						$ 1	2,438	(359)						2,080						$ 2,439	(359)
Increase (reduction) in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	(55,326)										(55,326)				(55,326)									(55,326)
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(327)										(327)				(327)									(327)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	6,435										6,435				6,435									6,435
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	192,464							192,464							192,464						$ 192,464
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	2,866										2,866				2,866									2,866
Other, Shares							0														0
Other	471						$ (2)		700		6	(233)			471						$ (2)	700		6	(233)
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2015					52,677		188,577												52,677		188,577
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2015	7,476,078				$ 1,276,954		$ 7,521	7,132,979	(1,766,780)		46,921	778,483			7,476,078				$ 1,276,954		$ 7,140,500	(1,766,780)		46,921	778,483
Net income attributable to Vornado / Vornado Realty L.P.	906,917								906,917						960,571							960,571
Net income attributable to redeemable partnership units	(53,654)														(53,654)							(53,654)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries	21,351		(2,560)									21,351			21,351										21,351
Dividends on common shares	(475,961)								(475,961)
Distributions to Vornado															(475,961)							(475,961)
Dividends on preferred shares / Distributions to preferred unitholders	(75,903)								(75,903)
Redemption of preferred shares, Shares / Units						(9,850)														(9,850)
Redemption of preferred shares, Value		$ (246,250)				$ (238,842)				$ (7,408)						$ (246,250)				$ (238,842)			$ (7,408)
Common shares issued:
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Shares							376														376
Upon redemption of Class A units, at redemption value, Value	36,510						$ 15	36,495							36,510						$ 36,510
Under employees' share option plan, Shares							123														123
Under employees' share option plan, Value	6,825						$ 5	6,820							6,825						$ 6,825
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Shares							16														16
Under dividend reinvestment plan, Value	1,444						$ 1	1,443							1,444						$ 1,444
Contributions:
Contributions	19,749											19,749			19,749										19,749
Distribution:
Distributions	(31,342)		$ (62,444)	$ (36,804)									$ (62,444)	$ (36,804)			$ (62,444)	$ (36,804)								$ (62,444)	$ (36,804)
Transfer of noncontrolling interest in real estate fund	0														0
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units					(2)		3												(2)		3
Conversion of Series A preferred shares to common shares / Conversion of Series A preferred units to Class A units, Value	0				$ (56)		$ 0	56							0				$ (56)		$ 56
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Shares							7														7
Deferred compensation shares / units and options, Value	1,602						$ 0	1,788	(186)						1,602						$ 1,788	(186)
Increase (reduction) in unrealized net gain on available-for-sale securities	52,057										52,057				52,057									52,057
Pro rata share of other comprehensive (loss) income of nonconsolidated subsidiaries	(2,739)										(2,739)				(2,739)									(2,739)
Increase in value of interest rate swap	27,434										27,434				27,434									27,434
Adjustments to carry redeemable Class A units at redemption value	(26,251)							(26,251)							(26,251)						$ (26,251)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests' share of above adjustments	(4,699)										(4,699)				(4,699)									(4,699)
Other, Shares					0		(1)												0		(1)
Other	(420)				$ (1)		$ 0	2	(61)		(2)	(358)			(420)				$ (1)		$ 2	(61)		(2)	(358)
Ending balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2016					42,825		189,101												42,825		189,101
Ending balance, Value at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 7,618,496				$ 1,038,055		$ 7,542	$ 7,153,332	$ (1,419,382)		$ 118,972	$ 719,977			$ 7,618,496				$ 1,038,055		$ 7,160,874	$ (1,419,382)		$ 118,972	$ 719,977